Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and certain antioxidants may help promote fat loss. Certain beverages, including coffee, also have metabolism-boosting properties. Boosting your metabolic rate can help you lose body fat.

Fortunately, several natural foods and beverages have been shown to increase your metabolism and promote fat loss. Salmon , herring, sardines , mackerel, and other fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids , which may help you lose body fat.

Fish is also an excellent source of high quality protein, which may lead to greater feelings of fullness and can help increase your metabolic rate. Most organizations recommend consuming two servings 3 ounces oz each of fatty fish per week to see the health benefits.

Medium-chain triglycerides MCT oil is made by extracting MCTs from palm oil. Research suggests that MCTs may help increase metabolic rate, reduce hunger , and promote better retention of muscle mass during weight loss. Studies suggest that replacing fat in your diet with 1. Try to start with 1 teaspoon tsp and gradually increase to avoid digestive side effects.

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. Coffee a great source of caffeine , which may help you burn fat. To get the fat-burning benefits of caffeine without the potential side effects , such as anxiousness or insomnia, aim for no more than mg per day. This is the amount found in about 4—5 cups of coffee, depending on its strength.

Although egg yolks have traditionally been avoided due to their high cholesterol content, whole eggs may help with weight loss. For one, they are very nutrient-dense and contain a lot of protein, which can help ward off hunger and overeating.

One of the reasons eggs are so filling may also be due to the boost in calorie burning that occurs during protein digestion. Eating up to three eggs a week can help you burn fat while keeping you full and satisfied. More than this amount has been associated with a higher chance of heart disease.

In addition to providing a moderate amount of caffeine, green tea is an excellent source of epigallocatechin gallate EGCG , an antioxidant that promotes fat burning and the loss of belly fat. Though research suggests that drinking green tea may help improve your metabolism and lower your body fat, more research is necessary to support these claims.

That said, drinking about cups of green tea daily may be optimal for providing the variety of health benefits.

Moreover, whey appears to boost fat burning and promote weight loss. For this reason, a whey protein shake is a quick meal or snack option that promotes fat loss and may help improve your body composition. Apple cider vinegar is an ancient folk remedy with evidence-based health benefits.

However, more human studies are needed to verify this. Start with 1 tsp per day diluted in water and gradually work up to 1 tbsp per day to minimize potential digestive discomfort.

Chili peppers contain powerful antioxidants. One of these is called capsaicin , and cosuming it may help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight by promoting fullness and preventing overeating. Consider eating chili peppers or using powdered cayenne pepper to spice up your meals several times a week.

Oolong tea is contains polyphenols , which are compounds associated with helping reduce things like blood sugar and and body weight. Like other teas, it also contains caffeine, which helps promote weight and body fat loss. Drinking a few cups of green tea, oolong tea, or a combination of the two on a regular basis may promote fat loss and provide other beneficial health effects.

Losing weight slowly may also reduce the risk of putting it back on again later 48, Both dietary strategies and exercise can help reduce belly fat. You lose fat when you take in fewer calories, or less energy, than you use. Exercise can help burn fat and either maintain or build muscle No foods will specifically enable you to burn belly fat, but you are less likely to continue gaining weight if you focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains rather than highly processed foods with a lot of refined carbs and added sugar.

Rather, you should incorporate healthy habits into your routine, such as eating whole grains instead of refined carbs, replacing sugary drinks with water, trying probiotics, or drinking coffee. Be sure to pair these simple nutrition tips with a well-rounded diet and active lifestyle to promote long-lasting, sustainable fat burning.

Finding a friend or family member with similar exercise or lifestyle goals may also help you hold yourself accountable. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

VIEW ALL HISTORY. Patients with diabetes who used GLP-1 drugs, including tirzepatide, semaglutide, dulaglutide, and exenatide had a decreased chance of being diagnosed….

Some studies suggest vaping may help manage your weight, but others show mixed…. The amount of time it takes to recover from weight loss surgery depends on the type of surgery and surgical technique you receive. New research suggests that running may not aid much with weight loss, but it can help you keep from gaining weight as you age.

Here's why. New research finds that bariatric surgery is an effective long-term treatment to help control high blood pressure. Most people associate stretch marks with weight gain, but you can also develop stretch marks from rapid weight loss. New research reveals the states with the highest number of prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.

Mounjaro is a diabetes medication that may help with weight loss. Here's what you need to know about purchasing it without insurance. Eating up to three servings of kimchi each day is linked to a reduced rate of obesity among men, according to a new study.

This study is observational…. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Evidence Based 12 Ways to Promote Long-Term Fat Loss.

Medically reviewed by Marie Lorraine Johnson MS, RD, CPT — By Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD — Updated on July 3, Strength training High protein diet Sleep Healthy fat Unsweetened drinks Fiber Whole grains Cardio Coffee HIIT Probiotics Intermittent fasting FAQ Bottom line Making changes to your diet, such as eating more protein and fewer refined carbs, may help increase fat loss over time and benefit your overall health.

Start strength training. Follow a high protein diet. Get more sleep. Eat more healthy fats. Drink unsweetened beverages. Fill up on fiber. Choose whole grains instead of refined carbs.

Increase your cardio. Drink coffee. Try high intensity interval training HIIT. Add probiotics to your diet. Try intermittent fasting. Frequently asked questions. The bottom line. Was this helpful? How we reviewed this article: History. Jul 3, Written By Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD.

Medically Reviewed By Marie Lorraine Johnson MS, RD, CPT. Nov 29, Written By Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD. Medically Reviewed By Grant Tinsley, Ph. Share this article.

Read this next. GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic and Mounjaro Linked to Lower Risk of Depression Patients with diabetes who used GLP-1 drugs, including tirzepatide, semaglutide, dulaglutide, and exenatide had a decreased chance of being diagnosed… READ MORE.

Not always, because different types of calories can affect your body and your results differently. Granted, carbs can potentially make you fat, but they also directly fuel your training.

Protein, on the other hand, not only adds to your muscle—key in boosting the metabolism—but actually increases your metabolism more directly. The body burns more calories processing protein than it burns to process carbs or fat, known as the thermic effect of food.

When attempting to lose body fat, insulin control is crucial. Refined carbs digest quickly, raising insulin levels substantially, which is why you should avoid them. But if you do happen to eat, say, a bowl of cold cereal typically a fast-digesting carb , you can still take measures to ensure those carbs digest more slowly.

This will cause less insulin to be released and therefore have less of an impact on your ability to burn fat. Do this: One way to slow digestion is to eat carbs with protein and small amounts of fat. Never eat carbs alone. Accompany that bowl of cereal, for example, with scrambled egg whites or cottage cheese.

Alternatively, you could eat plenty of vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and green salads, with your meals. These foods actually slow the breakdown and digestion rate of all carbohydrates. At night your insulin sensitivity decreases, meaning your body must release more insulin than usual to put any carbohydrates you eat at night to use in the body.

And by now you know that higher insulin levels can decrease fat-burning and enhance fat storage. In addition, the body naturally produces a fat-liberating hormone called growth hormone within the initial 90 minutes of sleep.

GH not only increases fat-burning but is required to build mass and strengthen the immune system. This allows blood glucose—the high-tech name for digested carbs circulating in the blood—to remain low, which facilitates the rise in nocturnal GH production.

A better option is to eat only protein meals the final four hours before bed, with one protein meal immediately before bedtime that includes only protein, such as a casein shake, low-fat cottage cheese, or chicken breast. You can, however, eat a small serving of vegetables here if you wish.

This arginine-based supplement is also effective when taken before bed, when it can exert a profound surge in GH levels and support fat-burning. Sure, calories and hormones can determine whether your body deposits food into muscle or as body fat, but meal frequency, or how many times you eat each day, affects your overall metabolism.

This is especially true for meals that contain protein. And, of course, eating seven or eight times per day would be even better than six. This is one way to lean out without having to drastically reduce calories.

Frequent feedings tend to increase the chance that what you eat will make its way into muscle tissue rather than being packed away as body fat.

Do this: Eat small meals per day, spaced hours apart. Determine your ideal daily caloric intake for fat-burning see Rule 1 and divide that more or less evenly between your meals. Depleted, broken-down muscles soak up both protein and carbohydrates for growth and recovery.

If you eat too little at this time, you may actually set yourself back by impeding recovery; supporting recovery and growth actually increases metabolism while impeding it slows metabolism.

In terms of spurring recovery and growth, just about the most counterproductive thing you can do after a hard workout is starve yourself. Do this: Consume g of protein powder such as whey powder and casein along with g of fast-digesting carbs a large baked potato, slices of white bread, or a large sports drink such as Gatorade as soon as possible within an hour after training.

When you hit the gym, the body releases a fat-liberating messenger called epinephrine, which attaches itself to fat cells and allows fat to be burned as fuel.

And, you guessed it, carbohydrates come into play here. Refined carbs consumed before training suppress the exercise- and supplement-induced rise in epinephrine compared to eating the same amount of slower-digesting carbs.

Refined carbs also boost insulin levels, further hampering fat-burning during the workout. Bottom line, avoid refined carbs altogether before training. Do this: Fifteen to 30 minutes or less before training, consume 20g of protein powder in a whey shake or other protein powder source and g of carbohydrates to help you train hard all the way through your workout.

Stick with slow-digesting carbs here, such as oat bran, oatmeal, rye or whole-wheat bread, fruit, or sweet potatoes. On nonworkout days, eat that meal as a snack and drop your post-workout feeding.