Do you want to shed a pound or two? Do you keep telling yourself that you are doing all the usual dieting basics. You are already watching what you eat, trying to reduce calories, and adding some exercise to the mix. Even with all the things you are seemingly doing right it’s still VERY hard to lose weight.

What can you do to move things along in the right direction? You need to ADD a boost to your metabolism in the mix. After doing some basic research I discovered there are quite a few things in my diet already that are actually good for boosting the metabolism.

Some of them are:

1. Drink Green Tea. This is not only a good source of anti-oxidants, however, it actually boosts your metabolism also. Try some brewed iced green tea. It is not only a healthier alternative to soda, Snapple and other chemically laden beverages; it will also rev up your metabolism.

2. Make your Foods Spicy. Simple as adding some hot red peppers to your pasta dish or to an egg white omelet and you may boost your metabolism as much as 8%. The way it works is spicy foods heat up the body, therefore, to cool down your body requires calories, meaning an increase in your metabolism. Here is why: Capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.

3. Drink Cold Water. It has been said before, but its true, not only does filling up with 8+ glasses of water a day curb your appetite and help flush away toxins and waste, however, it also increases your metabolic rate. Studies have suggested that five or six ice cold glasses of water could help you burn about 10 extra calories a day.

4. Add More Fiber Rich Food. For example add oatmeal to your diet. Its rich in fiber, low in cholesterol. Sorry no instant oatmeal, make sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, otherwise you won’t get the full benefit of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

5. Eat More Soup. Soup like water, is a wonderful appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a mostly of liquids. Be sensible and use a water based broth with lots of vegetables and lean protein like chicken or turkey. You will eat less and burn fat faster by filling up first with a bowl of soup.

6. Snack on Grapefruit. No wonder some diets consist of grapefruit as the main course. The unique chemical properties in this vitamin C packed fruit reduce insulin levels, which burn fat and promote weight loss.

7. Add Even More Fruit. Did you know that fruit eaters eat fewer calories overall because its great at satisfying those sugar cravings. Fruit like apples and pears are generally low in calories but high in fiber making you feel full longer so you eat less.

8. Munch on Broccoli. This nutritious vegetable is part of the cabbage family and has plenty of vitamin A, folate, and fiber. Broccoli not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.

9. Yogurt for Your Diet. Adding yogurt to the mix is wonderful because it includes calcium, protein and many other nutrients plus good bacteria for your digestive tract.

10. Lots of Lean Protein. Turkey and Chicken – protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories.

Lastly, consider all natural herbal metabolism boosters as a supplement to all the above! The metabolism booster with extraordinary results is MetaboSpeed, a unique diet pill blending ingredients clinically designed to reduce weight by boosting the metabolism, while at the same time reducing hunger. The increased metabolic rate will burn energy more rapidly but without the usual cravings for food.

Jennifer Hughs is the pen name for the health and lifestyles writer who is compensated by Value Marketing, Inc. d/b/a Lab88. The author has 20+ years in the cosmetic and health industries and has worked with leading beauty and health publications.