22 Delicious Metabolism-Boosting Ideas

You’re trying your hardest to shed those extra pounds that have collected on your mid-section over the past few months.

You’re eating well-balanced meals , you’re going to the gym, you’re drinking plenty of water and you’re even taking a multivitamin. But, despite all of your efforts, when those hunger pangs kick in between breakfast or lunch or when you are kicking back and relaxing after work, you can’t help but grab for a snack.

All of the diet-friendly efforts that you have been making are null-and-void when you munch on potato chips, ice cream and cookies throughout the day. The pounds from those calorie-ridden snacks love to make settle on your waist.

Fortunately, you don’t have to give up snacking in order to achieve your weight loss goals; in fact, dieticians recommend eating every few hours to keep your metabolism moving. Changing your snack food choices, however, is what will help you keep those pounds off; and we’re not talking eating plain rice cakes or stalks of celery, either.

Here are 22 snack ideas that will actually help you BOOST your metabolism .

1. Avocado Cracker Bites. Avocado is tasty, filling and metabolism boosting. Cut one up into chunks and spread them onto whole wheat crackers. Add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and you’ll really step up your metabolism.
2. Cucumber Rolls – Take advantage of the metabolism firing capsaicin in peppers with this snack. Top cucumbers with hummus and sprinkle on peppers for a tasty kick.
3. Zucchini Chips- Trade in those potato chips for baked zucchini chips.
4. Greek Yogurt and Fruit – Toss some cherries, strawberries of blueberries into a bowl of Greek yogurt.
5. Peanut Butter and Honey Parfait – Fill a glass with a layer of peanut butter, a layer of honey and some granola.
6. Cucumbers, Cream Cheese and Tomatoes – Spread some light cream cheese on cucumbers and top with tomatoes.
7. Cinnamon Baked Sweet Potatoes – Cut sweet potatoes, drizzle them with olive oil, sprinkle on some cinnamon and bake.
8. Carrots and Hummus – Dip some carrots in hummus and YUM!
9. Guacamole Cottage Cheese – Mix up some avocado and low-fat cottage cheese.
10. Apple Chips – Bake up some sliced apples and sprinkle a little cinnamon on them.
11. Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip – Mix a packet of low-fat ranch with low-fat Greek yogurt and dip some raw veggies in.
12. Ants On a Log – This snack from childhood is great for boosting metabolism. Spread peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese on celery and sprinkle raisins on top.
13. Hard-Boiled Eggs and Avocado Spread – Combine hard-boiled eggs with avocado and spread on top of whole wheat toast.
14. Peanut Butter and Bananas – A little peanut butter spread on a whole wheat English muffin and topped with bananas.
15. Siracha Popcorn – Sprinkle some siracha on reduced fat, air-popped popcorn.
16. Chocolate Raspberry Crepes – Make crepes with whole wheat flour and spread some hazelnut spread on them. Top with raspberries and enjoy.
17. Spinach White Cheese Pizza – Spread low-fat ricotta cheese and spinach on a whole wheat tortilla.
18. Tree Nuts – Any type will do; cashews, walnuts, etc.
19. Cheese and Apple – Top apple slices with a reduced fat cheese.
20. Tomatoes and Mozzarella – Reduced fat mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.
21. Wasabi Soybeans – Soybeans mixed with wasabi is a spicy kick that your metabolism needs.
22. Ranch Cucumbers – Make ranch dip with low-fat Greek yogurt and eat with cucumbers.

Sources:
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20746339,00.html http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-tips/foods-boosting-metabolism
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/boost-your-metabolism-and-torch-fat