The Ultimate Metabolism Diet

Metabolism is the rate at which you burn calories and produce energy. In "Ultra Metabolism," Dr. Mark Hyman says your eating behaviors, the quality of our food, environment, stress levels and physical activity influence the way in which your metabolism processes food, burns calories and regulates weight. Poor diet choices such as packaged, processed and nutrient-deficient foods contributes to the slow-down of metabolism and damages your health. Concentrating on a diet based on whole, real, unprocessed foods is the best way to avoid health risks and increase metabolism.

Eat Real Food

The most important thing to keep in mind when creating a meal is to include as many real, whole and unprocessed foods as possible. Stop eating foods that have labels on them or come in a package. You want to be consuming foods in the closest possible form that you would find them in nature. Examples of real foods include whole fruit and vegetables, wild fish, whole grains, grass-fed beef and legumes. In "Raw Food Life Force Energy," author Natalia Rose says your health will improve, you will start losing weight, your metabolism will increase and your energy will change.

Eat the Rright Fats

Eating the right fats is important to turn on the genes that will help you lose weight. Fats are the key part of your diet that control genes, weight and inflammation that slows down the metabolism. They provide satisfying, slowly absorbed energy that makes you feel full faster and controls hunger. Healthy fats include olive oil, nuts, coconut oil, fish and fish oil containing omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats enter the cells and communicate with genes that help you increase fat burning, improve blood sugar control and reduce inflammation.

Balance Your Glycemic Load

Carbohydrates are not necessarily bad for the metabolism. Choosing complex carbohydrates that have a low glycemic load and are rich in phytonutrients control your appetite, weight and metabolism. Foods in this category tend to be higher in fiber. Fiber slows down the digestive process, which makes you feel fuller longer and encourages your metabolism to work harder, according to "Master Your Metabolism," by Jillian Michaels. Complex carbohydrates include whole grains, sweet potatoes and yams, potatoes and starchy vegetables.

Eat more fiber

Fiber is the secret to ultimate metabolism because it absorbs sugar, thus making it burn more slowly in the digestive system. The higher the fiber content, the harder and longer your body has to work to digest it. Thermogenesis is the metabolic process of digesting food and burning calories. You are digesting longer and so you stay satisfied longer and eat less throughout the day. Fiber also helps in keeping your blood sugar from spiking to reduce your appetite and keep your metabolism balanced. Fiber can be found in berries, apples, pears, citrus fruits, legumes and beans, nuts and whole grains.

Avod Sugars and Artificial Sweeteners

Simple carbohydrates with a high glycemic load get turned to sugar very quickly. When you eat sugar, you trigger sugar cravings, increase your appetite, increase insulin production and alter your metabolism. White bread, pasta, white rice and baked goods have a high glycemic load. Sugar can appear on food labels as high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, glucose, honey, maple sugar and brown sugar. Instead, choose foods that contain natural sugars such as whole fruits.