We've survived the Thanksgiving bonanza and now things are gearing up for the holidays. Holiday Christmas parties, cookie exchanges and New Years eve shindigs are all fast approaching. Then, starting January 2nd we'll try and get ourselves back in gear and commit to those healthy resolutions to shed those unwanted pounds we gained in record time.

How about getting started now with some simple nutritional changes that will boost your metabolism and help burn that extra cookie or glass of egg nog? Incorporating just 2 or 3 of the suggestions below will not only boost your metabolism but give you more energy, battle fatigue and provide overall better health.

But first, what is metabolism anyway? We talk about it all the time but have we really acquainted ourselves with it? Metabolism is like your personal gym that works and works when you aren't at the gym. It is the rate at which your body burns calories to sustain life. Your body burns calories 24 hours a day, everyday - no matter if you work out or not. The difference is just how efficient it is. By exercising and having a healthy diet you are helping your metabolism be better at it's job so you can benefit from a healthier weight, more energy and less fatigue. Give some of these ideas a try to get the fire burning!

Hot and Spicy: Thermogenic spices like ginger, cayenne, mustard and cinnamon raise your body temperature and therefore kick start your metabolism. Incorporate them into your meals by grating fresh ginger into your salad dressing and sprinkling cinnamon on chopped apples.

Powerful Protein: Quality protein such as eggs, lean beef, chicken, fish and whey boost metabolism by up to 25 percent for about 12 hours. Protein helps build muscle and for every pound of muscle gained you burn and extra 70 calories per hour. 

Don't Toss the Yolks: Eggs fall under protein but it's really important to not throw out the yolk. Egg yolks contain sulfur bearing amino acids which help the liver metabolize fats. And, if you're concerned about cholesterol, don't be. 1-2 eggs don't contain enough cholesterol to make a difference to your cholesterol levels. Plus, the yolks contain all the vitamins and nutrients.

Get Your Omega’s: Flaxsee oil increases satiety making you feel full faster. GLA (gamma linoleic acid) rich botanicals such as evening primrose, borage or black currant seed oil trigger your abililty to burn fat, calories and boost energy. Add ground flaxseeds to yogurt or mix flaxseed oil into your homemade salad dressings. You can buy GLA's in supplement form at your local health food store or online.

Don't Skip Breakfast: Women who don’t eat breakfast are four and a half times more likely to be obese than women who do. Eating breakfast prevents your body from going into starvation mode and storing your food as fat. Plus it jump starts your metabolism, prevents energy lags and overeating later in the day. Make sure your breakfast includes protein which will keep you full longer.

Eat Often: Eat about every 4 hours and incorporate snacks into your day. This will prevent fat storage caused by “feast-or-famine” eating. Go hungry at any point and your body will start storing more fat at the next meal. Good snacks include yogurt, nuts, seeds and avocado.

Go Coo Coo For Coconuts: Coconuts are high in saturated fat which happens to be a necessary fat for optimal health (contrary to all the fear mongering we’ve heard about saturated fats in the past). Coconuts contain the healthiest of the 3 types of saturated fats with medium-chain fatty acids that will help you lose weight and increase health. Start cooking with coconut oil or experiment with coconut cream in desserts.

Get Your Zzzz's: Get at least 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Sleep deprivation stresses the body which causes oxidative stress and promotes weight gain. Make sure your bedroom is pitch dark to improve quality of sleep and have at least 30 minutes of quiet without TV or computer before slipping under the sheets.

Hydrate: Over 70% of bodily functions take place in water so not drinking enough will slow those systems down (including your metabolism!) and stresses your body. It is recommended that you drink your body weight in ounces. Remember to drink 2 cups of water for every cup of coffee or glass of alcohol you consume since these beverages will dehydrate you significantly.

Get a Move On: Of course moving your body is always a great way to boost metabolism and burn some extra calories. But, it doesn't mean you have to slave away at the gym for an hour everyday. Do muscle flexing while you're sitting at a red light, get up from your desk and take a spin around the office, take the stairs in and out of the subway instead of the escalator and stand up to take your phone calls at work. These little things will keep you a bit more active and might even get you motivated to take it one step farther and hit the gym a few times a week.

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Mercola, Joseph. Dr. Mercola's Total Health Program: the Proven Plan to Prevent Disease and Premature Aging, Optimize Weight and Live Longer! p. 20 Schaumburg, IL: Mercola.com, 2005.

Michaels, Jillian, and Mariska Van. Aalst. Master Your Metabolism: the 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones for a Hot and Healthy Body! p. 153-154. New York: Crown, 2009.

Gittleman, Ann Louise. The Fat Flush Plan p. 42-43. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002.

Hyman, Mark. UltraMetabolism: the Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss : Awaken the Fat-burning DNA Hidden in Your Body p. 152. New York: Atria, 2006.

Cannone, Jesse. "What Does Metabolism Mean?" Worldwide Health. 08 Dec. 2010. http://www.worldwidehealth.com/health-article-What-does-Metabolism-mean.html.

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