Regular dieting is old school… and boring. Certain foods have a very high thermogenic (of or relating to the production of heat: producing heat) effect, so you literally burn calories as you chew. They raise metabolic fire, build muscle, promote fat burning, or simply use energy (i.e., burn calories) just to digest them!

Yoghurt
Dairy has a bad rep for high calories, but yoghurt, both the low-fat and regular kinds, contains probiotics: “friendly” bacteria that preliminary research suggests may actually help reduce the amount of fat your body absorbs.

Eggs
In case you hadn’t heard, eggs have been rehabilitated. In fact, nutritionists wish those warnings about the dangers of eggs had never been issued. Because they’re a concentrated form of animal protein without the added fat that comes with meat, eggs are a nutritional powerhouse and the perfect way to start your day with a “bang” of energy. (And they’re fine, at least in moderation, for those restricting cholesterol, too.)

Dietary studies have repeatedly found that when people eat an egg every morning in addition to (or instead of) toast or cereal, they lose twice as much weight as those who eat a breakfast that’s dominated by carbs.

Salmon
Contains Omega-3 fatty acids which can alter the levels of a hormone in your body called leptin. Lower leptin levels are associated with a higher
caloric burn.

Lean meats
It actually takes energy to digest food, and your body burns more calories digesting and metabolising protein than it does while breaking down carbs and fats. Translation: Consuming a few servings of lean protein, such as chicken, fish, and tofu, each day may help keep your metabolism revving away long after you finish eating your meal.

Whole grains
Your body burns twice as many calories breaking down whole foods (especially those rich in fiber such as oatmeal and brown rice) than processed foods.

Oats
A rich source of fiber, which pumps up your metabolism. And since oatmeal breaks down slowly in your stomach, it doesn’t cause a big insulin spike the way carbs like bagels do. Oatmeal is typically eaten for breakfast, which is an important meal to consume for anyone who wants to burn calories. Eating oats keeps insulin production down and revs up the daily calorie burn.

Turkey
This is a dieter’s friend because it’s a great source of lean protein, which helps boost metabolism. Removing the skin before eating saves additional fat calories, too.

Green tea
Drinking four cups of green tea a day helped people shed more than six pounds in eight weeks, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports. Credit EGCG, a compound in the brew that temporarily speeds metabolism after sipping it. To up your intake, keep a jug of iced tea in the fridge.

Ginger
Used for centuries to help relieve digestive upset/disturbances, ginger can also help reduce inflammation, boost blood flow to muscles and aid muscle recovery. It has also has been shown to boost calorie burn when eaten.

Water
This just may be your best ally in fighting body fat. Studies have shown that drinking 2 cups of cold water can boost metabolic rate by 30%. It has been estimated that drinking about 2 cups of cold water before breakfast, lunch and dinner every day for a year can burn 17,400 extra calories, which translates into a little more than 5 pounds (2.26kgs) of body fat!

Low-fat dairy products
Rich in calcium and vitamin D, these help preserve and build muscle mass—essential for maintaining a robust metabolism.

Lentils
One cup packs 35% of your daily iron needs—good news, since up to 20% of us are iron-deficient. When you lack a nutrient, your metabolism slows because the body’s not getting what it needs to work efficiently.

Cinnamon
Without going into the whole scientific explanation of why it works, adding 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of this spice to something you eat every day — hot cereal, marinades, yogurt — helps blood sugar get into cells to be used for energy, so less is stored as fat.

Coffee
Again, the caffeine kicks your metabolism into high gear. Caffeine also jump-starts lipolysis, the breakdown of fat. One to two cups a day is ideal. Of course, the hundreds of calories in a sugar and fat-rich blended coffee drink can negate whatever heart-quickening benefit the coffee in caffeine imparts, so you may want to consider using skim milk and keeping sweeteners to a minimum.

Chili Peppers
Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their kick, heats up your body, which makes you melt additional calories. You can get it by eating raw, cooked, dried, or powdered peppers.