Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism For the Holidays

Your body was developed to shut down during the winter to conserve energy.  Great for cavemen but not so good for the rest of us.

According to Yahoo Shine, here are 5 ways to boost your metabolism while still enjoying the holidays.

1. Exercise.  Any exercise is great and getting outside away from food is even better because when your outside in the cold it will make you move faster.  Best time to exercise is after you eat, that way you raise your metabolism and lower your blood pressure.
2. Eat foods in season.  Experts claim eating foods in season will increase your metabolism.  Seasonal foods right now are pumpkins, cabbage, and squash.
3. Eat spices.  It's said that cinnamon, garlic, and cayenne pepper will raise your metabolic rate.
4. Try not to overeat.  You should wait at least 15 minutes after you eat before getting that second helping or dessert.  That way you might find out you are not quite as hungry as you thought.  Also take it easy on comfort foods such as gravy, stuffing, and pie.
5. Don't beat yourself up.  Stress causes your metabolism to slow down which could cause you to gain 5-8 pounds between November and January.  But never fear, once the weather warms up you will drop it, so give yourself a break.