Body fat loss can be tricky. If you restrict your calories too much you can decrease your metabolism and actually burn fewer calories.

Your body does not use all foods in the same way for fuel.

The key is to eat foods that increase your metabolism and fat loss.

The following are foods that have been scientifically proven to increase metabolism.

PROTEIN

Protein helps to build muscle and therefore increase your metabolic furnace for burning fats. Lean protein helps stoke the fat-burning fires its thermogenic effect is 20 to 30 percent compared with only 3 to 12 percent for carbohydrates.

This simply means that it takes many more calories to digest, absorb and utilize protein versus carbohydrates.

As you include protein in every meal and snack all day long, you raise your fat-burning potential, as well.

Protein does not increase the fat storing hormone insulin. Only carbohydrates increase your insulin level.

Make sure to choose lean protein sources such as eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, lean red meat and vegetable proteins.

If you have a blender, you may want to incorporate a high protein shake as a meal replacement or as a snack. When you crave a high-fat or high-carb snack, reach for a protein shake instead.

I really like Jay Robb's Whey Protein Powder, Sprouted Brown Rice Protein Powder and Egg White Protein Powder (www.jayrobb.com). I also like Lee Haney's Meal Support (www.leehaney.com) which is unique in that it combines three sources of Protein (whey, soy, egg white) and also incorporates Sweet Potato, and Green Tea.

For those of you who love ice cream like I do, there is a new ice cream treat called Arctic Zero (www.myarcticzero.com). This ice cream-like treat has only 136 Calories per pint. Yes, you read that correctly - 136 calories per pint.

Arctic Zero®is available in five flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla with a hint of maple, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Strawberry Banana, and now Mint Chocolate Cookie.

This is a great treat to have on hand when you just need to have ice cream and especially if you are compelled to eat the whole pint alone.

Arctic Zero® is:  All Natural,  Low Carb,  Fat Free,  Gluten Free,  Kosher,  Lactose Intolerant-Friendly,  and Made With High Quality Whey Protein Concentrate. It is available through www.amazon.com as well.

FISH and OMEGA 3 FISH OIL

For many years, nutritionists assumed you lost weight when you ate fish because it has fewer calories, pound-for-pound, than red meat.

Now however, it appears that reasons go above and beyond calories. Most important, the type of fat found in fish appears to enhance the efficiency of the hormone leptin. This protein circulates in your bloodstream and, like the hormone insulin, is a key hormone in the weight-management equation.

Leptin regulates your food intake as well as your bodys energy expenditure. When cells in your brain sense a rise in leptin, they signal other parts of your nervous system to turn down your appetite and turn up your metabolism.

This is key for body fat loss.

The omega-3 fats, like that found in fish or a fish oil supplement, support a healthy heart, a healthy brain and nervous system, and possibly enhance the efficiency of leptin, helping you boost your metabolism and control appetite.The fatty fish like salmon, black cod, herring, sardines, mackerel, halibut, fresh tuna and shellfish are highest in omega-3 fats.

I really like the Omega 3 Fish Oil supplement from Life Extension or the Kirkland Omega 3 Fish Oil supplement from Costco. Another high quality fish oil supplement is the Omega Rx from Dr. Sears of the Zone Diet.

GREEN TEA

Certain natural chemicals called catechins are abundant in green tea; animal and human studies show that these chemicals appear to increase fat burning and stimulate thermogenesis, and the combination with caffeine in tea appears to boost the effect.

The amount of green tea that you need to consume is not absolutely clear.

A 1999 study in Maryland used six, one-quarter cups of tea per day for four days. A more recent Japanese study found successful results feeding two one-half cups every day for 12 weeks. A study from the UK published this year demonstrated increased fat burning in exercising young men. In this study, researchers used a green tea extract of three capsules (containing a total of 890 +/- 13mg polyphenols and 366 +/- 5mg EGCG [the catechins]).

I like the Yogi Tea (www.yogitea.com) green tea which is also available without caffeine.

OLIVE OIL

The kinds of fat that you eat can influence your energy expenditure and bodyweight.

Energy is released through heat production in a process called nonshivering thermogenesis, which is controlled by uncoupling proteins (UCP) in the cells of brown fat, white fat and muscle.

Researchers interested in finding out if diet can influence this process investigated possible dietary enhancements of thermogenesis in rats. They found that olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats, increased the activity of the UCPs, and hence of metabolic rates. Because of the short duration of the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, no differences in bodyweight were recorded between the rats fed olive oil and those fed other fats.

However, international studies have shown that Mediterranean-style diets higher in olive oil are associated with weight maintenance and little weight gain over time compared with diets lower in olive oil.

However, overall fat consumption still does add many calories to the diet, and those subjects with a very high fat consumption were overweight compared to those who controlled their total fat intake.

It is best to choose your fats wisely and avoid trans fats, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Instead, opt for Omega 3 oils from fish or flax seed and olive oil which is high in Omega 9.

MILK

Milk ranks high on the list of fat-burning foods.

The high calcium content of milk helps it turn off a key obesity gene, keeping your body from turning up the fat-making machinery to high, and helping your fat-burning metabolism run smoothly.

2 % Fat Milk has been shown to be an excellent post workout drink.

Milk is also the primary source of whey protein, shown in studies to enhance fat burning and limit the turnover of calories into fat storage by the liver.

Subjects on a calorie- reduced diet given 20 grams of whey protein supplement every day after an exercise session lost significantly more fat and maintained significantly more muscle mass compared to subjects given a placebo.

Milk is a natural source of whey protein, and you will also benefit from adding a whey protein supplement to your diet.

I like the Horizon Organic 2% Milk and the Jay Robb Whey Protein Powder.

CHILI PEPPERS

Chili Peppers contain capsaicin which studies have shown to have a thermogenic effect. This means it increases metabolism and body fat loss.

When chili-containing meals were fed to subjects regularly for four weeks, results have shown an attenuation of high blood insulin levels after the meals. While weight loss was not studied, a lowering of blood insulin levels in overweight subjects may ultimately lead to weight loss.

Other studies using a capsaicin supplement have been shown to be effective, but the dosage must be strictly followed. One Danish study using a supplement combining green tea extract, capsaicin, tyrosine and calcium for seven days showed a 2 percent increase in energy expenditure in overweight and obese men. The researchers found that only the capsules that were not enterocoated were effective. The coating, which inhibits digestion in the stomach, inactivated the efficacy of capsaicin.