We all know exercise plays a large role in how efficiently our bodies burn calories.  But did you know that food impacts your metabolism as well?  In fact, there are a number of delicious foods that not only bump up your metabolism to influence weight loss but also help create sustained energy throughout the day.  Who could say no to that?  The only caveat is that these metabolism boosting foods are not found in a box, package or plastic wrap.  That’s right…they are real, whole foods that need a little tender love and care (i.e. cooking) before you put them in your mouth. Here are the most fantastic fat burning foods and a few inspirational tips to make them unbelievably tasty.

Dark Leafy Greens- Kale, Collard Greens, Bok Choy, Broccoli, and Swiss Chard are all amazing metabolism-boosting foods that many of us forget to eat.  Ideally we should eat these vitamin-loaded greens twice a day.  That’s right…twice!  Sauté kale with garlic and olive oil for a delicious side dish.  Quickly steam broccoli and toss with sesame oil, lemon and tamari for a taste of heaven or cookcollard greens with chopped sweet potatoes and coconut milk.  Yum!

Daikon- A long white radish, daikon is best pickled, grated into salads or throw into a rich beef stew to soak up all the amazing juices.  For a quick pickle, chop daikon and sprinkle it with salt.  Let it sit for 30 minutes then drain the excess water.  Toss with pepper and sesame oil and you are good to go!

Radish- Their innately spicy crunch makes radishes the ideal food to take your metabolism to the next level.  Eat them with hummus or eggplant spread for an easy snack or throw them in a salad with avocado, orange and mint.  A perfect combination!

Shiitake Mushrooms- Shittake mushrooms not only aid metabolism but also bolster the immune system and clear the body of excess mucus.  Simply chop the mushrooms and sauté with onions, carrots, broccoli and olive oil for a satisfying stir-fry.  Add them to soups for an added bit of texture, or slice and bake with red onions and garbanzo beans for a delicious protein-rich dish.

Onions, Garlic, Scallions and Leeks- If you don’t already cook with these, I don’t know what to say!  Honestly though, onions, garlic and their cousins scallions and leeks are some of the healthiest, inflammation-reducing, calorie-burning foods on the planet.  How to use them? Put them in everything!  Try a red onion frittata and throw freshly chopped scallions into your salads or on top of your sautéed kale.  Leeks add a hearty sweetness to soup or are perfect caramelized and thrown on top of baked potatoes.  And as for garlic, well…think of garlic as onion’s twin.  The two shall never part.  If you are worried about becoming “fragrant” after eating these lovely alliums, don’t worry.  Just make sure everyone else around you eats them too.  Enjoy!

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Jamie G. Dougherty is the owner and founder of JAMIE|LIVING, Health and Lifestyle Coaching. She is an AADP certified Holistic Nutrition Coach with a private and corporate practice that offers assistance nationwide. She is passionate about deliciously healthy food and specializes in helping her clients transform their lives through the power of nutrition and self-care.

To get more great health info and recipes become a JAMIE LIVING Facebook Fan, read the JAMIE LIVING blog or follow her on Twitter.

It’s that time of year again… Time for major holiday travel. Though I am increasingly giddy about the holidays as each new season approaches, I haven’t always been the biggest fan of getting to my family in the Midwest via airport travel. Well, that was before I found my perfect formula for flying in comfy chic style. I am big on having everything I need handy when I leave my house, whether for a simple day-trip or an extended stay. So, learning to pack efficiently enough to consistently carry my luggage on the plane and also have everything I may want in transit has made all the difference. Follow these tips and I assure you – you’ll feel the same way.

• Comfy Kicks. I’ve been guilty of tipping through the airport in my share of mod but unreasonable heels or boots. Thank goodness I came to my senses and realized that I can be equally as fashionable in flats. Comfy flats are essential to smooth travel. My favorites: FootzyRolls Snakeskins. They’re so compact that if you choose to slip into a different shoe when you reach your destination, they take up minimal room in your bag.
• Compact Carry-on. While shopping for a new gym bag recently, I noticed a fabulous variety of wheeled duffel carry-ons; an instant must-have! I was sold, first, on how sleek fabric duffels have become, and then on their functionality. This new carry-on option is more pliant than a standard small suitcase. My pick: The Diane von Furstenberg R2 Snake Collection, 20in. Luxury at just $58!
• Cozy Cardi. My worst (travel) nightmare used to be getting on a flight and being told there were no more blankets. I tend to be chilly when I fly, so I never travel without a longline knit cardigan. Not only is the more relaxed fitting cardi comfortable, it’s the perfect wardrobe piece for taking your look up or down a notch.
• Noise-free Nap. I received an iPod speaker pillow as a stocking stuffer a few years back, and it really is the best of both worlds. You can enjoy a plush nap and drown out the noise around you at the same time.
• Mini Moisturizer. The ultimate jet-setter beauty find: Evian Brumisateur. Sometimes your skin can become a little dehydrated on a long flight. No worries. This refreshingly handy facial spritz rehyrdrates your skin without messing up your makeup. And it comes in a convenient 1.7 oz. size, which is TSA approved for commercial airline flight carry-on.

Happy Comfy Chic Travel!!

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This post was written for the CRAVE company by Katrice L. Mines. Katrice is an Atlanta-based editor and founder of My Vicarious Life. This lifestyle blog covers fashion, travel, beauty products, and more. To check it out, click here.

True confession: I have many interests, not just one. I am multi-dimensional, not one-dimensional. I am a creature of habit, but I love new challenges. Does that make me crazy? No. It makes me like many of my Generation X and Y peers- we are creative, destined to be the captains of our own ships and we don’t just do one thing. You don’t have to take my word for it. Next time you are on the train, during your morning commute to the office, ask the person next to you what they do. This, will be their likely response,

“I teach a business course to graduate students, I am a writer, on weekends I lead a yoga class and I also am working on a line of…” You get the gist.

Now, imagine that same person providing that answer in a job interview. Depending on the interviewer, they may be perceived as a great job candidate or a poor one. Great because they’ve demonstrated a vast skill set, that they are ambitious and possess the ability to multi-task. Or poor, because they are viewed as lacking focus and concrete goals. I agree that if one dabbles in too much, they risk being average at everything and great at nothing. The keyword is RISK. The question is, “How do you overcome that risk? You want to find an outlet for your many talents and interests, but how can you excel at everything?”

My answer is simple- productivity. If you are as productive as humanly possible in every aspect of your world, then you free up time and mental space to take on…the impossible. Here is a list of a few, free productivity tools that you should keep at your fingertips.

Tungle Me: Tungle Me syncs your calendars and provides an at-a-glance view of your availability. It provides a link that allows clients and colleagues to schedule a meeting with you. It also provides email notifications of when a meeting is scheduled and auto-reminders. Tungle Me is a great time saver.

Rapportive: This is a great add-on for Gmail. Have you ever received an email from someone and you can’t recall for the life of you who they are? Say goodbye to the days of digging through old emails. Rapportive automatically creates a detailed profile for everyone who emails you. It provides their business information, twitter updates and direct links to their social networks, directly in the email. Bye bye mysterious contacts!

Evernote: Evernote allows you to clip and organize web pages, photos and notes. It is very useful for anyone who does a lot of research. It is also a great way to catalog business cards that you collect at networking events. Every time I receive business cards, I snap the photo, Evernote scans the text and I tag it under industry and the person’s name. This makes organizing your business contacts a snap!

Productivity is the root of all success, embrace it. The world is yours, go get it!

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This post was written for the CRAVE company by Patrice N. Perkins, founder and editor of My Lifestyle ZEN, a Chicago-based blog for working professionals and entrepreneurs who value quality of life. You can visit Patrice’s website here: http://www.mylifestylezen.com/