¡Muy Caliente!

Some like it hot. I like it hotter. That's right. Mo' hotta', mo' betta'. And it pays off when you are dieting too!

Various studies have arrived at different percentages of increase to your metabolic rate, but one thing is for certain – spicy foods do increase it! Foods/spices that have been tested include: red chili, black pepper, ginger, cumin, capsaicin, and turmeric. Capsaicin is the part of the chili pepper that makes it nice and hot and it seems to be able to play a significant role in weight loss. And while it is the biggest player in weight loss, keep in mind that some studies showed the best way to maximize the weight loss benefits of spicy food is to mix them.

After taking capsaicin, studies have shown increases in metabolism ranging from 8 percent to 50 percent, with the increase lasting anywhere from a short period of time to 3 hours. Even if it is only 8 percent, keep in mind that we are working on the perfect storm here. We aren't looking for the one magic weight loss bullet (it doesn't exist). What we are looking for is more of a buckshot approach – a whole bunch of little tweaks that add up to reaching our target weight!

Some of the research also indicated that people who lost weight by including spicy foods (particularly those with capsaicin in them), were more likely to maintain a healthy weight after reaching their target weight. So, even if you don't buy into the fact that hot foods make your metabolism burn hotter, it's worth adding them in to your diet just for the post-loss upside! If you need another reason, a study from Canada (lots of good food studies come out of Canada – seriously) showed that consuming hot food (in the study it was hot sauce) before the meal, reduced the amount of calories the participants chose to have during the meal.

The bottom line is spicy foods make it easier for your body to burn fat, they encourage you to eat less and they help you keep it off after you've lost it! What's not to like?

Two things to keep in mind though, spicy foods do not mix with ulcers or heartburn. So, if you suffer from either, stay away from them. Also, if you get hold of something that is just way too hot for you to handle, hit the milk to cool yourself down.

So, crank up the heat and tell your fat, “Burn baby, burn.”

Keep at it – you can do this! And let me hear from you.