The Road To Increasing Your Metabolism

The first thing many people think when they want to lose weight is that they must eat less. There is more to it than that. You need to be increasing your metabolism and thus burning off more calories than you take in.

Metabolism is that rate at which calories are burned. When you reduce the number of calories that you take in, your body will view it as starvation. To combat the danger of starving to death, it will actually reduce metabolism. Thus, fewer calories are burned each day. Metabolic rate is adjusted to meet the caloric intake. The key is to have the right balance of how many calories you eat each day and how quickly they are used up by your body.

How can you achieve this? The first thing you need to do is build some muscle. Muscles take more energy to maintain and therefore metabolism will stay higher when it is dealing with bigger muscle mass. Weight training is an important component to a good workout routine. Cardiovascular exercise is also important. Not only is a good aerobic exercise good for the heart, it is also great at keeping the calorie burning going at a fast pace. A 15 minute run will have a better impact on metabolism than would a 30 minute walk.

You also need to be particular about when and what you eat. Protein should be high on your list of what to eat. For one thing, protein is a muscle builder. And since you want to build muscle mass, high protein foods are vital. This includes chicken, fish, pork, beef, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, beans and soy. It takes more work to burn protein than to burn carbs, so this extra need for energy will also have an impact on metabolism.

Another nutrient that the body needs more energy to break down is fiber. Eating fiber will therefore boost metabolism a bit. So, not only is it good for the digestive system, it is also a good tool for increasing your metabolism. Foods rich in fiber are seeds, nuts, legumes, vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

As for when to eat, try eating more frequently. Instead of the idea of eating three meals a day, consider eating five or six smaller meals each day. This will help keep the calorie burning at a steady pace throughout the day. And always eat breakfast. Too many people skip breakfast. By eating early in the day, you get metabolism started right away.

One thing to avoid is alcohol. Alcohol slows down metabolism just as it slows down the rest of the body. This does not mean you need to cut out alcoholic beverages entirely, but definitely avoid drinking too regularly or you will undo all the progress you make with eating right and exercising.

Anything else? Well, try to add some little bits of physical activity several times in the day. You never want to be sedentary for long periods. For example, instead of the elevator, take the stairs. If you have a desk job, make sure you get up several times throughout the day and walk around.