6 Surefire Ways to Increase Your Metabolism

I'm pleased to introduce CFB readers to guest poster, Mary Ward.

If you're overweight, you can bet that your metabolism is not functioning at its maximum capacity. And, a slow metabolism makes it very difficult to drop that extra weight. One of the keys to weight loss and weight management is increasing your metabolism - or the rate at which your body burns calories.

A faster metabolism means you can eat more and weigh less - just what we all need to look slim and trim and feel satisfied at the same time. Here are six important things you can do to speed up your metabolism and keep it there.

1. Eat breakfast - When you wake up in the morning your body's metabolism needs something to bring it out of sleep mode and get it moving. Skipping breakfast might seem like a great way to reduce calories, but by waiting until later in the day to eat your first meal, you're also waiting until later in the day to start up your metabolism. Breakfast gets your metabolism going because it requires energy to digest the food you eat. So, just by eating you're burning calories. Eating a breakfast that's rich with fiber and protein is a great way to ensure you stay full.

2. Eat small meals throughout the day - Try eating smaller meals more often to keep your metabolism running at an efficient pace. A snack or small meal every 3 hours will make your body run more efficiently than eating three larger meals.

3. Try some "zero impact" snacks - Certain foods, like raw vegetables such as celery and carrots, actually use more calories to digest than they contain. So, by using these as snacks you are actually having a negative impact on your day's caloric impact - helping you lose weight more easily.

4. Get regular exercise - Exercise gets your metabolism really brewing. Aerobic exercises like walking, running, swimming and biking are great for burning alot of calories and speeding up your metabolism. Aim for 30 minutes of aerobic activity 3 - 5 times a week. And, don't worry if you can't fit in 30 minutes in one sessions - two shorter sessions of 15 minutes each are just as effective.

5. Build some muscle - Weight training is a great way to speed up your metabolism 24 hours a day. Muscle uses more energy than fat - even when you're resting. Therefore, the more muscle your body has, the faster your metabolism - all the time. So, if you can add some muscle mass, you'll automatically be able to eat more calories in a day. Aim for 3 sessions of weight training a week. Be sure to skip a day between sessions to give your muscles time to heal.

6. Be more active throughout the day - Organized exercise is great - but making your life more active in simple ways can improve your metabolism too. Park your car further away from shopping. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk over to your co-worker's office to discuss something instead of sending an email. These small activities add up.

Dropping a few extra pounds is really a matter of making a few small changes and being consistent with them. Before you know, your metabolism will be humming like a finely tuned engine.

Mary Ward blogs about various health care job issues, including how to obtain a degree from ultrasound technician schools.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan