Health Tips

Increasing metabolism is paramount to successful fat loss. There are many surefire ways to increase metabolism, even marginally, some of which may startle you at first, but in the end it all makes perfect sense.

• Get enough sleep, but not too much. I have found that my personal optimum is 6 hours per night, generally at least 8 hours is better. Even though your metabolism slows down during sleep, this is the prime time that your body takes to heal itself and build new cells.
• Never skip breakfast! Because of the fact that your metabolism slows down during sleep, having a good nutritious breakfast will be the catalyst to get it going in a good way.
• Eat 4-6 meals daily, and snack in between. By eating regularly, your metabolism stays active through out the day, in stead of being given one humongous task when you have that once or twice daily meal. By eating frequently (about every 2-3 hours) you'll keep your metabolism humming in tune and keep your body burning fat at an optimal rate.
• Don't ever go on a starvation diet. Your body will go into a mode known as "the starvation response". This means that your body will try to save energy and burn fewer calories. It does that by slowing down its metabolism.
• Increase your lean body mass. Muscle tissue requires more calories just to maintain itself, so you burn more fat and calories even when you're sleeping.
• Keep moving. At the least try to walk for at least 30 minutes each day. Force yourself to do things the hard way. Walk to the shop instead of driving, take the stairs instead of the elevator, move around when you're on the phone, instead of sitting down.
• Drink plenty of water. Your kidneys need plentiful water supply to function properly. And if your kidneys are not functioning optimally, they will call in the liver for assistance. One of the primary functions of the liver is to metabolize stored fat for the body to use as energy. So, it is only logical to say that if the liver is half occupied doing what the kidneys cannot do on their own due to lack of water, then it will not be able to perform its own functions effectively.

But, in conclusion, if you are looking for ways to increase your metabolism, you will need to focus more on your exercise, and not your food. Strength training is certainly the best way to increase your metabolism, cut through fat and burn calories. It is never too late to build muscle, it does not matter how old you are or how much muscle you have lost - you can still speed up your metabolism by getting into a solid training routine. Take the first step with determination, and before you know it, you will have taken 10 000.