The essential equation for weight loss is calories in minus calories out. If it were only that simple, though, weight loss would be a lot easier because everyone would lose weight the exact same way. But your metabolism--the rate at which you burn calories--is a huge variable as you try to diet. It is possible to wake up a sleepy metabolism or rev up a moderate metabolism. However, if you are experiencing other symptoms such as fatigue, hair loss and dry skin, seek advice from your health care provider because your metabolism may be affected by a thyroid problem.
Exercise
Moving around is the best way to speed up a sluggish metabolism, according to LPN Laurie Hedlund. She writes that building muscle mass will increase calorie burn because muscle needs more calories to operate than fat. In addition, aerobic exercise keeps the metabolism pumping for several hours after the workout is complete. Adding just 30 minutes of exercise to your day and some strength training a couple of days per week will get your body burning fat even as you're watching television.
Eat Breakfast
The body goes into starvation mode overnight, so just as you're waking up the rest of your body, you need to wake up your metabolism, too. Do this by giving it something to eat. Your body naturally slows down as it prepares for bed, so don't think you can rev up your metabolism to burn fat while you sleep. Instead, eat a light meal in the evening and then get a good eight hours of sleep. Wake up and have some juice, whole-grain toast and some protein, to let your body know that it's time to get to work on burning calories again. Whole grains and proteins will keep insulin levels stable after you finish eating and let the body know that it's OK to burn fat.
Spice Things Up
There's a reason that a spicy Mexican meal gets you sweating. Finish your spicy meal with a cup of coffee and you'll burn even more calories. Most hot peppers such as jalapeno or cayenne contain capsaicin, which speeds up the heart rate. Caffeine has the same effect on the heart. An article by Matthew Hoffman in Zesty Health cites a study done at Laval University in Quebec where subjects who ate a diet including coffee and pepper-laced foods consumed 883 fewer calories per day and burned 77 more than those who didn't. The study cited showed the same result when the study groups were switched.
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