How To Increase The Body's Metabolism

The body's metabolism is like the idling speed of a car---the faster that you idle, the more fuel you burn. The slower your idling speed, the more you'll tend to store fat and gain weight. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to bump up your metabolism. And most fit perfectly into your current health and fitness program.

Step 1

Begin an exercise program if you're currently sedentary. Walking, running, cycling, snowshoeing or swimming for 20 to 30 minutes in the morning will not only expend calories while you're active, you'll expend additional calories throughout the rest of the day. If you're already active, try increasing your exercise intensity by completing a pre-measured course in less time. Use a digital stopwatch to keep track of your time.

Step 2

Break up your exercise into two or three bouts---one in the morning and one in the afternoon. If you have time, add a short walk at lunch time. By periodically raising your heart rate during the day, you'll train your body to operate at a higher metabolic rate than if you exercise just once a day.

Step 3

Add weight training to your exercise routine. Muscle is metabolically active tissue---fat is metabolically inactive. The more muscle you add to your body, the higher metabolism you'll maintain. Don't be discouraged if you're not losing total weight---you are. Working with weights will help you lose fat weight, while adding muscle weight.

Step 4

Eat more frequent, smaller meals instead of eating fewer large meals. After your body expends the necessary energy to digest a large meal, it shuts down to conserve energy. By eating more frequent meals, you'll keep your metabolism running higher throughout the day.

Step 5

Get plenty of sleep. People who are sleep deprived tend to exercise at lower, less efficient rates than people who are well rested. Lack of sleep can also interfere with normal eating patterns, causing you to eat fewer and larger meals.

Tips and Warnings

Start slow and increase your exercise intensity gradually. Eat fewer, low-calorie meals throughout the day.
Avoid fasting and skipping meals. Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.