If you're worried that slow metabolism is slowing down your weight loss, you may be putting blame in the wrong place, says Mayo Clinic preventive medicine specialist Donald Hensrud on MayoClinic.com. According to Hensrud, slow metabolism -- the process your body uses to convert food to energy -- is only one factor in weight gain. So while kickstarting your metabolism rate can be part of your weight loss program, Hensrud says you'll also need to watch your calorie intake and step up your exercise routine if you want to see results.
Choose Beverages Wisely
Making a switch in your daily drinking habits can boost your metabolism. For instance, switching to ice-cold water may speed up your metabolism since your body has to work hard to warm up cold water, says Madelyn Fernstrom, founder and director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center, in "Women's Health" magazine. Low-fat milk can also significantly speed up your metabolism and increase your body fat reduction because of its calcium content, says Michael Zemel, director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Eat Breakfast
Skipping meals has a slowing effect on your metabolism, but breakfast is by far the most damaging meal to skip, explains Barbara Rolls, professor of nutrition at Penn State University and an author of "The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan," in "Redbook" magazine. Your body processes, including metabolism, slow down while you're sleeping, and your metabolism doesn't pick up speed again until you eat something. That means if you skip breakfast, you'll start the day with a sluggish metabolism and not start really burning calories until after you eat lunch.
Add a Boost to Your Workout
Step up your regular workout routine by adding little bursts of intense exercise to the mix. For instance, if you usually walk, incorporate one or two short sprints into your routine, or if you bike at moderate intensity, speed up to high-intensity riding once or twice during your workout. Bursts of speed seem to boost your metabolism and make your muscles burn fat more quickly, says Australian researcher Ethlyn Gail Trapp, in "Women's Health" magazine.
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