Metabolism is the process that converts what we eat and drink every day into fuel for energy. Everyone has a different metabolism. The higher a person's metabolism, the faster his body burns calories or fat for fuel. The Mayo Clinic states that a slow metabolism may not cause you to gain weight--you do that by eating too much and not burning or exercising it off--but physical activity is a determining factor in how many calories your body burns every day.
Step 1
Exercise every day to increase your metabolism. Your body metabolizes foods throughout the day, but the Mayo Clinic says that several activities will help you burn calories at a higher rate. Walking instead of driving, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or spending extra time exercising every day will help your body burn calories more efficiently. Combining strength training, aerobic exercise and developing healthier lifestyles are the key to losing weight fast and maintaining long-term results.
Step 2
Engage in weight lifting or weight bearing exercises. The Mayo Clinic suggests that muscle tissue burns more fat than fat tissue, so developing lean muscle mass will help you lose weight fast. Engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise on a daily basis--more if you have time--up to 90 minutes of sustained exercise. You don't have to go to the gym, but do aerobic exercises that increase the heart rate. Perform weight bearing exercises with dumbbells at home, or attach ankle or wrist weights to your arms and legs while walking or performing calisthenics.
Lift weights at least three days a week. Weight lifting is the key to creating and building lean muscle mass, which is great for increasing the metabolism. Good Housekeeping printed an article that quoted Dr. Stuart Phillips, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University in Ontario as saying lean protein, such as those found in lean beef, fish or chicken, provide the body with leucine, an amino acid that will help the body prevent muscle mass loss during a diet. You can drink a glass or two of fat free milk following weight lifting workouts to help build lean muscle mass fast.
Step 3
Bodybuilding proponents suggest that performing aerobic activity also helps to maintain and elevate metabolism. Weight training or lifting is considered a high-intensity aerobic exercise, but so are jogging, bicycling and playing tennis, basketball and racquetball. The key is to work up a sweat and get the heart rate elevated for sustained periods. Higher activity exercise that utilizes large body muscles will not only increase metabolism but keep it in high gear for up to 12 hours after a workout, states the Diet Channel.
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