Information To Increase Metabolism

Metabolism is a broad term for the chemical processes in your body that convert calories from the food you eat into energy that you can use to perform various body functions. Thousands of metabolic reactions take place in your body simultaneously. Metabolism is vital to life; without it we could not survive.

Basal Metabolic Rate

When people discuss ways to increase metabolism, they are usually referring to ways that you can increase your basal metabolic rate. Basal metabolic rate is the measure of the rate at which your body burns calories when at rest. If you increase your basal metabolic rate, you can decrease the rate at which you gain weight and may even increase your weight loss potential.

Cardiovascular Exercise

The more physically fit you are, the higher your basal metabolic rate. In order to keep yourself healthy and potentially increase your basal metabolic rate, it is important to get some cardiovascular exercise on a regular basis. Cardiovascular exercise, also known as aerobic exercise, includes activities such as walking, running, swimming and biking. You should try to get at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on a daily basis. In addition to its potential to increase your metabolism, regular exercise can also help you directly burn calories.

Strength Training

Muscle mass burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. Strength training, such as lifting weights, will not only help you burn calories, but it will also increase your muscle mass, which will increase your resting basal metabolic rate. As you age, you lose muscle mass and your metabolism also slows down. It is important to add strength training into your exercise routine in order to counteract these effects.

Eating Schedule

In order to increase your metabolism and make sure that your body is successfully burning calories, it is important to eat regularly. When do not eat for extended periods of time, your body goes into a type of panic mode. Instead of burning calories, your basal metabolic rate slows down, and your body stores these calories in your fat cells as triglycerides. This is your body's survival mechanism, an attempt to conserve energy for later use. When you eat regularly, your basal metabolic rate can increase, and you burn calories more effectively.

Considerations

Although people often blame weight gain on a slow metabolism, weight gain usually occurs as a result of eating more calories than you burn. Only a small percentage of people gain weight as a result of metabolic disorders, according to MayoClinic.com. Although certain factors may help increase your basal metabolic rate, you should focus on calorie intake and regular exercise if you are trying to lose weight.