How To Encourage The Body To Metabolize And Emulsify Fat

Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories for energy. The higher your metabolism, the easier your body burns fat. According to the International Sports Science Association, "Your body seeks to maintain a certain base rate of metabolism, which is controlled by your genetics and environmental factors." However, you can alter your metabolic set point by changing the way you eat and engaging in regular physical activity.

Step 1

Eat five to six small, healthy meals a day. Eating smaller portions more frequently boosts your metabolism and keeps you feeling full through the process of digestion. What you eat can influence the rate of your metabolism. This is called thermogenesis. The more heat a food produces, the more your metabolism increases. For example, high-fat foods produce little heat and are stored as fat, but healthy carbohydrates produce a significant amount of heat, turning calories into energy and increasing your metabolic rate. Stay away from high-fat foods like chips, cookies, doughnuts and candy. They will slow down your metabolism. Instead, consume fruits, vegetables, lean meats like chicken, turkey and fish, and whole grains like oatmeal.

Step 2

Perform cardiovascular exercise to boost your metabolism, burn calories and fat. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 60 to 90 minutes of cardio five days a week to lose weight or maintain your weight. Running, swimming, biking and rowing are all effective exercises that get your heart pumping and melt fat. Pick exercises that you enjoy so you are more likely to stick with it.

Step 3

Add weight training to your workout routine. Lifting weights builds lean muscle mass.The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even at rest. Muscle requires calories to function, so increasing the size and numbers of your muscle fibers boosts your metabolism. Perform eight to 10 exercises that target the major muscle groups, such as squats, hamstring curls, bench press, lateral pulldowns, bicep curls, triceps extensions and situps. Do three sets of eight to 10 repetitions of each exercise.

Tips and Warnings

If you are just beginning an exercise program, start gradually, increasing the frequency and duration as you become more fit. Allow at least one day of rest between strength-training workouts to let your muscles recover.
Consult your physician before starting an exercise program.