How To Improve Metabolism

In order to understand How to Improve Metabolism you need to know what factors contribute to your metabolism.  Some of these factors you can control and others you can’t.  Your metabolism depends on your age, gender, body composition, diet and  physical activity.

One way you can improve your metabolism is to be more physically active.  When you’re active your bodies need for energy increases and you burn more calories.  But more importantly, by being physically active your less likely to lose muscle mass.  Remember, if you don’t use it, you lose it!  Muscle is a big contributor to your Basal Metabolic Rate.  Staying active will allow you to keep your calorie burning muscle.  Weight training will not only maintain your current muscle but it will help you build more and consequently fire up your metabolism.

Another way to solve the riddle of how to improve metabolism is to modify your diet.  I use this analogy with my clients:  Think of your metabolism as a fire.  What is the best way to keep that fire burning it’s best?  Is it by putting a ton of logs on it?  No that would suffocate  it and cause it to burn at a low intensity.  Would you put a few small pieces of wood on it?  Nope it would burn out in no time.  To keep a fire burning at its optimal level you would add a few logs every few hours, just enough to keep it burning at it’s highest intensity.

This is the same approach you should have to your diet.  Eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day and your metabolism will stay fired up.  I try and eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours any longer than that and I’m starving.  Some people tell me they can’t eat that often because they’re just not hungry.  If this sounds like you, I would encourage you to give it a try, even if you have to start with really small meals.  If you stay at it, it wont be long until your metabolism starts burning up these smaller meals and asks for more, but it will take some effort on your part to get there.

So even though you can’t control your age or your gender you can still make a significant impact on the other factors that contribute to your metabolism.  Get active and eat more often, this is How To Improve Metabolism!