Increase Your Metabolism

By Author: Bruce Tucker
Total Articles: 174
Comment this article

In order to for your body to burn that unnecessary and unsightly fat, your body must burn it away through your body's metabolism. Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns fat. Ideally you want to increase your metabolic rate which in turns increases your body's ability to burn fat.

There are a number of factors that go into calculating your metabolism, such as age, sex, height, weight etc., but for the sake of this article I will cover some of the basic things you can do that will help increase your metabolism.

Drink Plenty of Water
Your body is made up of a lot of water. Water is your body's basic nutrient and water is required to carry out a lot tasks that your body needs to function properly. Not drinking enough water has shown in studies to slow your body down since it does not have enough water to function. You should be getting a minimum of sixty-four ounces of water each and everyday. If you exercise or drink caffeinated liquids then your water intake should be around eighty ounces. I recommend drinking twelve ounces of water with every meal, as you will read in the next section ...
... you should be eating six meals per day.

Eat Often
In order for your body to function properly it needs the right nutrients. You wouldn't put milk in your car's gas tank, would you? Of course not, you car wouldn't run. The same goes for your body, you shouldn't give it the food it doesn't need (like doughnuts). You should be eating six meals everyday with equal portions of protein, carbohydrates and green vegetables. Eating often keeps your metabolism working at a high and steady rate which optimizes fat loss.

Cardio
You should be implementing some type of cardiovascular activity for at least 20 minutes per day for no less than 3 days per week. You can run, jog, walk, bike, hike or whatever, but you need to get your cardio in. Cardio increases your heart rate, gets that metabolism rate up there and helps to burn fat.

Weight Training
Finally, you should be working out with weights three days per week for thirty to forty-five minutes per session. Your workout routine should hit every muscle group, chest, triceps, back, biceps, legs, shoulders and abs, performing one to three sets, of eight to twelve reps of whichever exercise you choose at a weight that is comfortable. Then every six weeks change up your routine to stimulate your muscles (in other words make them think that you are working out for the very first time, again). Pick new exercises, more weight, more reps, whatever it takes to make a change.

Keep in mind the idea here is to rev up that metabolism and turn your body into a fat burning machine. The higher you can get that metabolism the easier it will be for you to burn that extra fat and keep it off.

Just remember before you start any type of diet, exercise, fitness or nutrition program, that you should consult with your primary care physician first and get a complete physical.
About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is a regular contributor on Bukisa, an online community for writers that pay you for your articles. You can also follow him on Twitter.