Key to Weight Loss – Boost Your Metabolism

Trying to shed unwanted pounds gets to be more of a challenge the older you get and you need to take steps to boost your metabolism to help you lose weight and keep it off. When you were young your metabolism was like the Energizer bunny that kept on going. You could eat what you want and not gain the weight. But that aging process slows down your metabolism and gone are those days of eating anything and not paying for it. But the good news is you don’t need to keep on trying new diet ideas for losing weight.

One of the best ways to recharge your metabolism is with exercise. This is the cheapest and most consistent method to lose the pounds and keep them off. The key is to develop an exercise plan and stick with it. You can get great results from just walking several times a week and keep building on as your fitness level increases.

It has been proven that most men have a higher metabolism than women and their metabolism continues to burn calories even when they are not working out. This means women need to be more diligent and don’t get frustrated if your husband or male friend seems to be doing better than you, even though you are doing to same fitness program.

Higher intensity workouts will do a better job at boosting your metabolism, so if you are able to add some higher intensity aerobic activities you will see better results. If you are jogging, try and add some sprints to your running plan or go for an aerobics class that will get your heart rate up to peak levels for your age. Higher intensity workouts will keep your resting metabolic rate at a higher level than low intensity workouts. Remember to always use caution when starting higher intensity workouts, especially if you have any medical conditions.

Building muscles is also a way to increase your metabolism because the larger your muscles are the more calories you burn. Adding a resistance training program like lifting weights help you in your efforts to increase your metabolism and lose some weight. It has been proven that each pound of muscle you have burns about 6 calories each day, as compared to only 2 calories a day burned by body fat. On top of that, you look a lot better with larger and toned muscles instead of lots of fat.

Make sure you are getting enough protein in your diet and avoid the high-carb sugar-laden snacks that are killers to your weight loss plans. Your body uses more calories to digest protein compared to carbohydrates or fats.

Have your biggest meal earlier in the day and not at night because your metabolism slows down after eating and eating that big meal at night keeps that metabolism slow the rest of the evening and defeats all the work you did during the day.

So your plan to boost that sagging metabolism should include some aerobic activity, healthier foods that key on protein and vegetables, and some kind of resistance training. You will be amazed at the results you can achieve.