Your body's rate at which it burns calories and consumes energy is called metabolism
. Having higher metabolic rates means that you will burn more fat without doing anything. this is why many people strive to get faster metabolism.
Many factors affect your metabolism -- your body type, diet, lifestyle, stress and how active you are. Some of them are out of your control but the good news is that most of these factors are under your control.
- A major factor is your body mass that consists of muscle. Even while resting, muscles constantly vibrate and burn energy without you doing anything. Building lots of muscle mass is however easier said than done and it is undesirable for many people to look like a balloon.
- Eat in small chunks instead of eating just a couple of large meals a day. This is a big factor, if your body has to constantly convert food into energy your metabolism will stay at high levels. This also means that you should never skip breakfast.
- If you consume a lot of fast carbohydrates (sugar, sweets, white bread etc.) you will need regular exercise to stabilize your blood sugar. Unstable blood sugar makes your body to store fat.
- Have enough sleep. Not sleeping enough will increase stress levels which slows metabolism down.
- Drink enough water -- the body needs water to flush out toxins. Do not wait till you feel thirsty, feeling thirsty means that you already have a liquid deficiency. Liquid deficiency slows down metabolism.
- Have a lifestyle that isn't stressful. As I mentioned earlier, high stress levels decrease your metabolic rates. Take a break. Laugh. Hang out with your friends once in a while.
- Exercise and do not starve yourself. Starving yourself makes your body go into survival mode which means dramatically lessened metabolic rates.
These are just some of the many things you can do to be in control of your metabolism. There are lots of others but they are either unhealthy or only have a minor effect. Also Try A Weight Loss Meal Plan: Medifast