Revving up the Metabolism - What Works Best?

"I can't lose weight, I've got a slow metabolism."

How many times have you heard or read that? It's a common perception that excess weight is due to an inherited slow metabolism or a thyroid problem. Yes, these conditions do exist but they're not as common as you might think. Most obesity and overweight conditions are simply because people eat too much and move too little: simple as that.

That's not to say that you can't rev the metabolism up a little in your activity program. You can. But the main game is still big-picture stuff like eating less and exercising more. Even so, every little bit helps.

The three main tools that will get your body more efficient as a fat-burning machine are:

1. High-intensity exercise. When you exercise in the range where your heart rate reaches beyond 75 percent of its maximum, you are more likely to create an "afterburn" where your metabolism is enhanced after you stop exercising (and during of course). This applies whether you do weight training, high-intensity intervals of running or cycling, or aerobic exercise. The longer you train at this high rate, the more calories you will burn during the session and after the session. You'll know when you are reaching this intensity when you can't talk easily during exercise.
   
   
2. Fidgeting. Strange as it may seem, fidgeting or incidental movement in day-to-day activities seems to be a key to burning more energy and thus giving you a more efficient metabolism. It's no surprise that many worriers, twitchers and pacers tend to be thin. This is called NEAT and this stands for "non-exercise activity thermogenesis" where thermogenesis is the term for energy burning. NEAT also seems to regulate appetite so you get a double advantage.
   
   You can promote this process by never missing an opportunity to move when you have an option. Walk to the store, get off the couch often, do some gardening, walk the dog. . .you get the picture. Do small things often, that's the key. One person I know keeps a set of dumbbells in the TV room and pumps a few reps during TV ad breaks instead of channel surfing. Just a few repetitions each time. It all adds up. Fantastic idea.
   
   
3. Muscle building. Muscle has a higher energy requirement than fat, so the more muscle and less fat your body is composed of, the higher your metabolism will be. This is useful but the differences are not as dramatic as some fitness enthusiasts contend. However, including weight training in your fitness routine is a must for many reasons.