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How to Boost your Metabolism and Make it Work for You

Your metabolism is the process by which your body converts the food you eat into energy. There are ways you can "boost your metabolism" and speed up this process so that you burn calories faster. You'll also have more energy and lose weight all at once.

Despite what advocates for the latest diet products might say, there's no shortcut to a slim, toned body. Weight loss shortcuts are like boomerangs... sooner or later (usually sooner) they bring you back to the weight you were before you started. Getting and maintaining a high metabolism is not about losing 15 pounds in a week - it's about achieving a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Is it beginning to sound like you're never going to loss weight? That's not the case at all. You can start boosting your metabolism today and it won't be long before you begin to look and feel better.

Part One: You Weigh What You Eat

Well not entirely, but the basic idea is there. If you eat more calories than you burn, your body is going to take that unused energy and turn it into more cells. That means more weight for you.

Diets solve this problem by reducing caloric intake. The problem with this method is that calories are a measurement of energy so reducing your calories also means reducing your energy levels. Your body will do it's best to conserve the calories that you do give it and won't burn them off like you want it to.

You may want to consult a nutritionist to help you figure out how many calories your body needs based on your body size, level of daily activity, and realistic weight loss goals. Whether you're into counting calories or not, try to think of your daily caloric intake as a goal rather than a looming taskmaster. Your goal should be to meet your energy requirements for the day by consuming calories that supply you with the energy and the nutrients you need to be fit, healthy and keep your metabolism going. These are the kinds of calories that work for you, not against you.

So which calories can do "double-duty" for you?

Vegetables... and lots of them. Your dinner plate should be half vegetables and half all the other food groups combined.
Fruit... as snacks, meals, desserts. Curb your sweet tooth with fruit.
Lean proteins... like fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, beans, and dark, leafy greens. You don't necessarily have to give up other proteins like beef, but you do need to control your portions.
Complex carbs... are part of a balanced diet. Get your carbs in the least refined form possible (i.e. brown rice instead of white, whole wheat pasta instead of regular, etc.).

Dreamlifeebooks.com's A Common Sense Guide to Weight Loss teaches you the no-fad, common sense way to lose weight and get fit. Learn more at http://www.dreamlifeebooks.com/diet/weight-loss/.

Diet Tips and Tricks

When you're hungry, try drinking a glass of water and waiting 15-20 minutes before you grab a snack. It may turn out your hunger pangs were actually hydration pangs.
Try drinking water before a meal. It'll help you fill you up and keep you from eating more than your body actually needs.
Eat small meals throughout the day. This will fuel your metabolism all day long and keep you from eating junk to quell your hunger pangs in between meals.
It's true what they say. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and will kick start your metabolism into high gear for the day.
Go easy on alcoholic and caffeinated drinks. They slow your metabolism right down.

Dreamlifeebooks.com has a fantastic e-book on the subject called Portions for Life that will help you understand what you should eat and how much of it you need. You'll learn to eat the European way. Check it out at http://www.dreamlifeebooks.com/diet/food-portions/.

Part Two: Get Active

This is the part of weight loss that tends to deflate people's motivation. Exercise is physically demanding and time consuming but you're not going to get the results you want without it. You don't necessarily have to spend hours in the gym each day but you should be getting some sort of exercise everyday. Maximize your workout time with a metabolism-enhancing workout that will continue burning calories even after your workout's done.

Build and maintain muscle

It takes more effort for your body to maintain muscle tissue than fat. That means that the more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you'll burn before, during, and after your workout!

Resistance training is the way to go because it goes a long way to maintaining muscle. Plus, your metabolism stays elevated longer when you workout with weights, helping you process and use food energy more efficiently (otherwise known as weight loss).

Cardio blast

Cardiovascular exercise is important too because that's how your body burns the excess fat you've already got. Your cardio workouts should be progressive. You need to continuously challenge yourself because after a while your body adapts to the amount of cardio you've been doing and your weight loss plateaus and becomes weight maintenance.

Mixing up your exercise activities is a good way to challenge yourself and ensure that you're working different sets of muscle groups. It also keeps you from getting bored and decreasing your workout frequency as a result.

Dreamlifeebooks.com has produced a phenomenal resource called How to Boost Your Metabolism. This book is a complete guide to boosting your metabolism through your exercise, diet, and other important lifestyle changes. It contains loads of little-known tips and tricks, like the fact that women have the capacity to burn more calories in the weeks between ovulation and the beginning of their period. There had to be something good about PMS! Find out lots more at: http://www.dreamlifeebooks.com/diet/boostmetabolism/.

Workout Tips and Tricks

It's ok to break up your workout over the course of the day. Going for a 15 minute walk on your lunch break will allow you to shave that time off your workout later on.
Learn how to multi-task. Go for a walk while you catch up with a friend or work with your hand-held weights while you watch your favorite TV show.
Sleep plays a huge role in boosting your metabolism. Try to get in a pattern of going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday. It'll make you better rested and more energetic.
Get outside and play. Sunshine and fresh air have very real invigorating and mood-boosting effects.
Try to enlist an exercise buddy to keep you company while you workout and motivate you to keep exercising even when you don't feel like it. Don't choose someone who's not that committed or they'll just end up dragging you down too.

101 "Everyday" Tips to Lose 10 Pounds is another Dreamlifeebooks.com book that contains 101 small but potent lifestyle changes that'll help you shed those last few stubborn pounds for good. Go to http://www.dreamlifeebooks.com/diet/losingpounds/.