The Best Ways to Increase Metabolism

If you've been cutting back on your calories but can't seem to lose weight, chances are you've also slowed your metabolism down to a crawl. The same can happen if you stay up all night and sleep very little. Fortunately several activities and lifestyle adjustments can help increase your metabolism.

Lean Muscle Building

• Build lean muscle. Muscle requires a considerable amount of energy to keep its fibers strong, especially when they are constantly being torn and repaired. By building lean muscle, your body will keep the metabolism going.

  Try starting off lean muscle building by purchasing a Swiss ball and perform weight resistance routines on it. One simple exercise is a modified push-up. Put the Swiss ball against a wall and keep it in place by putting your hands on top of it, shoulder width apart. Mimic the traditional push-up by keeping your body straight and extending your arms all the way up, then returning them down until your upper arm is parallel to the wall. The action of doing the push-up while maintaining balance will burn a few extra calories and add more muscle to your upper body.

Small, Healthy Meals

• Whenever you eat large meals, your body can render you immobile by forcing you to sit or sleep extra as it digests the food. If you skip meals to lose weight, your body will go into "starvation" mode and slow metabolism down by relying on the preexisting fat cells for energy. But by consuming five to six small, healthy meals, your body is constantly working to digest and use those important nutrients. Make sure you include complex carbohydrates (such as whole grain bread) to provide a constant, stable source of energy for body. If you choose to snack, keep it healthy and small. Peanut butter and celery or a granola mix can give you an energy boost without sugar shock.

Stay Mobile, Sleep Well

• Every movement you make or action you do leads to calorie consumption and energy burn. As long as your engine is running, your metabolism is feeding it to keep up. So stay mobile by substituting sedentary activities with active ones. It can be as simple as parking your car further to increase your walk to the office or standing while you work instead of sitting.

  At the same time, you also need to sleep well to keep your metabolism going. A good period of sleep allows your body to repair muscles and maintain organ functions. Lack of sleep can make you groggy and sore.