Give your metabolism a boost

It’s enough to drive any despairing dieter straight to the comfort food. But before you abandon your fruit salad for a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, you might want to take a closer look at your eating and lifestyle habits and how changing them might speed up your metabolism.

Your metabolism – the amount of energy your body burns up each day – can be key to successful weight loss. It’s not complicated: keeping your weight at a desired level is easier if your metabolism is faster because you can eat more.

But is it actually possible to speed up your metabolism?

Yes, according to a MSNBC report. Although your metabolism is usually fairly stable, here are several steps you can take to help rev it up.

Exercise

Working out builds muscle – and muscle speeds up your metabolism. As your body works more efficiently, you’ll process food faster. This is why men, being more muscular, generally burn more calories than a woman of the same weight.

Don't skip meals

Skipping meals and trying to get by on too few calories is the main reason many dieters fail. Eating erratically signals your body to burn calories slower and conserve fat. Generally, people are better off eating smaller, balanced meals and snacks throughout the day. To lose more fat than muscle, follow a balanced nutrition and exercise plan which supports an average weight loss rate of 1-2 pounds per week.

And spacing meals 3-4 hours apart will give you enough energy to get through the day without the headaches, hunger pangs or mood swings you get when you're ravenous.

Food sets the mood

What you eat affects your metabolism and mood, causing you to feel either sluggish or energetic. Foods high in sugar, saturated fats, artificial sweeteners and low in water and fiber will slow digestion. This can cause weight gain and a general sense of fatigue.