Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories in order to provide you with energy. Everyone’s body burns calories 24 hours a day. Even when you sleep, you burn calories - but very few calories.

A person who puts on weight easily generally has a slow rate of metabolism, while those who don’t put on weight as easily, have faster rates of metabolism.

If you want to burn calories quicker through the day, you need to have a faster rate of metabolism.

People with a lower percentage of body fat (i.e. muscular) have a higher metabolism than others that are less muscular because muscle uses more calories to maintain itself than fat.

Some people have a slower metabolic rate and have a harder time staying slim. A slow metabolism actually causes to store fat. The slower the metabolic rate, the greater the weight gains.

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is what your body needs at rest to maintain normal bodily functions like beating of our heart, respiration, and the maintenance of body temperature at a thermostatic setting just under 100 deg, etc. All these mechanical and thermometric functions require a base level of energy. About 60-75% of energy is expended by the body at rest in such activities.

You use another 10% of calories to digest and metabolize food. 1-3 hours after meal, the nutrients in your bloodstream and the food your stomach and intestines produce heat in a process called the thermic effect of food. The amount of calories you burn varies with the type of food you eat. You burn more calories to breakdown a steak than a banana and very few calories are expanded in breaking down simple sugars.

The resting metabolism depends on age, physical condition, the amount of fat and muscle in your body. You had a very high metabolism at your birth. At mid thirties, metabolism slows by 3 to 5 % per decade. By age 55, you require 150 fewer calories per day than in your mid thirties. For that reason, you should cut back on calories or increase your activity level to burn more calories, otherwise you will store additional fat in your body resulting in increased weight.

The metabolic rate depends on sex, age, and amount of muscle. Younger persons have higher (faster) metabolism because of the increased activity of cells. Men generally have a 10-15% faster BMR than women because male body has greater percentage of lean muscle tissues. Exercise can increase your BMR.

The biggest factor effecting metabolism is muscle tissue. Simply put, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn in minute, regardless of your age or any other factor. So if you want to increase your metabolism rate, go in for weight training. Remember that once your muscles are strengthened and toned, you will burn additional fat even when sleeping!

Eat frequently

Skipping meals is possibly one of the worst ways to lose weight. Your body’s rate of metabolism will slow down drastically to conserve energy, and you will burn very, very few calories. Similarly, if you eat three large meals a day and nothing in between, you are likely to have a slower metabolism rate than someone who eats seven small meals through the day. Consume the same amount of food as you would normally, just eat more often during the day. The longer you go between meals, the sloweryour body burns calories.

Always balance your eating to your activity level. Your body stores fat only when you eat more than you require. On days you don’t work out as much, consume less food. Remember, even low-fat food can be stored as fat, since it is excess food. So if you don’t work out at all a particular day, eat a little less, while if you work out, eat more.

Routine yourself

If you wake up late and have breakfast when it is almost lunchtime, you have virtually skipped a meal and your body’s metabolic rate would have slowed down drastically. On the other hand, if you had woken up on time, you wouldn’t have stayed hungry for so long andyour body will start burning fat faster the minute you wake up.

Drink more water

Your body needs enough water in order to perform all its functions at peak efficiency levels. Not having enough water causes all functions, including metabolism rate, to slow down.Your body also goes through needless stress.

Change your workout

Remember to keep changing your workout. Walking or jogging on the treadmill at a constant rate for the same time three times a week will definitely help strengthen your heart, but you need more to burn fat. Make changes in your jogging routine. Jog faster for less time one day, alternate between running and walking another day, and keep increasing and reducing the incline yet another day. Try out different interval trainings on the treadmill.