Take a close look at what metabolism means, how it can help you burn calories and the best ways to increase your metabolism.

Your metabolism (metabolic rate) is based on the number of calories your body uses in order to function on a daily basis. Your body is always using calories. Throughout the day, whether walking, breathing or sleeping, your body is burning calories to keep you functioning properly. The higher your metabolism, the more calories you burn. This is the reason so many people want to increase their metabolism.

How much lean muscle mass present on your body largely affects your metabolism. Muscle takes more calories to maintain than fat, so it stands to reason that the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be.

As we age, our metabolism begins to slow down because we lose muscle mass. Usually around the age of 30, our body begins to lose muscle, which is the reason you may accumulate fat deposits around your midsection. One of the best ways to lose belly fat is to increase your metabolism.

Resistance Training

The best way to increase your metabolism and get it working in your favor is to use resistance training. There are several ways to resistance train, including lifting weights, use of rubber bands, exergues or hand weights. Resistance training will build muscle and burn calories all at the same time.

To obtain the best results, you should be using resistance or weight training at least twice a week, although three times per week is even better. You should never lift weights on consecutive days because your body needs to rest and repair for at least 24 hours. As you and your body become accustom to weight training, you should gradually increase the weight or tension that you’re using. This will help prevent your body from hitting a plateau. When you reach a plateau your body becomes so use to lifting the same weight that it doesn’t feel the need to build more muscle.

Resistance training or weight training is the best way to boost your metabolism, hands down. Nothing builds muscle faster or burns more calories.

Cardio Training

In between weight training, you can use cardio training to burn calories and increase your cardiovascular health. Cardio training is any exercise that boosts your heart rate. For instance, aerobics, walking, jogging, swimming and biking can all be classified as cardio training.

To get maximum results for your effort, you can use interval training. Basically, interval training uses short bursts of maximum output, followed by periods of complete rest or low activity.

For example, you could run full out for one minute, rest for two and run again for another minute. This will help burn calories quickly, but it can also cut down on the time spent in the gym. You burn far more calories using interval training. You don’t have to spend as much time working out in order to get the same results. Interval training is used by athletes who want to boost stamina and endurance.

Diet

Many people think the best way to lose belly fat is dieting. This just isn’t true. Dieting tends to lower your metabolism because your body thinks it’s starving. If you want to boost your metabolism, your diet should consist of healthy foods such as fish, poultry, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.

You should also consider eating 4-5 small meals per day. This allows your body to get the vitamins and minerals it needs, but doesn’t allow it to use excess food to convert into fat. Increasing your metabolism takes hard work and perseverance, but it is possible. It’s also the best way to lose weight and keep it off over the long term.