Quick Tips to Boost Your Metabolism

Metabolism is the breakdown of food and conversion of that food into energy. No matter what time of day or night it is, your metabolism is constantly working.

The average male human (being 6'0 and 180-195 lbs) should take in no more than roughly 2500 calories per day; women, on the other hand, should take in no more than about 2200 calories per day depending on height and weight. The reason why people find themselves gaining weight is simply that they are taking in more calories than what can be metabolized in 24 consecutive hours.

Here are a few tips in boosting your metabolism:

1.) Eat healthy, fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats are always a good way to help jump start your metabolism and get all of your necessary vitamins and minerals for the day.

2.) Eat 4 to 5 times a day. Remember, these meals shouldn't be over proportioned. An example of a day's meals are as follows: Breakfast, bowl of cheerios and a banana; Lunch, turkey sandwich/an apple/oatmeal cookie; Mid-day snack, a few baby carrots; Supper, Lean 8 oz Sirloin Steak, steamed vegetables, rice. Another way to divide your intake of calories for the day is to calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). The BMR is the number of calories needed in order for a person of that particular body weight to have the ability to lose weight at a healthy rate. To find this number take your body weight and times that number by 12 [ bodyweight x 12 ]. To find the BMR of someone whose weight is 180 lbs., you would [ 180 lbs. x 12 ] which equals 2160 calories. Now divide the answer by the number of times you eat per day [2160 calories / 5 meals]. You should get the number 432 (which is the approximate number of calories you should consume per meal).

3.) Introduce foods with a higher fiber content to your diet (fresh fruits and vegetables). There are two kinds of fiber, soluable and unsoluable. Both fibers greatly help your body by lowering colesterol and blood pressure by keeping you full for a longer period of time and also blocking colesterol molecules from entering through the digestive tract.

4.) Exercise for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour a day. It can literally be anything as long as you're not sitting down on the couch watching TV. Exercise alone will greatly boost your metabolism because continuous exercise requires extra calories, therefore raising your metabolism level to help aquire those necessary calories to expend for energy.