Natural Ways to Boost Metabolism and Lose Weight

Metabolism is the means by which your body changes food into energy. It burns calories at the rate they are needed by the body. If the amount of food you eat exceeds the amount of energy your body burns, those extra calories are stored in the body. If energy needs increase-usually due to exercise-those stored calories are burned and consumed.

A person's daily total energy expenditure includes basic functions, even at rest. The body works to keep your heart pumping and organs functioning. These basic needs make up two-thirds to three-fourths of calories needed every day. The remaining daily total energy expenditure is made up of the amount of physical exercise you get. Simply increasing your exercise amount increase the rate at which you consume excess calories.

The size of your body dictates to a large extent your basic caloric needs. Larger bodies require more calories to be sustained, and men generally carry more muscle than women and require more calories per day. As the body ages, muscle gives way to fat cells and less calories are required. This change explains why younger people can often eat whatever they want, while 10-20 years later they need to restrict their choices more carefully.

Natural ways to boost your metabolism include:

• Eat often -- Skipping meals can trigger a starvation response wherein the body stores fat.
• Drink lots of water -- Lack of water will slow your metabolic rate.
• Try weight-bearing exercise -- Toned muscles require more calories than fat.
• Watch your calories -- Avoid high-fat foods, high-sugar foods and control your portions.
• Exercise regularly -- Get at least one hour of aerobic exercise daily.

Dietary supplements claiming to boost metabolism may contain unsafe substances, but studies have found that green tea, taken with a meal, may have some natural metabolism boosting benefit. You might want to give this try.

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