There is hope for fixing a slow metabolic rate even if your fear is that years of yo-yo dieting have done damage. Everyone's metabolism responds to certain actions and by doing things that help your body function smoothly and cutting out things that work against your body you will find that even the most worn out metabolism can find new life. I encourage you to take just a couple of minutes to read this article and discover how you can start working with your body to pump up your metabolism.

Slow Metabolic Rate

1. Most diets work against your metabolism. When you cut your calories your body reads this as a problem. It does not know you are voluntarily cutting back in order to lose weight so it fears you are encountering a famine and food is not available.

In order to keep you alive your body slams the brakes on your metabolism so you can preserve your precious energy stores - FAT.

To avoid this you want to shift your calorie intake during the week to keep your body from adapting to your low calorie intake. An easy way to do this is to add 25-50% additional calories to one day a week. Your metabolism springs up to take care of the extra and you burn fat more efficiently for days.

The added benefit is that this higher-calorie meal allow you to eat your favorite foods guilt free giving you a regular break from dieting and making you less likely to throw in the towel.

2. Cut carbs in the evening. By doing this you force your body to burn fat in the evenings for energy because it's first choice, carbohydrate, is not available.

3. Exercise with intensity. Add short burst of high intensity to your normal cardio routine and you will pump up your metabolic rate and it will stay elevated for up to 24 hours.

4. Sleep. Your metabolism needs time to reset and 7 to 8 hours of rest at night are ideal for recharging your metabolism so it can go full speed the next day.

Even if you have been a yo-yo dieter for years you can fix your slow metabolic rate by using these tips.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Becky_Gillaspy

It would be great if we could burn off all of our blubber just by eating certain foods - fat burning foods. Many of people would give a preference to those, if they existed. According to the claims, by just consuming these foods you would be able to reduce your weight. This however is misleading. Maybe just like magic, we could take a pill too and it would all melt away. Unfortunately for most people it takes quite a bit more to burn off fat, whether they have been slowly accumulating for years, or whether it is a recent addition. A lot of diet programs claim that you can lose weight by only eating certain foods, or by eliminating things like carbs from your diet. There are no fat burning foods, but keep reading...

As most people are aware these days, fats can be divided up into three basic types: saturated, unsaturated, and Trans fats. Trans fats, like the ones that are found in many baked goods are definitely to be avoided whether you want to lose weight or not. Unlike other dietary fats, these are not essential and they do not promote good health. In fact the consumption of Trans fats increases one's risk of coronary heart disease by raising the level of bad cholesterol and lowering the levels of good cholesterol in the body. There has been much interest in the news in the last year or so about the possibility of banning usage. Rather than being fat burning foods, foods with this type of fat is not healthy.

Diets high in saturated fat have also been co-related with an increased incidence of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Examples of foods containing a high portion of saturated fat include dairy products (especially cream and cheese but also butter and ghee), animal fats such as suet, tallow, lard and fatty meat, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil, chocolate, and some prepared foods.

Foods containing unsaturated fats on the other hand include avocado, nuts, and vegetable oils such as canola, and olive oils. Although unsaturated fats are healthier than saturated fats, they are not fat burning foods either. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that the amount of unsaturated fat consumed should not exceed 30% of one's daily caloric intake. In addition, saturated and unsaturated fats often exist together in many food products. This is starting to get complicated isn't it? The main rule of thumb to remember, is that fats from animal sources need to be limited in the diet, with preferences for plant based oils and fats.

While good fats will help you to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol in body, they are not fat burning foods however. In fact the only way to burn off body fat is by reducing caloric intake and by increasing the expenditure of energy. Whether you decide to reduce calories by reducing carbohydrates, proteins or fats is a personal choice.

The main thing is that calorie intake needs to be reduced at the same time as calorie consumption (energy burning) is increased for weight loss to take effect. While certainly keeping in mind good fats versus bad fats, the best approach is to eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and low-fat dairy products, and moderate in fat. We are talking healthy moderation here. It doesn't get any simpler than that.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jurgita_Glodenyte

As we all know we should eat more fruit and veg. Its healthier, lower in calories, and full of fiber so its helps us feel full for longer and helps to keep everything moving along. But although you know all this, put up your hands how much fruit and veg did you eat today? (be honest now!)

Well, what I'm about to reveal may help to get you back on your veg eating path. Researchers from the University of Reading (UK) have found that the simple tomato can do all of the above but also help to control your appetite.

In a recent test using 17 normal weight women aged between 18 and 35 they found that bread that was enriched with tomato, was greater for giving feelings of satiety or fullness, compared to bread that had been enriched with carrot.

Although, before the test the researchers had assumed that the carrot would give a full feeling for longer because of it fiber. They were surprised to find that the tomato enriched bread came out on top. They believe that the compound "Lycopene" which tomatoes are rich in (and gives them their rich red color), may help to make people feel more full by lowering appetite hormones.

While this is great news to find an easy natural way to suppress your appetite don't get carried away and think that you can get away with asking for extra helping of tomato on your next pizza...or smother all your food with tomato sauce.

You're still going to have to show some restraint on your calorie intake if you want to lose weight:)



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Oisin_Mcdonald

If you're thinking "Oh God, its Monday again and I'm back on a diet and I don't think I'll ever be able to lose that 20- 30 pounds!" You're probably in need of some inspiration, well this may be of help to you.

Being on a diet usually mean's you're surrounded by failure. The TV shows are broadcasting shows about obesity and how its out of control. Your friends haven't lost weight and are always complaining about it.
Sometimes it's enough to make you want to give up.

But, having positive inspiring images can help. Although you may think that no one ever loses weight, there are people out there just like you and me, that have lost weight and kept it off.

So, here's your task for the day.

Go out and buy a large scrapbook.

Go to your local shop/store and purchase some weight loss/dieting magazines. If you're short of cash ask the shop owner if they have any magazines they're putting in the trash that you could take off their hands.

Look for images of success, whether thats women/men who've lost great weight or images where people have lost weight and they're happy and look great that and cut them out.

Then paste them into your scrap book. If you're stuck for time you can get the kids involved and say its a project you need help with.

Now place this scrap book somewhere you can see every day, whether thats in your bed room that you can refer to it before you go to sleep or possibly in your kitchen possibly close to the refrigerator.

Now when ever you need a boost when things seem hard or you're tempted to giving in, read through your scrapbook and no time you'll notice an improvement in your mood, and you won't feel like giving in.

A quick note - Rather than relying on the same photos to look over, continue to add more and more photos. Looking at the same photos over and over again can take the "shine" off them but by adding more and more your book stays fresh and inspirational. Now where did I put those scissors?



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Oisin_Mcdonald