Image by: Chris Hunkeler
By Jake Bradshaw

We all want a fast metabolism. Watching our friends eat two whole pizzas without gaining an inch in their waistline is torturous enough, but to know that they’ve been genetically blessed can be even worse. But the secret is it doesn’t all have to do with genetics. We have the power to control our own bodies. All it takes is a quick education. Here are a few ways to get there:

The Need For Energy

Metabolism is the process of breaking down proteins, carbs, and fats to yield the energy your body needs to maintain itself. The rate actually depends on the interaction between the number of calories you consume, the number of calories you burn while eating and exercising and the calories you burn based on your genetic makeup.

In other words, the best way to boost your metabolism is increase your body’s need for energy. But don’t be fooled. Though your body can burn calories from either fat, protein or carbs, the best things for it burn are fat calories – but it will only do this when it needs energy.

So how can you make your body crave more energy? Obviously exercising is one of the best things you can do, but there are also other tricks of the trade you should get to know. Your body is like a machine and the more you start to treat it like one, the more results you’ll see.

#1) Space Out Your Meals

It’s never a good idea to skip meals. Doing so is like forgetting to put gas in your car. The more food your body is digesting, the more energy it needs, henceforth, the faster your metabolism will go.

It’s a good idea to eat 3 – 4 hours apart. Not monster meals, but something substantial so that your body is always burning something. This speeds up the burning process, eventually requiring your body to need more energy to burn.

In essence, eating is an exercise for your insides. Your organs, digestive system and metabolic rate are having the workout of their lives breaking apart foods, taking out its nutrients and ridding it of the waste. By depriving your body of food, your slowing down the process. This is never a good thing.

#2) More Muscles = More Energy

The more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism will go since they require more nutrients from the body – an effort which speeds up the processes. This is why men generally burn more calories than a woman who’s the same weight. It’s also why the more you work out, the more food you need to keep up the energy.

According to WebMD, each extra pound of muscle you carry can burn up to 50 additional calories just to maintain itself, with no effort on your part. Here are a few things you can try at the gym to help you get there:

• Up The Weight – While you’re strength training, it’s a good idea to shock your muscles (just a little bit) by upping the weight every other time. This will change the pattern of your normal biorhythms, causing the tingling sensation.

• Up The Oxygen – Here’s a secret. One of the reasons why cardio is so effective isn’t just because it’s working out your muscles, but because it’s sending massive amounts of oxygen into your system since you’re breathing more heavily. More oxygen fuels the brain and other parts of the body, leading to a better chance of “Afterburn” effect. Jump rope, sprints and other cardio exercise requiring you to breathe in short spurts, then heavy inhales, are all a good idea.

#3) Turn On The AC

Studies have shown that colder climates increase your metabolism since it’s consistently trying to keep your body warm, therefore, needing more energy. Not saying you need to live in an icebox, but try upping the AC a couple degrees at home. You might start to see a minor change that can turn into a major one.

You might start to see yourself having more energy than before, which will only make things better. As digestion improves, you might start to see a change in the waistline. Test it out.

#4) Eat Foods That Give You Energy

What we eat always influences our metabolism and our mood. We can either feel sluggish or energetic, and the latter is always the better way to go.

Sugary foods and foods high in saturated fats and low in water or fiver will slow digestion, causing you to gain weight. But whole grains, vegetable, fruits, beans and fresh herbs will give you the proteins and carbs you need to give you energy. Clean energy will always inspire your metabolism to speed up because it’s exactly what it needs, rather than a chemically-enhanced mock food.