by Bobby Watson

Created on: February 17, 2009

Not everyone has the extra time in their life allowing them to go to the gym three times a week or eat like a rabbit. Why not do some simple things yourself that can boost your metabolism and allow your body to help you stay fit? Sometimes as we get older or less active in our daily routines in life. Often our metabolism, or the body's ability to burn calories will gradually get slower unless we address the problem.

Here are 12 great tips to boost your metabolism and help keep your metabolic rate high:

#1 Never miss your breakfast. Because you haven't eaten in 8 to 12 hours, missing out your breakfast sends a message to your body that you're starving. The body wants to protect itself by slowing down your metabolism. Certain food types like complex carbohydrates, grain, vegetables and fruit, fuels your metabolism. These are ideal breakfast foods.

#2 Eat earlier in the day! Eating a "good" breakfast has been shown to aid weight loss. Your last meal of the day should be eaten, if possible, at least four hours before bedtime.

#3 Always consume at least 1200 calories per day as this is the minimum requirement your body needs to support your basal metabolism. Any less will drastically slow your metabolism and may even permanently damage it.

#4 Snack frequently! Snacks are extremely useful, provided they do not cause you to exceed your daily caloric intake. Complex carbohydrates can help fuel your metabolism. Also, snacking stops you from becoming too hungry. Hunger influences your food decisions. The hungrier you are, the more likely you are to make the wrong decisions and the more likely you are to overeat or eat the wrong things.

#5 Eat more carbohydrates especially food from plants and less fat food from many animals and other food with added fat! Carbohydrates boost your metabolism and contain fewer calories per gram than fat. Avoid sugars. They have no nutritional value.

#6 Take up some sort of exercise, especially aerobic type of exercise i.e. walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, etc. on a daily basis. It is much better to exercise in the morning. You must exercise at least three times a week. All you get be exercising twice-a-week is sore muscles. Our bodies were designed to be active on a daily basis! When we are, our metabolism is hugely elevated!

#7 In addition to your regular aerobic exercise, walk briskly for 10 to 15 minute walk at another time in the day. This will help to boost your metabolism even more!

#8 To give your metabolism an even greater and more permanent boost, perform some sort of weight bearing exercise. Toned muscles and/or more muscle bulk will send your metabolism into orbit. There is no excuse for not doing it!

#9 Look for situations to be active. Walk to the shops or to the school or, cycle to work. Look for opportunities to be as active as possible. Use the stairs rather than the elevator, etc. Make your daily tasks as hard as possible.

#10 Avoid alcohol! Alcohol depresses your metabolism and stimulates your appetite.

#11 Drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day. Your metabolism needs plenty water to function properly. It is easier to drink the required amount of water by drinking frequently throughout the day. Drinking can also help to dull the appetite.

#12 At all costs, never be tempted to seek your solutions in a pill, potion or a powder! There are NO quick fixes! They don't work

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