There are a lot of people who would do almost anything to increase their metabolism. Having a high metabolic rate enables one to maintain the rapid burning of fat and lose weight quickly with the least amount of exercise. Metabolism is the process by which the body produces and consumes energy and calories in order that the body can function.

Many factors affect the metabolism of a person, such as the amount of muscle tissue, the frequency of the meals one consumes, hereditary factors, levels of tension, personal diet and activity levels. Metabolism slows down due to the following: loss of muscle tissue lack of physical exercise, the tendency of the body to recycle its own tissue as a result of not enough food energy to sustain it, and the decrease of physical activity that comes naturally with old age.

Here are several ways to boost one's metabolism:

1. Develop a fit and healthy body. It is inevitable that metabolism decreases as we get older, but it is possible to beat the effects. The amount of muscle tissue that a person has is a very strong determinant in their ability to burn calories and lose weight. So it is obvious that exercise is a major factor. Strength and resistance should be built up by a regular exercise program, preferably with weights. Do light exercises in between the full workouts. Everyday tasks such as walking to the shops and using the stairs in place of the elevator can contribute to taking off calories. The answer is to match the food consumption to the amount of calories that you burn off.

Here are some guidelines in getting the right exercise:

For strength training -Gradually raise the number of repetitions of a particular exercise. -Raise the level of resistance -Use advance exercise techniques if this is possible. You may need to ask a professional trainer

For cardiovascular training -Insert intervals between exercises -Perform cross-training and combine the exercises - Increase resistance and speed

2. Eat breakfast. A lot of people are going without breakfast even though it is the most important meal of the day. Surprisingly, it has been found that those people who eat breakfast are thinner than the ones who do not. The bodies metabolism can slow down considerably if breakfast is taken during mid-morning or if one waits until the afternoon to eat.

3. Avoid sugar. Sugar enables the body to store fat. It is recommended that a person consumes food that helps sustain an even level of blood-sugar. Additionally, regular exercising 2-3 times a week should be able to stabilize blood sugar levels.

4. Do Not Skip Meals. Although it would appear to be an obvious fact that cutting out a meal will help you lose weight, but this is not true. This is a big mistake since it slows down your metabolism. In addition, missing a meal will make you more likely to snack between meals.

5. Eat more curry. Eating curries can be good for you and help lower your weight! Any hot cuisine with peppers can increase metabolism. Higher metabolism means that the body can burn fat faster.

6. Stay Asleep. According to research, people who miss out on their sleep are at the greatest risk of gaining weight. Also, muscles are regenerated during the last couple of hours of slumber.

7. Drink more water. Toxic by-products are produced whenever the body converts fat. Water flushes out these toxins that are produced. In fact, most of the bodily functions involves water, and lack of water results in an imbalance of the body's functions, and produces unneeded stress as a result.

8. Eat less food. It is advisable to consume 4 to 6 small meals intervals of every 2 or 3 hours. Eating less food is a key part of reducing your overall calorie count.

9. Eat Energy Foods. Include more high energy foods in your daily diet. These energy foods include such items as whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables.

10. Carefully plan your meals. Make sure in advance that you get ready the right amount of food to be consumed at the designated intervals. Do not make the mistake of eating meals in sporadic patterns.

11. Chill Out! Stress, whether it is physical or emotional stress, results in the release of a steroid called cortisol, which decreases body's metabolic rate. Relaxing will reduce the amount of cortisol in your body and so keep up your metabolic rate. Also, people tend to eat excessively when stressed.

12. Drink green tea instead of coffee. Green tea can be drunk instead of coffee. Green tea has the ability to raise your metabolic rate, and unlike coffee, it has no undesirable side effects when too much is consumed.

Losing the desired amount of weight is never impossible if you have the determination and patience required to stabilize your metabolic level, which is so important in weight loss. If you can stabalise your metabolism then you can lose weight. The real trick is realising that eating correctly and working out is not just a passing fancy, but a way of life.

Roger Titley is the webmaster of the successful weight loss web site www.BiggestLoserPlan.com which is designed to help anyone lose weight and become the person that they want to be.