How to "Increase Your Metabolism" to Burn Fat!

Metabolism is the chemical process in your body which promotes the breakdown and synthesizing of nutrients to produce energy to sustain life.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is what you want to increase, the rate at which our bodies burn fat.  Your BMR is the number of calories you would burn over 24 hours while lying down but not sleeping. 

Reducing your BMR would reduce the rate at which your body burns calories.  This can also make you gain all that was lost back faster and make it harder to lose fat in the future.

What could reduce my BMR?

• Following a fitness and nutritional plan that reduces lean mass percentage. "Too much cardio"  A fitness routine that does not focus on maintenance and development of muscle mass.  A low calorie nutritional diet plan that limits the consumption of carbs and proteins.

So what is the best way to increase my BMR with fitness and nutrition?

• A fitness routine which will help increase your BMR is one that promotes muscle growth.  The more muscle mass you have, the higher BMR you will have.  A fitness routine that focuses too much on aerobic training is detrimental to your lean mass gains and can cause it to minimize.  Always remember that when you lose muscle mass your BMR will also decrease.

• A nutritional diet plan that will help increase your BMR is one that compliments a balanced resistance training routine.  You also need to eat more healthier and more consistantly.  Do not make any significant reductions in your total daily calories for long periods of time.  Instead use the "Zig-Zag" Approach", meaning "Zig-Zag" your calorie intake, rather than reducing calories for a long period of time, which results in a significant reduction of lean mass.  On days that you are working out it is recommended that you eat more to fuel your workout (pre-workout meal) and more to promote and maintain muscular development (post-workout meal).  On days that you are not working out eat 5 meals, but normal portions, which compliment your activity levels for that day. 

• When ever you plan to cut calories never cut calories from daily protein sources.  Protein is what your body needs to maintain and rebuild active tissue or lean mass (muscle, skin, bones, organs).  So it is important to always consume the necessary amounts of protein which your body needs each day.  Plan to reduce calories from complex carbohydrate sources and fat sources in your diet.

Following these 5 Rules will help you formulate a sound nutritional diet plan:

1. Always eat 5-6 times a day.  Feed your body, keep your body energized so it will not breakdown muscle and store energy as body fat.
2. Have an appropriate caloric ratio.  50% Carbohydrates    40% Proteins    10% Fats
3. Each meal should compliment what you will be doing the next 3-4 hours.  If you are about to workout, then take in more energy.  If you are about to go to bed, eat a simpler carb meal.
4. To lose fat you must have a negative caloric balance meaning you are consuming less calories than you are burning.  To build muscle you must have a positive caloric balance meaning that you are taking in more calories than you are burning.  This calorie intake is accompanied by and consistant with a balanced resistance and aerobic training routine.
5. In order to get all the nutrients you need to maintain your lean mass supplementation is necessary.  It is hard to eat 5-6 meals a day for most people so sometimes a supplementary shake could pose as a meal replacement.