Your metabolism refers to how fast your body burns calories or “fuel”.  Your metabolism is your “engine”, and if fueled properly, will “run” faster and faster.  So how can you manipulate your metabolism to turn your body into a faster-fat-burning engine?  First, you have to understand the basics.

There are four main factors that come into play when dealing with metabolism; Genetics, Gender, your Diet and Exercise History and most importantly, your Compliance or the choices you make today.    Genetically some people are born with faster metabolisms and have their parents to thank.  Males naturally have more lean muscle mass than women and burn fat at a faster pace.  And the more yo-yo dieting or weight loss up and downs you’ve experienced throughout your life, the slower your metabolism will be today.  Aside from those factors you can’t control like the ones mentioned above it’s important to know that you do have direct control over your level of Compliance, which is the most important factor of all!

The truth is anyone, despite whether they are male or female, their dieting past and their genetics, has the ability to create a healthy body with a faster metabolism by stabilizing their blood sugar.  And incorporating a few other tricks!   Here’s how.

1.  Let go of the past.  All too often, we hold on to excuses relating to our past that prevent us from achieving our goals today.  If you are constantly accusing your body of having a slow metabolism, an underactive thyroid, etc., you’ll never be able to move forward.  Remember, anyone can stabilize their blood sugar to burn fat and increase their metabolism.
 
2. Eat every few hours.  Think of your body as an engine that needs small frequent doses of fuel to run effectively.  Whenever you overeat (even if it’s healthy stuff), your blood sugar spikes and your body automatically starts laying down fat cells.  The better option is to eat every few hours to prevent hunger and increase metabolism.  Just remember to eat until satisfied, never until full.  You should feel ready to eat every 3 hours.
 
3. Balance every meal.  In order to stabilize blood sugar and increase metabolism, your body needs a balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat in every single meal.  Each of these macronutrients release different hormones that are responsible for keeping blood sugar levels steady.  If you are missing any one of these, your blood sugar can’t stabilize, and metabolism slows down.
 
4. Know your nutritional parameters.  If you are already a member of Venice Nutrition, then you know you should be getting a certain amount of protein, carbohydrate and fat per meal depending on your goals, health and body composition.  If you are not yet a member of Venice Nutrition, we recommend that you take the Free Assessment on the homepage to discover if the program is right for you.  With Venice Nutrition, you receive customized meal plans based upon your unique nutritional parameters (how much protein, carb and fat YOU need per meal to get the results you desire!)

5. Never skip breakfast.  Remember, while sleeping your body is in “fasting mode” and your engine isn’t being fueled.  It’s critical to kick start your metabolism in the morning with a balanced breakfast.  Eating breakfast will also help prevent you from overeating later in the day.

6. Get your zzzzz’s.  Why is sleep so important?  Each night your body uses sleep to recharge.  If sleep has been neglected, your body will function at a lower level.  Remember, you are what you metabolize; lack of sleep prevents proper metabolizing of nutrients and slows fat loss.
  
7. Increase your water intake.  Water is critical to every function of the body.  Aim for a minimum of 8 oz of H20 per meal and another 8 oz in between meals.

8. Add resistance training.  It’s important to note that every pound of lean muscle mass you build burns approximately 50 fat calories a day!  The more lean muscle you have, the faster your metabolism will be.

9. Add "white fiber" or interval training.  This type of training includes sudden bursts of energy which have a profound effect on your metabolism.  The key is performing this type of cardio correctly (doing it incorrectly can cause a loss of lean muscle mass and a slower metabolism.)  Please see your Help/Support Tab inside your program for correct exercise protocol.

10. Add Green tea.  Research suggests that drinking green tea at least twice a day may help to boost your metabolism.

11. Move whenever, wherever.   Some of the fittest people are those that aren’t sedentary.  Even if you have a “desk job”, moving consistently throughout the day can help you to burn more calories.  Think outside the box.  Some suggestions; try using a large ball as your office chair to stimulate your core muscles, take the stairs instead of the elevator, take a lap around the office or your home every 20-30 minutes.  Remember, these small activities do add up!
 
12. Stress less.  Stress produces cortisol which causes an increase in appetite which leads to fat storage which leads to a slower metabolism.   Break the cycle by reducing your stress.