Weight control is more than just simple calorie counting.
As those who have dieted have surely noticed, not all calories are created equal, and some people can eat considerably more than others without gaining weight.
A key reason for this is metabolism, and there are ways people can influence it.
Metabolism is the rate at which a body breaks down food to produce energy.
A faster metabolism means the body uses more energy to maintain itself and will thus burn calories at a higher rate.
With the proper eating habits, diet and exercise, metabolism can be sped up.
At the same time, ones health and quality of life can be improved.
When, what and how a person eats has a big influence on the metabolism rate.
The key is to eat early, often and the right foods.
The early meal nobody should ever skip is breakfast.
Skipping breakfast has negative health effects that go beyond just feeling lethargic.
When a body does not get the energy it needs to start the day with breakfast, the brain sends a signal to slow down metabolism to conserve energy.
One should also eat more frequently.
While this may seem counter intuitive, and the total calorie intake still needs to be controlled, eating several smaller servings during the day is much better than eating one larger one.
The logic behind this is in part the same reason one should not skip breakfast.
Depriving the body of food when it needs energy during the day sends it a signal to slow down; while eating and digesting stimulates the metabolism (eating in the evening is not good though).
At the same time, staggered eating stabilizes blood sugar levels.
However, one needs to eat the right foods.
Sugars, processed foods, fried foods and other foods that are low in nutritional value but easy to digest will have an overload effect on the body and cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly.
Unfortunately, this signals the body to conserve energy rather than use it, and more calories will be stored as fat.
The healthy, balanced, low calorie foods that are recommended for most diets are generally the same types of foods that one should eat to boost metabolism.
Lean proteins such as in egg whites, lean turkey and white fish are thought to be especially beneficial.
Spicy foods will also provide a temporary metabolism boost.
Keep in mind that too few calories, even when distributed throughout the day, will cause the body to go into hunger mode and slow down metabolism.
Since the metabolism process needs water to work effectively, drinking lots of water, around eight glasses a day, will help.
Also, green tea is another good liquid source and has the added benefit of boosting the amount of energy the body uses in heat production.
Diet is only one side of the equation though; proper exercise, such as weight training, is also a must.
Even when at rest, muscle burns more calories than fat (this is the major reason men use more energy than women).
The weightlifting process, and the body's repair process of the stressed muscle after the workout, also boosts metabolism and energy use.
Ideally, one should do weight training at least a few times a week.
Cardiovascular activity also should be included in one's routine.
Besides burning energy during workouts, cardiovascular activity provides a metabolism boost that lasts for hours after the workout is finished.
Even moderate levels of cardiovascular activities help so one should walk, take the stairs and do whatever else is possible to include as much physical activity as possible into their daily lives.
Lack of sleep and too much stress also has negative effects on metabolism.
One should sleep 7-8 hours a night and avoid stress whenever possible.
While every body type is different and genetics do play a part, following this advice will certainly have positive effects not only for ones metabolism but for one's overall well being.
As those who have dieted have surely noticed, not all calories are created equal, and some people can eat considerably more than others without gaining weight.
A key reason for this is metabolism, and there are ways people can influence it.
Metabolism is the rate at which a body breaks down food to produce energy.
A faster metabolism means the body uses more energy to maintain itself and will thus burn calories at a higher rate.
With the proper eating habits, diet and exercise, metabolism can be sped up.
At the same time, ones health and quality of life can be improved.
When, what and how a person eats has a big influence on the metabolism rate.
The key is to eat early, often and the right foods.
The early meal nobody should ever skip is breakfast.
Skipping breakfast has negative health effects that go beyond just feeling lethargic.
When a body does not get the energy it needs to start the day with breakfast, the brain sends a signal to slow down metabolism to conserve energy.
One should also eat more frequently.
While this may seem counter intuitive, and the total calorie intake still needs to be controlled, eating several smaller servings during the day is much better than eating one larger one.
The logic behind this is in part the same reason one should not skip breakfast.
Depriving the body of food when it needs energy during the day sends it a signal to slow down; while eating and digesting stimulates the metabolism (eating in the evening is not good though).
At the same time, staggered eating stabilizes blood sugar levels.
However, one needs to eat the right foods.
Sugars, processed foods, fried foods and other foods that are low in nutritional value but easy to digest will have an overload effect on the body and cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly.
Unfortunately, this signals the body to conserve energy rather than use it, and more calories will be stored as fat.
The healthy, balanced, low calorie foods that are recommended for most diets are generally the same types of foods that one should eat to boost metabolism.
Lean proteins such as in egg whites, lean turkey and white fish are thought to be especially beneficial.
Spicy foods will also provide a temporary metabolism boost.
Keep in mind that too few calories, even when distributed throughout the day, will cause the body to go into hunger mode and slow down metabolism.
Since the metabolism process needs water to work effectively, drinking lots of water, around eight glasses a day, will help.
Also, green tea is another good liquid source and has the added benefit of boosting the amount of energy the body uses in heat production.
Diet is only one side of the equation though; proper exercise, such as weight training, is also a must.
Even when at rest, muscle burns more calories than fat (this is the major reason men use more energy than women).
The weightlifting process, and the body's repair process of the stressed muscle after the workout, also boosts metabolism and energy use.
Ideally, one should do weight training at least a few times a week.
Cardiovascular activity also should be included in one's routine.
Besides burning energy during workouts, cardiovascular activity provides a metabolism boost that lasts for hours after the workout is finished.
Even moderate levels of cardiovascular activities help so one should walk, take the stairs and do whatever else is possible to include as much physical activity as possible into their daily lives.
Lack of sleep and too much stress also has negative effects on metabolism.
One should sleep 7-8 hours a night and avoid stress whenever possible.
While every body type is different and genetics do play a part, following this advice will certainly have positive effects not only for ones metabolism but for one's overall well being.