First though let's take a quick look at metabolism and how calories are used by the body. Calories are the fuel source for the body's cells and systems. Without consuming a certain amount of calories everyday we would not only starve but all our bodily functions would start to shut down, much like a car running out of gas. This is what makes dieting such a hard way to keep any weight off that you may lose. As you reduce your caloric intake your body reacts by going into its "I'm starving" mode. Your metabolism will actually begin to slow down as your body begins conserving it energy which is of course your fat stores.

The human body requires a certain amount of calories each day to sun at optimum efficiency. Once you go below this threshold your results will begin to diminish and your body will actually begin to turn on itself, using lean muscle tissue to get the energy it needs to survive.

But there is a way to remedy your metabolism situation. By simply making some lifestyle changes you can rev up your metabolism to not only lose weight but keep it off and live a much healthier life. There are two areas that you will need to focus on, but with a little work and patience you will see the results you want.

The first area that needs to be looked at is diet. The food you eat will dictate how much you can increase your metabolism and start losing weight. As stated above food is the fuel that powers the body. The higher the grade of fuel the better the engine will run. What happens if you pour sugar in the gas tank of a car? It clogs up the injectors and the car will eventually not run. The same thing happens to your body when you eat processed and refined foods; it plugs up the body's systems and turns easily into fat.

The best slow metabolism remedy when it comes to diet is to eat foods that have a high nutrient value. That is they are full of vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. Some of these foods, particularly the fruits and vegetables, are considered negative calorie foods and actually require more calories to digest then they contain.

The second area that will promote a metabolism boost is exercise. Both cardiovascular and weight training are proven to increase the amount of calories burned not only during the exercise session but also after while the body rests and recovers. This is especially true of weight or resistance training. The more lean muscle mass you have the more calories you will burn just maintaining it and maintenance of muscle occurs during times of rest, not during the actual workout.

The remedy for a slow metabolism is simply making a few lifestyle changes. Start eating right and get some exercise to start the process. Keep adding to what you know and what you do and before long the weight will have come off and it will stay off allowing you to enjoy life the way you always wanted too.