Enter any online dieting forum or chat group, and one one of the main topics you see being discussed is surrounding metabolism. You have some that ask how it can be boosted and others blame their sluggish one on their weight gain. They talk about it as though it's a switch that can be turned on or off at will, well in a way it can, but we will get to that in a bit. Many then will go on to talk about their 1,000 calorie diet and how they work at a desk all day only getting up to go to the break room for a snack and ask "what's the best pill I can take to boost my metabolism?"

If that sounds like you, then you need to step back and re-evaluate your diet and lifestyle, don't be looking for the next great miracle pill because you are not going to find it. Sorry for the honesty, but that magic elixir that you are looking for just does not exist.

Here are 3 simple ways to boost your metabolism naturally:

Do not starve your body. That's right, don't follow every ultra low calorie that comes into fashion. In order for your body to produce energy it needs calories to burn from good wholesome food. It wants protein to keep muscles healthy, carbs for energy and fats to keep your organs like your heart and brain functioning well. To get an idea of how many calories your body needs daily follow this guide; if you sit at a desk all day take your current weight and times it by 14, this will give you your daily needed calories. If you are a bit active, times your weight by 17. And if you are very active, do your calculation by 20. Now if you are looking to lose one pound a week by dieting, eat 500 calories less per day. For most of us, that's pretty easy, just give up that daily latte.

Increase your physical activity. Above you learned how you can lose a pound of week by cutting out 500 calories per day, so if you want to lose 2 pounds a week, you should also be increasing your physical activity so that you burn an extra 500 calories per day. Believe it or not it's easy to burn an extra 500 calories per day. For many of us just mowing the lawn for 60 minutes can burn 500+ calories. Adding an hour of brisk walking daily or playing your favorite sport will expend your 500 calories. But don't stop there, add more movement all day long. If your desk is ten feet away from your printer and your printing five pages, don't wait until they are all completed, pick them up one by one. Find simple ways to force your body to move.

Weight Train. Add light hand weights to your cardio workout. Just 1-5 pound weights can make a major impact on how much fat you can burn during your physical activities and the increased muscle size will need more calories during the day than fat will so you burn more each day. When I talk about muscles I am not talking about huge, Arnold size muscles, just a slight increase will make a big difference in your calorie usage.

Now the next time you find yourself listening to someone complain about their sluggish metabolism you can tell them to put down the danish, get off their butt, grab their hand weights and get moving. That's how they can turn on their metabolism boosting switch.