It is a strange thing that most of the diet programs available that claim to help you lose excess body fat end up making it harder for you in the long run. The reason for this is that they use methods of food restriction that work against the body causing a decrease in the metabolism (the body's engine).

Most of the popular diets also normally do not have enough proper exercise in them especially strength training exercise that would help stop the decease in the metabolic rate (the rate your body burns fuel). It makes no sense to risk damage to the very mechanism ? your fat burning machinery with a short term diet that can never help you achieve a lean, strong, shapely, firm body in the long term.

If you have caused metabolic damage as a result of following harmful diets or losing weight too quickly in the past, it can be very difficult to achieve further body fat loss due to the damage caused. The minute you reduce calories again your body will quickly go into 'diet shock' dropping the metabolic rate to preserve as much body fat as possible in an attempt to stop itself starving.

The very good news is that metabolic damage can be mended. All it takes is the right combination of proper exercise such as strength training and small meals spread throughout the day with a portion of protein at each one.

Most people get an almost immediate boost in metabolic rate when they start a proper exercise program. However, the results are not going to be overnight give it a little time?but within a few weeks your bodies engine your metabolism will already be more efficient and getting stronger as each day passes.

Make sure you apply the following nutrition and training principles for a red hot metabolism.

?Meal frequency: eat 5-7 small meals per day

?Meal timing: eat approximately every2-3 hours, with a substantial breakfast and a substantial post workout meal.

?Sufficient caloric intake: maintain a small calorie deficit and avoid starvation-level diets (suggested safe bottom levels for fat loss: 2100 calories per day for men, 1800 calories per day for women)

?Food choices: Make the central focus of each meal 20 grams of protein. Add raw and cooked vegetables and a small amount of complex carbohydrate like rice, pasta or sweet potato.

?Select natural whole, unprocessed foods at least 80% of the time.

?Strength training: A proper program set up by a fitness professional and they should teach you correct exercise technique along with the right intensity level. (degree of difficulty)

?Cardio training: Twice a week do some interval training ? an example is 10 seconds of sprinting followed by 30 seconds to one minute of walking repeated 8 -12 times.

The strength training program is extremely important in cases of damage to your metabolism because this is the stimulus to keep the muscle you have and begin rebuilding new muscle tissue. Remember that your muscle tissue is the mechanism that drives your metabolism.

After you get your metabolic rate back up where it should be, it will take ongoing effort with your exercise and nutrition to keep it there. But just imagine, before long you will have used up all the stored body fat for fuel and you will have a lean, sleek new physique to be proud of. All without dieting!