Slow metabolism is blamed by most people for their increased weight. Have they ever thought about what that means? Is the metabolism really what is to blame? Is it possible for one to rev up the metabolism and burn more calories? While it is right to link metabolism to weight, this may not be in the way you expect. Actually, contrary to the common belief, excess weight gain is rarely caused by slow metabolism. Even though the metabolism highly influences the energy needs of the body, the beverage and food intake and the physical activities eventually determines what you weigh.

Metabolism can be defined as the process the body undergoes to convert what you take into energy. During this process, the calories in the food taken is combined with oxygen to give out energy body requires to function. Even when resting, the body still requires energy for its "hidden" functions. The number of calories that are used by your body to carry out all these functions is called the basal metabolic rate. There are several factors that determine the basal metabolic rate of ones body. These includes: size of the body and its composition, the gender of the person and the age. In addition to the basal metabolic rate, other factors that determine the amount of calories the body burns are the food processing and physical activities.

To many, it might be tempting to blame their metabolism for their weight. However the truth is that the metabolism is a normal process and the body balances it to meet the individual needs. If you try starving, the metabolism rate is slowed down to save calories needed for survival. Weight gain is mostly as a result of taking more calories than they are burnt. In order to lose weight, you need to come up with an energy deficit. This can be achieved by lowering the calories intake and increasing the calorie burn through things like physical activities. You may not have control over your rate of metabolism, but you can definitely control the amount of calories you burn. You can use the following to burn more calories.

Regular aerobic exercise. - Aerobic exercises include walking, swimming, and cycling among others. You can include at least 30 or so minutes of these activities in your daily schedule.

Strength training - These include activities like weightlifting. Such activities are important as they counteract muscle loss which is associated with aging. Muscle tissues burn more calories than fats do. This makes muscle mass a key factor when it comes to weight loss.

Lifestyle activities - Any additional movement aids in burning the calories. These may include gardening, house work or even washing you car.