I am still learning.

Raise Metabolism

1. Build muscle. Since fat is burned in your muscle, you want to activate as many muscle fibers as possible. Weight training increases lean muscle mass, which raises the amount of calories your body uses, even when you're at rest. What's more, since there's less fat in your body (and your muscles), blood moves better so you have more energy -- without eating more food. So if you haven't been incorporating strength training into your fitness routine, now is the time to start!

2. Start eating! "Your body is a 'refuel as it goes machine,' which simply means it needs to be consistently fed to provide energy to live," explains Mark MacDonald, author of the bestselling book Body Confidence. "This type of consistent feeding stabilizes your blood sugar levels and creates internal hormonal balance" -- and that keeps you from packing on the pounds. His advice: Eat within an hour of waking to kick-start your metabolism. Then keep eating every three to four hours ending an hour before bedtime.

3. Nosh on protein at every meal and snack. Protein has a greater metabolic boost than fat or carbohydrates. Biting, chewing, swallowing and digesting food takes energy -- it's known as the thermic effect of food and it can burn up to 30 percent of the calories on your plate. The more complex the food (think steak, legumes and fibrous vegetables), the more calories you burn as it travels through the digestive tract. Protein also contains leucine, an amino acid that prevents muscle loss when you're dieting. A simple strategy: For a quick and easy snack, keep peanuts in your pocketbook, trail mix in your desk drawer and hard-boiled eggs in the fridge.

4. Get moving. Interval training with bursts of high intensity cardio will stoke your metabolic rate and keep it humming for hours. So instead of logging in your regular half-hour on the treadmill at a steady 4.5 mph pace, try the interval option or hit the road and take advantage of changes in the terrain. Run in the sand or up hills and use landmarks to signify a change of pace. And squeeze in extra calorie burning whenever you get the chance, advises Gerbstadt.

5. Drink water. Studies show that people who drink 8-ounce glasses of water eight to 12 times a day have higher metabolic rates than those who drink four. Want to lose an extra 6.6 pounds a year? Drink half a liter of water before breakfast. According to researchers at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., people who downed water before their first meal of the day consumed an average of 75 fewer calories at breakfast than those who didn't drink up first.

I have decided that this is a good list of things to do if possible. Unfortunately, I am one of those who copies things like this from the Health segment on MSN and then doesn't do all that I can to follow the guidelines. I have always been a water drinker. But you know, I'm realizing that just because I have a large glass of water around doesn't mean I drank it. I don't pay attention to how much is actually going in.

I also have started to move around more. I am so sedentary that my picture could be in the dictionary under the word. I am doing physical therapy and that is a big change from just sitting but it isn't nearly enough to have an aerobic benefit and to build muscle. I began in the pool. And I love the pool stuff. But now I am working on some non-water machines and they are much harder. I am pushing myself a little to try and build. But I'm aware there is a lot to do to build muscle.

The eating thing isn't as easy as it sounds. Just eating won't do. Eating things that are good for me. I'm exploring that with my daughter the chef who has lost 60 pounds. And yes, she is a real chef. Anyway I am learning from her. It helps and I'll share things I find with you.


I love steak. Well cooked on the grill. And I love low fat hamburger meat. And I am looking for a good recipe to share with you guys. Soon!