PUBLISHED 06/11/2003
There goes Phil. And he's eating again. Seems like every time you see the guy, he's devouring something. And the most baffling part? He's as thin as a rail. Everyone knows a Phil--someone who has a metabolism that's constantly in overdrive. The Phils of the world burn calories as quickly as SUVs burn gas. The rest of us, unfortunately, are more like Volkswagen Beetles: slow, steady burners.
Thankfully, there are ways to jump-start a sluggish metabolism. Ten, to be exact. Each of these strategies will boost your metabolism by up to 30 calories an hour. That may not sound like much, but when you consider there are 24 hours in a day, and 10 tips, you'll be doing some serious calorie burning. Result: The pounds will melt away. So get ready to start your engine.
THE FIRE WITHIN
Your body burns calories in three ways:
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). This is the number of calories your body needs just to keep your brain, heart, and cell functions going. Your RMR accounts for 60 percent of your metabolism.
Can you boost your RMR? Yes and no. Many of the factors that affect your RMR, such as your genes or your gender, are beyond your control. We've already talked about the "Phil factor" here, which you're either born with or not. And because women have less muscle than men, even at the same weight, women burn about 10 percent fewer calories each day.
Your age also affects your RMR. As you age, your RMR inevitably slows. But some of that slowdown is because people become more inactive as they get older, and, therefore, they lose muscle. But if you take steps to preserve your muscle mass as you age, you can at least maintain, and perhaps even boost, your RMR.
Thermic effect of food. You burn somewhere between 50 to 200 calories a day simply by digesting and processing the food you eat. This accounts for roughly 5 percent of your total caloric burn.
Activity. We're not just talking about your running and cross-training workouts here. Activity includes every body movement you make--whether you're walking to the mailbox or typing on your keyboard--and it accounts for about 35 percent of your total caloric burn.
