How To Speed Up Your Rate Of Burning Calories

Build Muscle
Increase the amount of muscle in your body. For every extra pound of muscle you put on, your body uses around 50 extra calories a day. In a recent study, researchers found that regular weight training boosts basal metabolic rate by about 15%. This is because muscle is 'metabolically active' and burns more calories than other body tissue even when you're not moving.

Training with weights just 3 times a week for around 20 minutes is enough to build muscle. Not only will you be burning more calories, you'll look better - whatever your weight.
Move More
Although the average person burns around 30% of calories through daily activity, many sedentary people only use around 15%. Simply being aware of this fact - and taking every opportunity to move can make quite a dramatic difference to the amount of calories you burn.

The trick is to keep the 'keep moving' message in mind. Write the word 'move' on post-it notes and put them in places you'll notice them when you're sitting still. Then, take every opportunity to move - here's some ideas for burning calories:
- Tap your feet
- Swing your legs
- Drum your fingers
- Stand up and stretch
- Move your head from side to side
- Change position
- Wriggle and fidget
- Pace up and down
- Don't use the internal phone - go in person
- Use the upstairs loo
- Park in the furthest corner of the car park
- Stand up when you're on the phone
- Clench and release your muscles
You'll find lots of opportunities for burning more calories if you remember that you're looking for them! Keep thinking 'keep moving'.
Eat Spicy Food
There is evidence to show that spices, especially chilli, can raise the metabolic rate by up to 50% for up to 3 hours after you've eaten a spicy meal.

Drinks containing caffeine also stimulate the metabolism, as does green tea.
Aerobic Exercise
As well as the actual amount of calories burned during exercise - studies have shown that sustained, high-intensity exercise makes you burn more calories for several hours afterwards.

Try 30 minute sessions of heart rate raising exercise, such as vigorous walking, step aerobics, jogging or swimming, 3-4 times a week.