Make your body burn calories even as you rest

Ever wonder why your best friend can go through chocolate mochas by the twos without gaining an inch while just one spoonful goes straight to your hips? The answer lies in your metabolism, that little engine in your body that burns calories all day, every day. Metabolism is the rate at which the body processes energy, or burns calories.

So if you are wondering why the pounds are piling on, here's what's happening: your metabolism - how your body converts food into energy and then burns that energy as calories - is probably sluggish. Higher the metabolism, the more calories your body burns, even while at rest, and although genes influence metabolic function (you can inherit a poky metabolism, as easily as beautiful skin), you can get your metabolism cranked up by making some lifestyle changes.

Eat at regular intervals. Not eating enough, or keeping long gaps in meals can actually be counterproductive. So if you thought guzzling coffee and other caffeinated drinks all day is a worthy attempt to prevent yourself from eating for long hours, you are so wrong - as it could actually work against you by making you pig out at dinner.

Skipping meals and then eating one big one at night can actually be a triple whammy, as it puts you into a slow burn mode during the day. Plus when you don't consume enough food for long intervals, your body switches into starvation mode, and your brain tells your body to store fat and makes your metabolism sluggish.

Choose foods carefully. Eat foods with more fibre (makes the body work harder to process), increase the amount of protein you eat (requires more energy to digest), and please don't nix carbohydrates from your diet. While too many refined carbs can be detrimental for your weight, removing them from the diet completely will have an even bigger negative effect.

That's because our muscles need carbohydrates' stores of glycogen for energy and they simply can't grow without them. And remember the bigger the muscle mass in your body, the more calories you'll burn at rest (equal to higher metabolism). But incorporate enough whole foods in your diet (as the body has to work a little harder to break them down).

Drink enough water. Even mild dehydration can slow down metabolism. When the kidneys, which flush out waste, don't have enough water they begin to rely on the liver which works primarily to provide stored fat for energy. If the liver is busy doing the kidney's job then it metabolises less fat and this results in slower weight loss.

Score the right nutrients. Vitamin D has a direct connect with how efficiently our metabolism functions, so get tested and get your numbers up to the mark by staying out more in the sun and taking supplements if need be (as there aren't too many food sources of this vitamin).

Calcium also plays a key role in regulating the way our body burns calories. According to some research, a diet that's high in calcium could help you burn more fat. There is really no escape from consuming dairy and other calcium-rich foods.

Similarly hot, spicy foods such as hot pepper may even shift your metabolism into high gear for a short period as capsaicin, a compound found in them temporarily stimulates the body to release more hormones like adrenaline, which speed up metabolism.

Sipping green tea (contains catechins, an antioxidant that raises resting metabolism) is a great idea. Similarly flaxseed is a good source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a fatty acid that is essential for efficient metabolism (have one tablespoonful a day).

Avoid too much of sugar. Sugar is a metabolism-downer. It creates a spike in blood glucose levels and is very quickly absorbed into your system, putting the brakes on metabolism. Ditto for alcohol, plus it is dehydrating, so that's a double whammy.

Sleep enough. Yes, you would be surprised, but not sleeping enough and notching up a sleep debt can actually drop your metabolism. Sleep debt can lead to burning of fewer calories, and make your appetite go out of whack and even lead to an increase in the hormone cortisol levels, which pushes the body to store more fat. So hit the pillow at the right time if you want to keep your metabolism on your side.

Fidget. Even small bursts of activity are enough to get your metabolism revved up. The point is to keep moving as much as possible each day. Moving burns more calories than sitting. Simple! So if most of your day is spent in the chair, your metabolism will be slower.

Challenge yourself to fidget and move around more. Little things add up. Some tips: For five minutes every hour, get up and do something, even if it's just a walk around your office, or go say "hi" to your colleague on a different floor, or simply get up and stretch a bit.