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Boost your metabolism! Here are 10 tips for losing weight by burning kilojoules more efficientlyYour metabolism, the speed at which your body uses kilojoules for functions such as breathing and digesting food, can work for or against you. The bad news is, if you’re someone who crash diets then piles the weight back on again, you may have seriously slowed down your metabolic rate, making weight loss even more difficult.The good news is that the process is reversible. Here are 10 expert tips on how to speed up your metabolism.

1. Count kilojoules
This may be the first time you’ve been urged to eat more. “Your body’s programmed to defend your usual weight,” says Dr Liz Applegate, professor of nutrition at the University of California. “So if you suddenly drop 4200 kilojoules from your diet, your resting metabolic rate will automatically slow down because your body now assumes that you’re starving.”This is the best argument against crash dieting: ultimately, you will end up fatter, as rapid weight loss can slow down your metabolism by as much as 45 per cent. Unless you’re shorter than 150cm, never eat less than 4800 kilojoules a day.

2. Breakfast
Yes, it definitely is the most important meal of the day. Never skip breakfast, because it kick-starts your metabolism in the morning. Without it, you won’t burn as many kilojoules.

3. Get the nibbles
If you’ve been racked with guilt about your inability to make it to your next meal without snacking, the good news is that by eating five or six smaller meals during the day, instead of the traditional three big meals, you’ll keep your metabolism working for you all day long.Beyoncé Knowles swears frequent small meals are the secret to her gorgeous figure.However, be sensible. Try snacking on fresh or dried fruit, nuts, oatcakes, vegetable sticks, bio-live yoghurts, wholemeal toast and cheese.

4. Exercise
Regular exercise – 45 minutes of cardio three to five times a week – really is the best way to speed up your metabolism.

5. Chill out
Apparently, our cave-dwelling ancestors were a lot slimmer than we are because they didn’t have central heating. Our fondness for keeping the heating cranked up in our homes, cars and offices makes our metabolism lazy. Make your own central heating by simply turning the temperature down a few degrees. This can make your metabolism speed up and burn more kilojoules.

6. Spice things up
Lovers of spicy food have a temporary edge on the rest of us in the quest for a speedy metabolism. According to research from Laval University in Canada, a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers can increase the body’s ability to burn kilojoules. This chemical speeds up the metabolic rate by temporarily stimulating the body into releasing more stress hormones such as adrenaline.

7. Period pluses.
Some cruel scientists have done research to prove that the week before your period is the best time to sweat it out in the gym. “Women burn 30 per cent more fat from ovulation up to two days before menstruating,” says Leanne Redman of the University of Adelaide. This is when the hormones oestrogen and progesterone are at their peak, promoting the body’s use of fat as energy.

8. Soy milk is packed with protein, which helps to speed up your metabolic rate. Studies have shown that people who drink soy milk rather than the ordinary stuff, lose weight more quickly, especially from the difficult belly and waist areas.

9. Eat your meat
Protein is a necessary part of your diet, and having a healthy portion of it daily can work in your favour in other ways, too. Because protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, you burn more kilojoules in the process and speed up your metabolism. As well as meat, other excellent sources of protein are fish, cheese and pulses.

10. Sleep
The most important part of the day, as far as insulin levels are concerned, is between 11pm and 8am, when you’re getting some well-earned sleep. A healthy level of insulin in your body means that you won’t have an unhealthy tendency to store unnecessary body fat. Which is the perfect excuse to stop reading this now and have a nap.