I've read loads of things saying thats the best way to speed up weight lose,
But nowhere says how you can do this...
Anybody help?

I've heard things like 'eat little and often' and 'don't go more than six hours without a meal', and i guess they have both worked for me. Also, don't starve yourself or go hungry as this will cause your body to start storing weight (as I understand it).

Hope that helps a little.

Ooh, and green tea is supposedly good in some way...

erm ..... exercise is always good!!!

The ONLY way you can actually increase your metabolism in the long term is to increase your lean body mass! That means resistance training, and not with bottles of water and baked bean cans - we don't have the hormones to get big. Resistance training DOES elevate the metabolism both in the short and long term, and interval training has a similar effect (called EPOC!) where you actually burn more calories for up to 48h after a high intensity training session. Check out this guy's site (I bought his ebook, the Stubborn 7 Pounds and its great) http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2006/11/ca rdio.html.

Eating little and often is great and important, but you will not slow your metabolism significantly if you have to miss a meal - more important than that, eating regularly evens out your blood sugar (so long as you are not eating mars bars!) and means that you dont get sooo hungry you eat everything in site when you get the chance. Taking green tea may increase it slightly (a few cals) but your body soon gets used to the effect - this is also the case with pretty much every weight loss supplement - I've wasted so much money thanks to clever marketing of various pills and you are definitely better spending your money on some qualified advice (like a session with a good Personal Trainer - I say good as quality of advice varies!).

To lose weight it is actually simple, eat fewer calories than you burn. I didn't really understand how simple until I started actually checking the calories I was taking in! Use www.fitday.com to see how many cals you are really eating (it is an eye opener!)

Strenght training is a great one for turning fat to muscle, which then increases your metabolisim. Oh and don't skip breakfast either. You know what they say about that, it's the most important meal of the day. Oh and generally be healthy and include exercise in your daily routine as well as drinking lots of water.

Yes, I've always heard that building muscle is the best way to speed up metabolism. I have some resistance bands and now need to buy some weights - it's the thought of carrying them home that puts me off! LOL.

A side question...I have had half of my thyroid removed and I seem to have a hypothyroid problem. I'm not keen to increase my medication but does anyone know what alternatives there might be or how to lose inches/weight when you have this problem? I tend to lose weight very very slowly despite being practically religious about not cheating and staying healthy.

I'm also trying to lose a little weight through diet and exercise, without much success so far, so thought it may be something to do with my metabolism/thyroid.
I read about Sea Kelp tablets, a source of iodine which is vital for the correct functioning of the thyroid which controls metabolism. The recommended dose is 1 - 3 tablets a day but I'm only taking 1 (when I remember to) because too much iodine can be dangerous apparently.
Will post a comment in a few weeks to notify of progress, if any.

EXERCISE (sorry for shouting, but it really is that simple).

Its not really quite that simple, especially for women. There was a study where people were asked to eat the equivalent to what they had burned through exercise and they all overestimated, eating more! Its too easy to think we burn more than we do and eat less than we do, and some people will naturally eat more when they have exercised, through an increased appetite, feeling you need to eat more, or deserve to.

There are also studies that show men tend to lose weight simply be exercising and making no other changes, but this is not the case for women. Of course exercise is vital, but for any results at all you need to make sure it elicits a calorie deficit - and if you are already eating a few too many cals a day (which is highly likely if you are putting on weight!) this is going to be hard to burn off!

just like to point out that you cannot turn fat into muscle, they are different parts of the body.
however you can lose fat and build up muscle. remember as well that you may not lose weight but may lose inches as muscle takes up less room than fat 1lb for 1lb. similar to 1lb of feathers and 1lb of brick if you get my drift.

As well as the exercise, I have heard that both chilli peppers and mustard seeds can increase your metabolism. Have no idea if it will work but I am currently trying to eat lots of both, as well as exercising, so we will see!

There's no magic food, lotion, pill or potion. If there was, we'd all be on it!
You've got to reduce your calorie intake, and increase your exercise. Do some cardio for fat loss and some strength training to tone up your muscles.
Start gradually, build up slowly, and keep at it, doggedly - you won't lose 40 years of flab in 3 weeks!

I'm eating normally but doing lots of exercise. The weight is definitely coming off. I think the exercise might be reducing my appetite too though, as I no longer feel hungry mid morning, and I don't feel like eating a lot for tea after running. However I'm still having a three course meal for lunch everyday in my staff canteen, usually including a creme brulee or something. Although occassionally I'm virtuos and take fruit instead.

You can raise your metabolic rate by 7-10% by increasing your muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more energy the body needs to use to supply the muscles.

Your metabolism will naturally rise after eating (for 30-60mins) and during/after exercise such as a gym workout (for 1-2 hours, the longer and harder the workout, the longer the raised metabolic rate). Eating breakfast in the morning will kick-start your metabolism out of it's sort of hibernation it switched to during sleep.

As has been said, there are no magic pills, potions, creams etc. Your average metabolic is, it is now believed, set in your genes. BUT it can rise after eating and exercise. So unfortunately we all have to work to make sure our BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is working at it's optimum. Starving yourself on a stupidly low calorie diet or doing no exercise will force your body into reducing its metabolism to stay alive.

Daz

I have been diagnosed with an under active thyroid gland. This means that my metabolic rate is slow - I have an 'at rest' pulse rate of 44. I have been prescribed thyroxine, an hormonal supplement. The doctor told me that this is why I have found it difficult to lose weight and it will take about three weeks for me to pick up speed and then weight loss should follow. The problem was discovered from a blood test at a 'well man' clinic. I will have to take the medication for ever - I intend to live a very long time !!