Springtime often provides a source of inspiration for healthy diet changes. For many Americans, this means addressing those extra pounds we may want to lose. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. According to the National Centers for Disease Control, sixty-one percent of Americans are currently overweight.

However, since extra pounds can lead to numerous health problems—including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke and gout—moving towards a healthy body weight is a very smart move. The good news is that this may be easier than you think.

One of the most important—but often overlooked—factors in healthy, permanent weight loss is an efficient metabolism. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is simply the rate at which your body burns calories to maintain its functions at rest, according to Elson Haas, M.D. in his book Staying Healthy with Nutrition (Celestial Arts, 1992).

Lean muscle tissue has a much higher metabolic rate than inactive tissue like fat. This means that the more lean muscle mass you have, the more efficient your metabolism is — which promotes a healthy body weight. A sluggish metabolism, however, tends to sap our energy and invite extra pounds.

Since a well-tuned metabolism is so important for weight loss and fitness, how can you make sure yours is running at peak efficiency?

You guessed it. Exercise and strategic eating are the keys to a healthy metabolism and safe weight loss. The added benefits are increased energy, a stronger immune system and improved overall wellness.

Why is exercise so essential? With a sedentary lifestyle, your body gradually exchanges lean muscle for fat. Over time, your metabolism may be less efficient than it once was due to a higher ratio of fat to lean muscle. As a result, you may note that although the scale indicates your usual weight, your clothing size continues to increase.

On the other hand, by embarking on a committed fitness program, you will likely find that as you convert fat to lean muscle, you reduce your pant size while maintaining the same weight. Benefits begin with a minimum of 20-30 minutes of exercise daily, 3 times per week.

There's more good news. Along with exercise, a great way to boost your metabolism is simply to eat more often. The trick is to eat when truly hungry, but to stop before you're stuffed. This maintains healthy blood sugar levels, addresses cravings and encourages fat burning rather than storage.

Your best guide to healthy choices is the glycemic index, a ranking of foods based on their immediate effect on blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates, like sweet baked goods, refined white breads and pastas, and white potatoes have the highest glycemic indexes. They break down quickly during digestion, promoting a rapid blood sugar response.

Whole, unprocessed carbohydrates, on the other hand, like whole grains, oatmeal, soy products, beans and nuts come in low on the glycemic index. They break down more slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream.

By choosing low glycemic index foods, you avoid the blood sugar swings that send insulin soaring, and which rapidly turns calories into fat.

Unprocessed carbohydrates release energy more gradually than refined foods. These healthier options are also higher in nutrients and fiber. Most Americans only eat about 10-15 grams of fiber daily, while we should ideally consume 25 grams or more.

You can learn more about the glycemic index at
www.glycemicindex.com.

Another key to an efficient metabolism is consuming smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Five or six mini-meals, each consisting of about 250 calories, is a good formula.

This kind of eating also helps to prevent the excess insulin produced with fewer, heavier meals, which encourages your body to store calories as fat.

Along with more nutritious food choices, taking a daily full-spectrum, multi-vitamin/ mineral formula will help supply the many nutrients your body needs for healthy metabolism, digestion, energy production and other body processes.

An energetic and fit body can be yours throughout your life if you're willing to make healthier choices one step at a time.

Experiment with these changes gradually to see what works best for you. Greater vitality and a more efficient metabolism are right within your reach.