You’d like to do something— anything —to speed up your metabolism, but it’s out of your control. Right? Not quite. Although genetics and your age both play a role, recent studies suggest you have plenty of say over how well your metabolism—which involves your body’s ability to break down food into usable energy—functions. In fact, you can all but negate the metabolic slowdown that happens after 40 by tweaking your diet, exercise, and sleep habits. “Think of your body as an engine—your metabolism is the rate at which your engine runs,” explains Scott Isaacs, MD, an endocrinologist in Atlanta and author of Hormonal Balance: How to Lose Weight By Understanding Your Hormones and Metabolism . “By making adjustments to these three elements, you can actually make your engine rev higher.” The eating and exercise plans on these pages were designed to keep your metabolism humming to the tune of up to 10 pounds off in 21 days. Read on for the keys to not only losing, but losing for good. Key 1: Eat early Your basal metabolic rate—the number of calories your body burns at rest—is based on things like age, height, and body type, so there isn’t much you can do to alter it. But there is a lot you can do to change the number of calories you burn above that, beginning with your diet. Specifically: Eat breakfast. We already know the reasons you may not want to (you don’t have the time/energy/stomach for it), but leaving for work on an empty stomach is like hitting the pause button on your metabolism. Here’s why: When your brain senses your stomach is empty, it sends a message to your cells to conserve energy in case another meal doesn’t arrive. In other words, your body holds onto the fat stored in your cells instead of helping you burn it off. “Breakfast triggers a process called thermogenesis, where the body signals the brain to activate the metabolic process of turning food into energy,” says Mark Hyman, MD, author of The Blood Sugar Solution . Key 2: Eat often To keep your metabolism humming, Dr. Hyman suggests eating small meals every three or four hours. Aim to make each of those meals at least one-quarter protein—whether it’s animal protein, beans, or dairy, says Marissa Lippert, RD, who designed the eating plan on page 39. A recent study in the journal Neuron suggests that consuming protein stimulates the cells responsible for switching on the body’s calorie-burning mechanism. Foods high in sugar and processed carbs, on the other hand, can lead to another problem: insulin resistance. “As we get older, it’s crucial to pay attention to how much sugar we’re consuming,” says Diane Kress, RD, author of The Metabolism Miracle . “Too much messes with your metabolism by causing your body to store extra calories as fat.” Next Page:  Key 3: Sweat off the weight Key 3: Sweat off the weight Even more important? Exercise. “Not only does it affect your metabolism while you’re doing it, but research shows you can keep burning calories up to 24 hours after you finish because your metabolism stays elevated,” Dr. Isaacs says. That’s especially true if you challenge yourself: A new study in the journal Cell Metabolism suggests that intense bouts of exercise can “turn on” genes responsible for energy metabolism. Researchers found that the activation of these fat- burning genes was higher in cyclists who pedaled at 80 percent of their aerobic capacity versus those who did a more moderate cycling session at 40 percent. So although you can’t permanently change your DNA (if only!), experts say exercise can fire up certain genes that initiate the fat-burning process. Exercise is particularly helpful once you pass the age of 40, when your metabolism naturally begins to slow down. Experts used to believe it slowed due to an inevitable loss of muscle mass. However, a study in the journal The Physician and Sports Medicine found that fit women ages 41 to 81 who continued to exercise four to five times a week as they got older had little change in body composition. The real reason you lose muscle with age? You stop using it. “We now know that women who keep up a regular vigorous fitness routine don’t experience the metabolic decrease,” Dr. Isaacs says. Key 4: Sleep away the pounds No, it’s not your imagination. Too little sleep can cause you to gain—and not just because you’re spending those extra waking hours in front of the TV nursing a bag of chips. Research suggests that people who sleep two-thirds of their usual amount (five hours instead of eight, say) eat an average of 549 extra calories the following day without realizing it. Experts believe this is because too few zzz’s upset the balance of important appetite-regulating hormones. But that’s not all: A Swedish study found that even one night of disrupted sleep can cause the body to burn up to 20 percent fewer calories the following day. “Sleep deprivation impacts multiple hormones related to metabolism,” Dr. Isaacs says. “Resistance to leptin—a hormone that regulates body weight—increases, while levels of ghrelin, a hormone that signals to your brain that you’re hungry, also increase.” Aim for seven to eight hours of pillow time a night, advises Dr. Hyman. “Just a small change in your sleep schedule can make a big difference in your health.” Not to mention your ability to burn calories.

Whether it’s to improve energy, clear acne, Spring clean the digestive system, or shed a few pounds, juice cleansing is all the rage now. Even celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Richie are buzzing about the benefits of liquid detoxing. Before you splurge on a juicer or lay down the dough for a liquid detox program, learn how a juice cleanse may lead to weight gain. Hard-to-measure liquid calories: Since all the calories you’re consuming are liquid, if you’re not watching your intake, it’s easy to consume well over the daily limit. (A pressed juice averages between 100-350 calories per 16-ounce bottle.) Make sure you have a plan to follow and an accurate way to determine how many calories are in each glass or bottle you’re drinking. Most retail juicing programs provide calorie counts, but are also pricey to join. Messes with metabolism: A typical juice cleanse lasts anywhere from three to seven days (or sometimes longer), where you drink 32 to 64 ounces of freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juice each day. When your body doesn’t get the all the nutrients (or the amount of calories) it’s used to, it stresses out because it thinks it’s starving. Often the body reacts to this by slowing down its metabolism, which can make losing weight harder in the future. And while juicing is an easy way to deliver phytonutrients to the body, the fruit-based juices tend to be high in sugar, which can negatively affect insulin levels in the body. Continue reading for more ways a juice cleanse can cause weight gain.

It sounds like something out of a horror film – a micro-organism that enters through an open wound and begins to consume your body from the inside out. Unfortunately flesh-eating bacteria, or necrotizing fasciitis, isn't fiction. Aimee Copeland, a 24-year-old graduate student from Georgia, is fighting for her life in an Augusta hospital after contracting one type known as aeromonas hydrophila during a zip line adventure. Aeromonas hydrophila is found in most, if not all, freshwater or brackish water environments (water that contains salt but is not saltwater), according to the Food and Drug Administration's " Bad Bug Book ." It is sometimes swallowed by swimmers, causing stomach or intestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhea. It can also be found in fish and shellfish. The severity of the gastrointestinal infection depends on your immune system's ability to fight it off, according to the Mayo Clinic . Aeromonas hydrophila can also enter the body through an open wound, as happened in the Copeland case. When that occurs the flesh-eating bacteria quickly reproduces, giving off toxins that destroy skin and soft tissue. Such bacteria is adept at hiding from the body's immune system, according to the National Necrotizing Fasciitis Foundation . If necrotizing fasciitis is detected early, only skin or fat may need to be removed. But if the infection is detected later, amputation may be necessary to stop the spread of the bacteria. Dr. William Schaffner, president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases , says when Aeromonas hydrophila enters through an open wound, early diagnosis is difficult. The bacteria does its damage deep in the tissue and doesn't manifest itself on the skin's surface. Patients should pay attention to any pain coming from a closed wound, as well as redness or drainage, he told CNN. The frequency of Aeromonas hydrophilia infections is unknown, the FDA notes, because researchers only recently began trying to collect numbers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year there are about 10,000 U.S. cases of group A streptococcus, a collection of bacteria that includes necrotizing fasciitis. Approximately 20% of the cases of necrotizing fasciitis are fatal, according to the CDC. Filed under: Conditions , Infectious diseases Tagged: Jacque Wilson and John Bonifield — CNN

You will work your entire body with just four moves in this CrossFit-style workout. CrossFit trainer Shirley Brown leads you through two rounds of this body-weight circuit workout that will get your heart pumping and tone your abs, legs, and arms. Embrace the CrossFit philosophy and compete with yourself. Try to do more reps of each move when you do the second round. Press play and get ready to sweat!

Exercising and sweating go hand-in-hand, and since no one wants to be known for their stinky BO, for many gym-goers, gliding on antiperspirant is just like slipping on a sports bra – it’s something you just don’t forget. Sweating is a natural process though, and when you’re working out, it’s your body’s way of keeping you cool and preventing heat exhaustion. Some say sweating also releases harmful toxins from your body. So is it bad to wear sweat-stopping antiperspirant to prevent your body from doing what it naturally wants to do? When you’re hot, your body emits moisture from its sweat glands to cool you down. If you wear an antiperspirant, the aluminum used in them penetrates your sweat glands and squeezes them shut, which stops the flow of sweat to the skin’s surface in that area. Remember that sweat’s only purpose is to cool you off, and since your armpits aren’t the only place you have sweat glands, your body can still find a way to lower your body temperature if you get too hot while exercising. So as long as you can wear antiperspirant while working out without overheating, you can feel good about slathering it on to prevent odor. And don’t worry about preventing the release of toxins, since only trace amounts of toxins are released from your sweat glands . Keep reading to find out if the aluminum found in antiperspirants leads to breast cancer.

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar! Can’t get through your morning without your daily java fix? You’re not alone. According to a survey conducted by the National Coffee Association, Americans spend an average of $164.71 on coffee per year. That’s almost enough for a monthly car payment or a couple of weeks worth of groceries! Want to wean yourself off of overdoing the caffeine without sacrificing your sanity? Then look no further than your local yoga studio . Warming up your body in the morning helps the natural release of endorphins, says Desiree Bartlett, a Los Angeles-based yoga instructor. Not only does yoga do the body good, the energy you cultivate in a yoga class stays with you all day long. “There is a natural gauging of energy and we release old thoughts or judgments we no longer need,” says Bartlett. “Through this practice of steadying the mind and observing the breath, the mind stays present, sharper and clearer because it is no longer reviewing the past or making to-do lists for the future.” Incorporate these four moves into your regular routine five days a week to start each day “with strength, clarity and a sense of empowerment.” Desiree may have shot these on the beach (we’re jealous!) but you can do them on your bedroom floor! Get the moves after the break.

You may think you’re right on track with your fitness regimen, but if you’re not seeing the results you expect, these surprising bad habits may be to blame. Sure, there’s something to be said for a steady schedule, but do you remember to switch it up every once in a while? From unreasonable goals to dull solo workout sessions, here are four bad patterns to avoid if you’re hoping to improve your fitness routine. You make unrealistic gym plans: If you don’t have the time or physical energy to run for an hour, then don’t try to force it. Remember that every little bit counts and making yourself do too much can be the quickest way to get injured – or make you give up altogether. You only exercise solo: Including friends in your fitness routine can be a great way to stay motivated. Not only will they keep you accountable, but they can also share tips and tricks of their own. Hesitant to reach out? Learn the benefits of a workout buddy and ask pals to join your plan. You stick to what you know: Stepping outside your comfort zone and surprising your body with new, challenging exercises helps you to break through plateaus and stay in shape. It’s important to mix up your fitness routine : fresh workouts keep you from getting bored, and you’ll have the chance to work different muscle groups for a well-rounded routine. You ignore hunger signals: If you don’t properly fuel your body, you won’t be able to push it during tough gym sessions. Learn what to eat (and when) before working out so you have plenty of energy to maximize your fitness potential. Do you have any tips for a successful fitness program? Share them in the comments below!

Many of you say that you go to the gym twice in a day , but does the order of your workout matter? New studies, according to The New York Times , may answer the age-old debate held by many hardcore fitness fanatics – whether or not doing cardio before or after your strength training routine is bad for your muscle development. Many athletes and serious exercisers try to avoid doing both in the same session because they think that cardio inhibits the muscles’ ability to grow and become stronger. Two studies looked to figure out if this long-held belief was true. In one, researchers had healthy young men pedal on a stationary bike for 45 minutes using one leg, followed by strenuous leg strength training exercises six hours later (they compared the differences in the men’s legs, since only one leg had done both cardio and resistance training). In another study, researchers had older men exercise on a stationary bike and then strength train in two different ways – once by riding the bike for 40 minutes and then doing eight difficult leg exercises the next day, and another by doing four of the leg exercises followed immediately by 20 minutes on the bike. The muscle biopsy results of both studies found that there was no difference in muscle makeup in participants, no matter when or how they combined their cardio and strength training. And although the researchers say they only looked at immediate results, they think that long-term observation would also show no differences. These new studies may put an end to the belief that the order of your workout routine matters, but many people swear by their own experiences of how their bodies react to their training regimens. Tell us, do you believe that doing cardio before strength training is good, bad, or makes no difference for you?

You know that sitting too much can lead to serious health conditions, but when things get hectic you may think you don’t have time to fit in a workout. If that’s the case, here are four ways to spend your next busy day burning calories. Wake up with a 10-minute workout: Nothing saves time more than a workout at home, so start your day with a total-body 10-minute workout – you’ll burn calories, raise your heartbeat, and tone all over before you even have to take a shower. You don’t even have to spend time making up your own circuit; follow along with celebrity trainers in our 10-minute Class FitSugar workouts here . While you’re waiting: Waiting in line is inevitable, so don’t let all that time go to waste. Do a few of these discreet toning moves to continue to whip your body into shape while you wait. Lunchtime workout: Your day may be packed, but sometimes that’s just the time to duck into your gym for a quick workout. A midday workout can re-energize and refocus your mind, making you more efficient at performing afternoon tasks (and possibly freeing up your time!). To find out how to get in and out of the gym without delay, read our time-saving tips for fitting in a midday workout . Relax and unwind: Keeping your muscles loose and flexible is key to an effective workout routine. Add a few of these sleep-inducing yoga poses before you go to bed in order to tone your muscles while relaxing your body and preparing yourself for bedtime. For ideas on how to plan your workouts so you don’t have to skip them, read more of our tips on how to exercise when you’re busy here .

Happy birthday, Jessica Alba ! The erstwhile action star and devoted mom of two turns 31 on Saturday, and to celebrate we are taking a look at how Jessica’s stayed fit while enjoying life throughout the years. Bootcamp style: It’s all about high intensity for Jessica. She enlists the help of Barry’s Bootcamp , a favorite with starlets in LA, to get fast results. Each workout contains high-intensity cardio intervals and strength training for an all-in-one session that saves time. Reluctant workout: Even though she works hard in the gym (which isn’t always a good thing: to get ready for a photo shoot soon after having her first child, she exercised so hard she said she cried! ), she’s no fitness fanatic. “I’m not a big workout person,” she told Self . “Every single day, I tell my girlfriends we’re starting a regimen. And then it’s, like, ‘Want to get dinner? Want a glass of wine?’” Jessica does, however, know how to keep workouts fun ; she alternates between the gym, her treadmill at home, swimming, and yoga to keep from becoming bored. Diet-free zone: Jessica doesn’t like to diet, so instead she eats clean all the time. “Diets are for the birds. I think you have to eat in a way that makes you feel your best. I include a lot of vegetables and lean protein and fruit and grains in my diet,” she told Self . The importance of sleep: Running a company, being a mom, and starring in films can jam-pack anyone’s schedule, so Jessica gets her workouts out of the way early in the morning. Sometimes, however, she knows it’s healthier to catch up on sleep than continue to tire out her body. “Slacked off this am on the work out but the sleep was the best I’ve had in three weeks. Tomorrow its ON . . . ” she once tweeted . Listening to your body is the best way to tell if you are skipping a workout because of a lame excuse or because you actually need to rest.