Losing weight has become an obsession, not only in the United States, but in many countries around the world Most people don't succeed because they fail to make an effort to understand how their bodies work. The problem with the conservative approach is that people lose interest, hope and determination when they see only a small amount of weight loss each week.

Ideally, we are told, we should lose 2 pounds a week, each and every week. If we were completely consistent about that, over the course of a year, 52 weeks, we could/should lose 104 pounds. But it is not likely that we will be able to be that consistent. So we yo-yo. We are down 4 pounds and then up 2 and down 1 and up 3 and the end result is that we don't come anywhere near our goal, especially if our goal is a large number.

Diet alone can cause you to lose weight. There is no scarcity of diet regimes we can try. We have low fat, high fat, low carb, high carb, balanced calories, fasting and the list goes on and on. Some of these diets work, some don't. Some will help you to lose weight quickly but the tendency is to put it back on even faster.

Conventional wisdom tells up that the most effective way to lose weight is to combine a diet, some sort of healthy eating program, with an exercise program. That sounds logical. But just as with diets, the information about exercise comes in all shapes and sizes.

Some experts advocate vigorous aerobic exercise several days a week. Other tell us that a simple walk a couple of times a week is just as beneficial. The most recent trend has been to add strength training to our exercise program. But let's face it. How many of us actually join a gym and then go on a regular and consistent basis. Not many. So what is it that can actually work to make us lose weight at a rate that keeps us encouraged with less likelihood of giving up.

The key may be learning to understand your metabolism. Metabolism is simply the total of all you bodily processes, from what's happening in your cells to your daily activities. Unfortunately we are born with a specific metabolism. Some people are blessed with a high burning metabolism. Remember when you were in high school and you went out for a snack. Your fiend ate a big piece of strawberry pie and chocolate milk. You had a diet cola. You gained 2 pounds and she never put on an once. No, life's not fair.

But now there may be some good news. Your metabolism doesn't have to remain stagnant or take a nosedive as you age. You can burn more calories, lose more weight, just by changing the way you think about eating and moving.

The first advice seems counter intuitive. Eat. That's right, if you want to boost your metabolism you have to fuel your body. It goes back to the days of the cavemen. They were never sure when their next meal would be coming so their bodies learned to conserve fuel to make up for those possibly long gaps between eating. Generally modern man doesn't have to worry about his next meal, but if you stave yourself or fail to get enough calories, you body thinks it is likely to miss a meal, so it slows down your metabolism to conserve as fuel what you did eat.

Eat smaller meals more often. To boost your metabolism it may be a better idea to eat smaller meals every 4 hours, then the traditional 3 larger meals. Trick you body into believing that it's getting more than enough food and it will happily begin to burn more of that fuel faster.

Move. I know, you don't want to hear that you really do need to exercise not just diet. But it's true and once you accept that, you'll be well on your way to controlling your weight and revving up your metabolism. Water is also very important in the fuel burning process. Staying well hydrated is essential to flushing the body of toxic byproducts that are released when fat is burned. You might consider drinking colder water. As your body processes the cold beverage it must use a bit more energy thus increasing you metabolism.

Remember that everyone is different. The program that works for your friend or neighbor may not be right for you. If you hate the program you select, you are not going to follow it for long. Do your research. Someone has developed a program that suits your body and your disposition. Find that one and you will find the plan you will stick to.

It's easy to say but try not to get discouraged. Don't assume that if you slip one day your program is doomed. It takes a couple of weeks to develop a new habit. You will be able to develop that habit if you find a diet and exercise combination that you are comfortable with and one that you can even enjoy.

Don;t give up. You're worth the time and effort.