Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to focus on getting into your best shape yet. Increasing your metabolism will help to burn excess body fat as you work hard in the weight room to build muscle. Here are some tips to help get your metabolism going strong:

Increase Training Intensity – Changing the look of your body requires more than fat loss. Developing muscle mass will play an important role in attaining this goal. To help the process along, try increasing your training intensity. This can be accomplished by adding more weight to the barbell or dumbbells, spending less time resting between sets or doing more reps.

Eat the Right Amount of Macronutrients — Your kitchen based efforts to lose fat and gain muscle will have to go well beyond cutting calories. It’s vital to eat the right amount of protein, carbs and fats. Getting enough protein (at least one gram for each pound of body weight) helps active adults recover from weight training. Balancing carbs and fats is also important for fueling exercise performance. Sticking to a low fat diet will allow for a moderate amount of complex carbohydrates.

Using Cardio Correctly – Adding moderate amounts of cardiovascular effort to your training program will help to reduce body fat, but it’s important not to overdo the cardio. Too much time on the treadmill or stationary bike can work against your efforts to build muscle. A good starting point is 3-4 days a week, beginning with 20-30 minute sessions.