If you have a low rate, it may not be the result of a sluggish metabolism but because you have a low level of muscle mass. The higher the ratio of muscle tissue to fat, the faster the metabolic rate. Someone with more muscle and a high metabolic rate uses more energy per minute and is less likely to store food energy as fat than a person with a lower metabolic rate. It is possible to boost your metabolism. And exercise helps speed the digestive process so fewer calories are absorbed.
Resistance exercises help replace flab with muscle.
Do not be fooled by the scale either. Even though muscle weighs more than fat, it is raising your metabolism, helping to tone and define your body and improving your strength. The lower your daily caloric intake, the more slowly your metabolism occurs because your body perceives it as a starvation threat. Research has shown that people who skip breakfast have lower metabolic rates than those who eat breakfast regularly. Moderate eating throughout the day revs your system.