my perpetual frustration...

Hi Dorian,
I was not here for a long time; I hope you will see my message anyway.
You can boost your metabolism on 2 ways:
1. eat more - you can eat a lot of green vegetables, lean meat/fish and olive oil and not to be afraid that you wil regain weight.
2. more muscle mass - don't have to go to gym if you don't like it, compound excercises with free weights will do it!
Maybe you work too hard? Reached plateau? Maybe you could change your routine... have you measured body fat percentage somewhere? ...hmm, other ideas... my boyfrend lost 40 pounds following the Zone diet (it is not high-protein diet), there are couple of sites, drsears.com and zoneperfect.com)... maybe you don't eat enough proteins?

.. not sure for the wisdom, but hope you will find a way

Sanjana

Thanks Sanjana,
I think you're right: I don't eat enough protein. I got on a sort of vegetarian kick a couple of weeks a month or so ago, which is probably contributing to my slow progress.

Starving oneself is a sure way to keeping and increasing one's fat storage, as the body has to slow the metabolism down and store fat, as it doesn't know when the next meal is coming.
You can trick your body into not storing fat by increasing the number of meals during the day, and by eating more in the morning. Six meals or more a day, smaller as the day progresses.
Take most of your calories before noon, so your body has time to use them up.
Each meal should have carbs, protein and fat. Eat your veggies and fruits. Slowly replace processed and junk foods with clean food. Do it slowly though otherwise you will miss the junk foods and keep on craving them.

Increase your muscle mass, but increase your core muscle mass first (squats, deadlifts, olympic lifts, pullups, dips, pushups, hindu pushups and other exercises that will use more than one muscle group). If you are training for triathlons, add two lifting sessions a week, around 45min each. Don't waste your time at the gym working on small muscles, stick to the big compound moves.
It takes time though, so don't rush into it and don't expect miracles.
Most people rush into it, try it for a month or two and then either get injured by overtraining or frustrated. Stick with it for at least six months.
Good luck.

Dorian,
I agree with Haris and I want too, to start core excercises (Thomas Kurtz is an expert, check www.stadion.com). It is good point. Functional excercises are much better then BB machines (although I looove machines - but for complete couch potato as I am anything will do). It is not about "spending calories", it is obsolete concept, it is about getting muscle mass wich boosts basal metabolism.
I am vegeterian for a long time but started to eat eggs again becouse of that. Tofu and protein powder are too expensive here for everyday use (in Croatia). Textured soya is good also. I fell much, much better when I eat enough protein. And if I don't I feel depressed and exosted.
Try to get used to eat enough proteins in each meal. (Enough = the size and thickness of your palm.)
Fruit is good but only 1 peace per meal (but not bananas and peers - too starchy, and grapes - too sweet) and only on empty stomach 15 min before meal (becouse they are digested in small intestine, otherwise they are trapped inside stomach and turn to alcohol waiting to get outside...).
I am not confident with my english so I prefere to write less... I think if I write less, less mistakes I will make... LOL silly me :-)

Every meal is important for different reasons. Last meal is important to be balanced (and not big) becouse only if it is balanced (eg. in absence of insulin), during sleep the growth hormone is released, and growth hormone is amazing thing; among other important things, important for muscle growth.
Oh, when I think about all that, you made me want to do it myself ;-)

Keep us informed, looking forward to hear from you
Sanjana

I followed the Body for Life eating plan and my metabolism gets going when I "stick" to it. Basically it's what has been suggested here, 6 small meals a day but watch your servings and eat a good carb with a good protein. I'm down over 30lbs on it and I only have a few more to go.

Mike