How do I increase my metabolism?!

How do I increase my metabolism?

I have been gaining a lot of weight during the past 6 months. I also have been drinking a lot recently because of depression. I know I need to stop drinking and that is hard to do. I have been drinking about 1 or 2 beers every other day. I used to never drink and would drink at most once every 4-5 months. Does alcohol affect your metabolism? I don't know what I should do.

Honestly, 1-2 beers every other night is not your biggest problem. You need to look at your overall diet and exercise.

As a general way to "increase" metabolism, you should be eating about 5 small meals a day (not 3 huge ones) composed of vegetables, fruits, lean meats, low fat dairy, and whole grains. ALWAYS eat breakfast! Also, try drinking some green tea which is supposed to speed up your metabolism a little.

However, the best way to increase your metabolism is to lift weights and perform high intensity cardio. When you lift weights, you rev up your metabolism because your body burns calories long afterwards to recover. The same goes for sprints, and intense biking, rowing, etc. While some simple, slow cardio (ex: jogging) is good for your heart and lungs and it will burn some calories, your body won't burn much more after you are done. Overall, there is no magic pill or drink, you have to put in the work to see results. Hope that helps a little.

P.S.
I forgot to mention that excercise impacts mood in a positive manner and can help alleviate some depression. Also, setting goals and achieving them through exercise is a great way to boost your self esteem, not to mention you'll look and feel better from doing it.