Many struggling dieters know only too well that a damaged metabolism inevitably leads to greater difficulty in losing weight and makes long term weight management nigh on impossible. Looking for advice on how to speed up metabolism is all very well but how can you tell if your metabolism really is damaged or whether you are just deceiving yourself that you are following your diet religiously?

By answering the following questions, you should be able to get a fairly accurate idea of how likely you are to be suffering from Metabolic Syndrome, which is also known as being Insulin Resistant.

Answer the ten questions following and score 1 point for every ‘yes' answer you give:

1. Do you find it very hard to shift any weight when following a low-fat diet?

2. Do you crave sugar or sweet foods and do you experience a sugar-rush followed by a downswing in mood?3. Do you feel tired, headachy or anxious throughout the day? Do these feelings disappear after a meal?
4. Do you find it hard to stop eating once you start?
5. Do you crave bread and consume more than one or two slices at a time?
6. Are you weary all the time?
7. Are you thirsty most of the time?
8. Are you often moody, irritable or anxious?
9. Do you have a family history of alcoholism, diabetes or hypoglycaemia?
10. Is your waist to hip ratio larger than 0.8 (if you are female) or 0.9 (if you are a man)? To work this out, measure around your waist at belly button level (in inches), measure round the widest part of your hips and divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

If your score is 7 or more, then it is very likely that you are a victim of Metabolic Syndrome, your metabolism is very compromised and you are at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. You need to get help with this problem straight away and would benefit from a visit to your doctor.

If you scored 4-6 then your metabolism has suffered significant damage and this must be repaired if you are not to go on to more serious metabolic problems. Incorporating as many metabolism boosting tips into your diet and lifestyle as you can will definitely be to your future advantage.

If you scored 0-3 then your metabolism is just a little ragged around the edges and can swiftly be brought into tip top condition by making small adjustments to your diet and lifestyle.

Don't gamble your health by turning a blind eye to the warning signs - you have taken the first step by looking for advice on how to speed up metabolism, now follow it through and take the action that will repair your metabolism, lower your test score and show you how to lose weight faster than you could have imagined possible.

Don't wait - do it now before your risk of suffering Metabolic Syndrome increases!