Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Metabolism - The rate of calorie burn!!!

Metabolism. We hear the word all the time, what does it mean. This is the rate at which your body burns calories. The higher your metabolism, the more calories you burn...the lower your metabolism, the less calories you burn. We all want to be at a healthy weight, right? You doing your part in getting your metabolism up and running at a speed that is healthy is key to you achieving this.

There are potions and pills that can temporarily boost your metabolism, no doubt. The downfall, when you stop popping the pills, your metabolism crashes & you gain weight - totally counterproductive, right?  After doing some research, here are some things that are natural that you CAN do to help your metabolism stay revved up:

1. Eat often. This means DO NOT SKIP MEALS. Somewhere we got caught up in thinking the less we eat, the less we'll weigh. I have experienced weight loss the first week or 2 of cutting calories drastically, however, my body is smart, so it goes into 'calorie-conservation mode' and stops burning as many calories as it was that first week, then I hit a plateau, then I'm stuck. I have to take drastic measures of exercise, while adding calories again...I have to be fine w/not dropping weight for the time it takes me to get my body back on track. It's a short-term fix, but the long-term effects are not worth it. Eat breakfast, lunch & dinner, w/ a couple snacks. Remember, nutrient-dense foods, lean & packed w/ nutrients are the best way to go!

2. Work out. Two types of training that will really boost your metabolim are: Strength training, which builds muscle and as fitness expert, Chalene Johnson says in her Turbo Sculpt workout dvd, "The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism is, the more calories you burn when you're just chillin' out". Another style of training, (which is what Dave does at the gym each day) is interval training. This is where you run your fastest for 1 minute, jog for a minute, run your fastest 1 min., then jog...do this for your "20 min. cardio time" and you will see a significant change in the number on the scale. And then when you've got the stamina, step it up to 30 min. You can also use this idea on a bike, a stair climber, any machine. However, you don't even need a machine. Find a hill & run up as fast as you can, then climb down, run up, then down.

3. Other things. Other things that can help: sufficient water intake. Drink that water!!!!! Green tea has components in it that boosts your metabolism. It's also deliscious & a great substitute for coffees & black teas that are super high in caffeine (which can dehydrate you & leave you tired/lethargic). And make sure you're taking your vitamins. B vitamins pack a great boost for your metabolism as well as energy.

To sum up: Take care of your body, eat the healthy foods for proper nutrition & fuel and exercise. It really is that easy. If you want help with figuring out if you're eating the right foods, working out hard enough - email me at jennifermorin@beachbodycoach.com. I will help you. Sometimes, all it takes is a 3rd party's perspective to shed light on things that you can change!

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