Metabolism and Weight Loss
Metabolism is such a buzz word these days. How many times have you heard that ultra thin man or woman, who doesn’t seem to have an ounce of fat on their body say “Oh, I’ve always had a high metabolism”? It is frustrating for some who actually may have a lower pre-set metabolism and more of a predisposal toward obesity and weight gain, to hear this.
You think, well why can’t I be blessed with a fast metabolism? Why do I have to watch every single thing that goes in my mouth, lest I blow up over night? Well, there are ways to rev up your metabolism, and it’s actually the very key to weight loss, the “holy grail” of staying thin, that everyone talks so much about.
The first and most obvious way to speed up your metabolic rate (which means this is the rate at which your body burns calories), is to get regular, fairly vigorous aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is fast walking, whether on a treadmill or outside, running, biking, swimming, rowing, elipitcal machines, recumbent bikes, and other forms of activity where you are getting your heart rate up, your body temperature increases, and you burn more calories and expend more energy for shorter bursts of time.
Regular aerobic activity sets the stage for a higher, more effective metabolic rate, or burning of calories, and gets you on the path to physical endurance and sleekness much faster than being a couch potato. This may be a hard pill for many to swallow, especially those that do not like to exercise, but I promise you once you get over that hump of getting used to it, you will never want to “not” work out again in your life.
Another way to keep your metabolism running at optimum speed is to avoid skipping meals. Eat many small, healthy meals or snacks per day. Do not allow yourself to get past the point of hunger or shakiness. You are only sabotaging your metabolism and setting yourself up for a more drastic weight gain in the future.
Staying hydrated by drinking your eight glasses of water a day can also help your metabolism by making the digestion process easier and more efficient, and allowing your body to focus its energy more on burning excess calories, instead of digesting difficult foods.
