We’ve come a long way! We now actually know more about the metabolism, and how to increase metabolic speed than most people; and we’re therefore in a position to put that information to good use.
We’ve learned that the metabolism is a process and not an actual body part.
It harmonizes two essential bodily functions: converting food into cells/tissues, and breaking cells down to provide energy. We learned that the former process is known as anabolism, and the latter is catabolism. Indeed, it’s this latter process that influences our ability to lose weight, and to keep it from coming back!
Yet going beyond the biological basics, we also learned of 3 integrated aspects of speeding up metabolism and losing weight.
These aspects were categorized in terms of: exercise, lifestyle, and diet. And within each of these 3 categories we’ve learned important, practical, and quite easy ways to boost metabolism.
Now, it’s the time for action; for as they say, wisdom is the result of experience, not study! Obviously, it was essential for us to understand this subject and how it relates to boosting metabolism in that light, there is no question study is invaluable. But now you’re also equipped with the actual practical knowledge that you need to actually have the body you always wanted.
The next step – boosting your metabolism – is all up to you. Good luck, have fun, and enjoy your better, leaner healthier life!
If you’ve been following all of this series, I do hope you’ve enjoyed it and found some new useful information.
I’ll be back with an all new and exciting series very soon but till then, take care and you’ll always be welcome to leave a comment or email me on sandra@easywaystoloseweightforwomen.com.
Best wishes for your success.
Sandra
Saturday, 20 November 2010
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 24 - Common Metabolism-Boosting Myths
Myth No. 4: Too Much Focus
Don’t be fooled into thinking that because this is a short blog, it plays an insignificant part of your weight loss plan – it’s a trap may fall into and makes the difference between success and failure, quite literally.
Speeding up your metabolism and achieving your weight loss goals involves a certain degree of focus; after all, there’s a lot of things competing for your attention (including that delicious Chef’s Special pecan pie!), and you certainly need to be able to keep your eye on the goal in order to maintain your program.
Yet sometimes too much focus can be a bad thing; and some dieters understand this all too well. Remember: speeding up your metabolism is a holistic effort that includes exercise, lifestyle, and diet changes.
Focusing on only one of these at the expense of the others (either one or both) can be detrimental. In fact, in some cases, it can be counter-productive. So the myth here is that you shouldn’t go all out and focus on becoming an exercise guru, and then move onto lifestyle, and then to diet.
You have to integrate all 3 aspects into your life at the same time. True, based on your unique situation, you will likely emphasize one more than the others. That’s fine and normal. But it’s a myth – and a mistake – to ignore any one of these.
It takes all three aspects to speed up your metabolism and propel you towards your weight loss goals for the long-term.
Coming up next time, we conclude our Boosting Your Metabolism series, and help you take that all important first step – your first step into your new life and your new body!
See you then
Best Wishes
Sandra
Don’t be fooled into thinking that because this is a short blog, it plays an insignificant part of your weight loss plan – it’s a trap may fall into and makes the difference between success and failure, quite literally.
Speeding up your metabolism and achieving your weight loss goals involves a certain degree of focus; after all, there’s a lot of things competing for your attention (including that delicious Chef’s Special pecan pie!), and you certainly need to be able to keep your eye on the goal in order to maintain your program.
Yet sometimes too much focus can be a bad thing; and some dieters understand this all too well. Remember: speeding up your metabolism is a holistic effort that includes exercise, lifestyle, and diet changes.
Focusing on only one of these at the expense of the others (either one or both) can be detrimental. In fact, in some cases, it can be counter-productive. So the myth here is that you shouldn’t go all out and focus on becoming an exercise guru, and then move onto lifestyle, and then to diet.
You have to integrate all 3 aspects into your life at the same time. True, based on your unique situation, you will likely emphasize one more than the others. That’s fine and normal. But it’s a myth – and a mistake – to ignore any one of these.
It takes all three aspects to speed up your metabolism and propel you towards your weight loss goals for the long-term.
Coming up next time, we conclude our Boosting Your Metabolism series, and help you take that all important first step – your first step into your new life and your new body!
See you then
Best Wishes
Sandra
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 23 - Common Metabolism-Boosting Myths
Myth No. 3: Low Intensity Workouts
It’s fair to say that any exercise is better than no exercise. So if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, then even walking around your block for 10 minutes a day is going to do something positive for your body and its metabolism.
True, that difference may be imperceptible to the naked eye (or it may not?), but the bottom line is that exercise is good. This being said, some people believe that they should perform low-intensity workouts even when they could be performing more high-intensity workouts. For example, instead of jogging for 20 minutes with their heart at the top end of their aerobic zone, they opt for low-intensity jogs that barely break a sweat.
Low intensity workouts simply don’t lead to a faster metabolism; they can’t. Remember, as we discussed very early in this blog, metabolism is a process. And that process is really one of two types: taking energy and making cells (anabolism), or breaking cells down to make energy (catabolism).
If you don’t achieve a high-intensity workout, then your body can’t achieve catabolism; it won’t need to. So the only way your body is going to go and break down existing cells is if it needs to.
So keep this in mind as you exercise, either at home or at a gym. Low intensity workouts are better than nothing at all; and they may be necessary if you’re recovering from injury, or just starting out on the exercise journey.
But once you reach a level of basic fitness, only high intensity (aerobic) workouts will make a difference in terms of your metabolism. High intensity workouts force your body to find energy to help you maintain that level of exercise; and it does so through catabolism.
Next time we’ll cover Myth No. 4, and why too much focus can put up a barrier between yourself and the body you always wanted.
See you then
Best wishes
Sandra
It’s fair to say that any exercise is better than no exercise. So if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, then even walking around your block for 10 minutes a day is going to do something positive for your body and its metabolism.
True, that difference may be imperceptible to the naked eye (or it may not?), but the bottom line is that exercise is good. This being said, some people believe that they should perform low-intensity workouts even when they could be performing more high-intensity workouts. For example, instead of jogging for 20 minutes with their heart at the top end of their aerobic zone, they opt for low-intensity jogs that barely break a sweat.
Low intensity workouts simply don’t lead to a faster metabolism; they can’t. Remember, as we discussed very early in this blog, metabolism is a process. And that process is really one of two types: taking energy and making cells (anabolism), or breaking cells down to make energy (catabolism).
If you don’t achieve a high-intensity workout, then your body can’t achieve catabolism; it won’t need to. So the only way your body is going to go and break down existing cells is if it needs to.
So keep this in mind as you exercise, either at home or at a gym. Low intensity workouts are better than nothing at all; and they may be necessary if you’re recovering from injury, or just starting out on the exercise journey.
But once you reach a level of basic fitness, only high intensity (aerobic) workouts will make a difference in terms of your metabolism. High intensity workouts force your body to find energy to help you maintain that level of exercise; and it does so through catabolism.
Next time we’ll cover Myth No. 4, and why too much focus can put up a barrier between yourself and the body you always wanted.
See you then
Best wishes
Sandra
Sunday, 31 October 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 22 - Common Metabolism-Boosting Myths
Myth No. 2 – Dropping Calorie Intake
As we discussed earlier in this blog series (but it’s so important that it deserves an encore near the end), trying to lose weight by drastically cutting down on your calories doesn’t work; in fact, it’s unhealthy.
The thing to remember is that the body’s ability to lose weight is not controlled by calories. Calories are the input. The real control mechanism is that famous concept that you’ve become very familiar with now: metabolism.
Calories are merely units of energy. It’s how your body deals with that energy that determines whether weight is gained or lost.
So with that being said, cutting down your caloric intake to, say, 1000 calories a day isn’t necessarily going to help you lose weight; because it doesn’t necessarily change your metabolism.
Indeed, as you know, if you slow down your caloric intake, your body – which is always trying to help you in the best way that it knows how – will slow down its metabolism.
Really, it makes sense: the body says that something has gone wrong; instead of the 2000 calories that it needs, it’s only getting 1000. The body doesn’t know why this is happening; it doesn’t know that you want to lose weight.
It just senses that something is wrong; perhaps you’re trapped in a cave or something, or stuck in a snowstorm. So the body, trying to help you, will slow down its metabolism; it will do its best to slow down the conversion rate, so that you have as much energy on hand as possible.
Now, if your body was able to read this book and you could say: look, please just do what you normally do, but do it with 1000 fewer calories a day for a while, then we might actually get somewhere.
But the body doesn’t work that way. It won’t help you lose weight if you dramatically cut down on calories.
It will not only slow down metabolism, but also (and here’s the worst part), if and when you ever increase calories again, your body will have to deal with that via a slower metabolic engine. So you can actually gain weight if, after cutting down your calories for a period of time, you consume extra calories (say while on a vacation for instance).
See you next time with Myth No. 3.
Take care and best wishes
Sandra
As we discussed earlier in this blog series (but it’s so important that it deserves an encore near the end), trying to lose weight by drastically cutting down on your calories doesn’t work; in fact, it’s unhealthy.
The thing to remember is that the body’s ability to lose weight is not controlled by calories. Calories are the input. The real control mechanism is that famous concept that you’ve become very familiar with now: metabolism.
Calories are merely units of energy. It’s how your body deals with that energy that determines whether weight is gained or lost.
So with that being said, cutting down your caloric intake to, say, 1000 calories a day isn’t necessarily going to help you lose weight; because it doesn’t necessarily change your metabolism.
Indeed, as you know, if you slow down your caloric intake, your body – which is always trying to help you in the best way that it knows how – will slow down its metabolism.
Really, it makes sense: the body says that something has gone wrong; instead of the 2000 calories that it needs, it’s only getting 1000. The body doesn’t know why this is happening; it doesn’t know that you want to lose weight.
It just senses that something is wrong; perhaps you’re trapped in a cave or something, or stuck in a snowstorm. So the body, trying to help you, will slow down its metabolism; it will do its best to slow down the conversion rate, so that you have as much energy on hand as possible.
Now, if your body was able to read this book and you could say: look, please just do what you normally do, but do it with 1000 fewer calories a day for a while, then we might actually get somewhere.
But the body doesn’t work that way. It won’t help you lose weight if you dramatically cut down on calories.
It will not only slow down metabolism, but also (and here’s the worst part), if and when you ever increase calories again, your body will have to deal with that via a slower metabolic engine. So you can actually gain weight if, after cutting down your calories for a period of time, you consume extra calories (say while on a vacation for instance).
See you next time with Myth No. 3.
Take care and best wishes
Sandra
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 21 - Common Metabolism-Boosting Myths
Hi again, as we move towards the end of our ’Boosting Your Metabolism’ series, we thought it might be useful to talk about the 4 most prevalent myths concerning metabolism and metabolism-boosting.
Since this blog has been about reality and not myths, we didn’t cover any of them in the actual blog. Yet, considering how common these myths are, it is still useful for you to know them; and to know that they’re myths.
That way, if you come across them in a magazine, at a fitness club, or just from the well-intentioned but misguided advice of a friend, you can confidently say (or at least just think), sorry, but that’s a myth and I’m not going to fall for that one!
Myth No. 1: Diet Pills
The general consensus on diet pills are contained in two powerful words: BUYER BEWARE.
The problem here is that many makers of diet pills offer claims that simply aren’t realistic; and if you read the fine-print of most of these advertisements, you’ll see that they’re really too good to be true. Little notes like the claims made in this advertisement are not typical should be enough of a wake-up call to realize that there’s more to the story.
In some cases, diet pills can help boost metabolism temporarily. This, however, can be risky and generally shouldn’t be done without a doctor’s say-so. Unfortunately, people can become somewhat addicted to diet pills, which can lead to disaster.
Remember that some diet pills are water loss pills. That is, they are diuretics that promote water loss, usually through excess urination. The jury on water-loss diet pills is somewhat less open-minded than diet pills in general – three words this time …… THEY DON’T WORK!
Seriously: water loss diet pills are taken on the principle that you’ll lose weight through water. And, yes, that’s true: if you urinate 15 times a day, you’re physically going to weigh less.
But this is not actual weight loss! This is merely unhealthy temporary weight loss, and it will come roaring back the minute that water stores are replenished through diet.
Or, worse still, if a person taking these water pills fails to restore their body’s fluid needs, they can actually suffer dehydration; which can, and has, led to coma and death.
Now granted, that’s a pretty bleak picture, so it is wise to keep an open mind and a balanced view. That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of pills available on the market that can aid weight loss in healthier ways that water loss, it’s just that ‘BUYER BEWARE’ has been written in capital letters for good reason!
In the next blog we’ll look at Myth No. 2 – Drop Calorie Intake.
So until then,
Take care
Sandra
Since this blog has been about reality and not myths, we didn’t cover any of them in the actual blog. Yet, considering how common these myths are, it is still useful for you to know them; and to know that they’re myths.
That way, if you come across them in a magazine, at a fitness club, or just from the well-intentioned but misguided advice of a friend, you can confidently say (or at least just think), sorry, but that’s a myth and I’m not going to fall for that one!
Myth No. 1: Diet Pills
The general consensus on diet pills are contained in two powerful words: BUYER BEWARE.
The problem here is that many makers of diet pills offer claims that simply aren’t realistic; and if you read the fine-print of most of these advertisements, you’ll see that they’re really too good to be true. Little notes like the claims made in this advertisement are not typical should be enough of a wake-up call to realize that there’s more to the story.
In some cases, diet pills can help boost metabolism temporarily. This, however, can be risky and generally shouldn’t be done without a doctor’s say-so. Unfortunately, people can become somewhat addicted to diet pills, which can lead to disaster.
Remember that some diet pills are water loss pills. That is, they are diuretics that promote water loss, usually through excess urination. The jury on water-loss diet pills is somewhat less open-minded than diet pills in general – three words this time …… THEY DON’T WORK!
Seriously: water loss diet pills are taken on the principle that you’ll lose weight through water. And, yes, that’s true: if you urinate 15 times a day, you’re physically going to weigh less.
But this is not actual weight loss! This is merely unhealthy temporary weight loss, and it will come roaring back the minute that water stores are replenished through diet.
Or, worse still, if a person taking these water pills fails to restore their body’s fluid needs, they can actually suffer dehydration; which can, and has, led to coma and death.
Now granted, that’s a pretty bleak picture, so it is wise to keep an open mind and a balanced view. That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of pills available on the market that can aid weight loss in healthier ways that water loss, it’s just that ‘BUYER BEWARE’ has been written in capital letters for good reason!
In the next blog we’ll look at Myth No. 2 – Drop Calorie Intake.
So until then,
Take care
Sandra
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 20 - Build Muscle
Many people, particularly some women, are very cautious about undertaking any exercise regimen that can lead to muscle building.
The old perception was that muscle building leads to muscle bulking, and before long, gorging forearm veins and other unwanted results. This is, frankly, not the case.
Provided that women aren’t supporting their workouts with specific muscle-building supplements, there is no need to be concerned; because building lean muscle won’t make them bulk up.
Still, however, the question remains: why would women (and, of course, men) who want to boost their metabolism focus on muscle building? Isn’t cardiovascular exercising the only thing that matters?
Again, the answer is: No! In addition to a healthy and responsible cardiovascular program, muscle building is an exceptionally powerful way to boost metabolism.
How? Because, a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat.
And what does this mean? It means (and get ready to stare in awe) that if you have more muscle on your body – anywhere on your body – you will simply burn more calories as a result.
You don’t even have to do anything. You’ll simply burn more calories, because muscle requires more of an energy investment.
Of course, it’s common-sense that if you build muscle and then leave it alone, over time, the muscle fibres will weaken and you’ll lose that wonderful calorie-burning factory. But that’s no problem, because all you need to do is build and maintain healthy muscle.
It may sound daunting; especially if at the moment you believe you have much more fat than muscle. Yet the important thing for you to remember is that once you start building muscle – through any kind of strength training – your body will itself start burning more calories.
It has to, even while you sleep, or go to a movie, or read a book. It’s like putting your calorie-burning (catabolism) program on auto-pilot. So don’t let a little (or even a lot) of extra flab, at the moment, deter you from believing that muscle building is important.
Yes, you should enjoy cardiovascular exercise too, because that’s ultimately how your body is going to burn existing fat. But muscle building plays a profoundly supportive role in that pursuit.
And it’s an exponential one, too: the more fat you transform into muscle, the more calories you’ll burn simply to maintain that new muscle (and the wonderful cycle goes on and on!).
So you see, building muscle isn’t so scary and it can boost your metabolism too.
Next time, we’ll take a look at what the Common Metabolism-Boosting Myths are, starting with Myth No.1.
Bye for now
Sandra
The old perception was that muscle building leads to muscle bulking, and before long, gorging forearm veins and other unwanted results. This is, frankly, not the case.
Provided that women aren’t supporting their workouts with specific muscle-building supplements, there is no need to be concerned; because building lean muscle won’t make them bulk up.
Still, however, the question remains: why would women (and, of course, men) who want to boost their metabolism focus on muscle building? Isn’t cardiovascular exercising the only thing that matters?
Again, the answer is: No! In addition to a healthy and responsible cardiovascular program, muscle building is an exceptionally powerful way to boost metabolism.
How? Because, a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat.
And what does this mean? It means (and get ready to stare in awe) that if you have more muscle on your body – anywhere on your body – you will simply burn more calories as a result.
You don’t even have to do anything. You’ll simply burn more calories, because muscle requires more of an energy investment.
Of course, it’s common-sense that if you build muscle and then leave it alone, over time, the muscle fibres will weaken and you’ll lose that wonderful calorie-burning factory. But that’s no problem, because all you need to do is build and maintain healthy muscle.
It may sound daunting; especially if at the moment you believe you have much more fat than muscle. Yet the important thing for you to remember is that once you start building muscle – through any kind of strength training – your body will itself start burning more calories.
It has to, even while you sleep, or go to a movie, or read a book. It’s like putting your calorie-burning (catabolism) program on auto-pilot. So don’t let a little (or even a lot) of extra flab, at the moment, deter you from believing that muscle building is important.
Yes, you should enjoy cardiovascular exercise too, because that’s ultimately how your body is going to burn existing fat. But muscle building plays a profoundly supportive role in that pursuit.
And it’s an exponential one, too: the more fat you transform into muscle, the more calories you’ll burn simply to maintain that new muscle (and the wonderful cycle goes on and on!).
So you see, building muscle isn’t so scary and it can boost your metabolism too.
Next time, we’ll take a look at what the Common Metabolism-Boosting Myths are, starting with Myth No.1.
Bye for now
Sandra
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 19 - Food Lovers Fat Loss - Befriend Protein and Good Carbs
There is a dizzying array of things that you can eat these days. A trip to the grocery store can truly be an adventure. Everywhere you turn, there is yet another food promising you a healthy way to lose weight.
Added to this confusion is that there are some foods that are beneficial for metabolic boosting, and some that are not; and the differences are not always well-known. Fortunately, we are going to tackle this problem right now and describe the basic food groups/types that are good for a speedy metabolism; because boosting your metabolism is one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight there is.
In terms of protein, studies have shown that having enough protein in your system can actually increase the speed of your metabolism. This is because protein is difficult to break down. Or rather, it requires more energy to break down. It is a bit like feeding the body a knot, it needs time to unravel it.
And, as you may know, when your body spends time on something, it spends energy (calories). And so the more time it can spend breaking down protein, the more calories it uses.
People will require different amounts of protein on a daily basis, but those who exercise and build muscle will typically need more than the average amount. The United States Food and Drug Administration Food Guide suggest around 50 grams of protein a day for a reasonably active adult. As a rough guide this equates to around 0.8grams per 2.2 pounds body weight.
Keep in mind that there are different sources of protein, some lean, and some high in fat. Fast food burgers may deliver up to 20 grams of protein (sometimes more), but they also deliver a great deal of fat; which makes them almost nutritionally worthless.
The benefits you enjoy from the protein are far outweighed by the immense fat intake; which, for some fast food burgers, can exceed 40 grams! And that is not including the fries (we will not even go there!). So try to ensure that your source of protein comes from lean protein, which you will typically find in chicken, and fish such as salmon, cod, sole, flounder and canned tuna (in water). Additionally shell fish such as clams, lobster, scallops and shrimps provide good sources of lean protein.
If you are a vegetarian, or simply looking for non-meat lean protein alternatives, low-fat cheese, legumes (lentils), and yogurt are all good sources. Simply check the food labels to determine if the source of protein is lean or fatty (does not deliver high fat content).
In terms of carbohydrates, there probably is not a more battered around micronutrient than this. It has gone from being the greatest thing in weight loss history, to one of the most reviled. And really, it is not the fault of the innocent carbohydrate! It is really just a matter of information and knowledge, instead of speculation.
The thing to try to remember is that when carbohydrates are refined, such as white bread and potatoes, they are what the diabetic world refers to as high glycemic index (GI) foods, because they require spikes in insulin in order to be digested.
As you may know, when insulin is released into the system, it promotes the storage of fat and some experts believe that it also pushes down metabolic speed (which makes sense).
Therefore, the good kinds of carbohydrate to consume are those that are high in fibre, and those from fruit and vegetable sources.
Why?
Because these sources of carbohydrates do not score high on the glycemic index. In other words, they do not cause a spike in insulin levels, and therefore, they do not promote fat storage.
So, for an easy and healthy way to lose weight, just make sure you have plenty of lean protein with high fibre carbohydrates, and you will find food lovers fat loss really become a reality for you!
Till next time, where you'll discover why building muscle isn't so scary and can boost your metabolism exponentially.
Bye for now
Sandra
Added to this confusion is that there are some foods that are beneficial for metabolic boosting, and some that are not; and the differences are not always well-known. Fortunately, we are going to tackle this problem right now and describe the basic food groups/types that are good for a speedy metabolism; because boosting your metabolism is one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight there is.
In terms of protein, studies have shown that having enough protein in your system can actually increase the speed of your metabolism. This is because protein is difficult to break down. Or rather, it requires more energy to break down. It is a bit like feeding the body a knot, it needs time to unravel it.
And, as you may know, when your body spends time on something, it spends energy (calories). And so the more time it can spend breaking down protein, the more calories it uses.
People will require different amounts of protein on a daily basis, but those who exercise and build muscle will typically need more than the average amount. The United States Food and Drug Administration Food Guide suggest around 50 grams of protein a day for a reasonably active adult. As a rough guide this equates to around 0.8grams per 2.2 pounds body weight.
Keep in mind that there are different sources of protein, some lean, and some high in fat. Fast food burgers may deliver up to 20 grams of protein (sometimes more), but they also deliver a great deal of fat; which makes them almost nutritionally worthless.
The benefits you enjoy from the protein are far outweighed by the immense fat intake; which, for some fast food burgers, can exceed 40 grams! And that is not including the fries (we will not even go there!). So try to ensure that your source of protein comes from lean protein, which you will typically find in chicken, and fish such as salmon, cod, sole, flounder and canned tuna (in water). Additionally shell fish such as clams, lobster, scallops and shrimps provide good sources of lean protein.
If you are a vegetarian, or simply looking for non-meat lean protein alternatives, low-fat cheese, legumes (lentils), and yogurt are all good sources. Simply check the food labels to determine if the source of protein is lean or fatty (does not deliver high fat content).
In terms of carbohydrates, there probably is not a more battered around micronutrient than this. It has gone from being the greatest thing in weight loss history, to one of the most reviled. And really, it is not the fault of the innocent carbohydrate! It is really just a matter of information and knowledge, instead of speculation.
The thing to try to remember is that when carbohydrates are refined, such as white bread and potatoes, they are what the diabetic world refers to as high glycemic index (GI) foods, because they require spikes in insulin in order to be digested.
As you may know, when insulin is released into the system, it promotes the storage of fat and some experts believe that it also pushes down metabolic speed (which makes sense).
Therefore, the good kinds of carbohydrate to consume are those that are high in fibre, and those from fruit and vegetable sources.
Why?
Because these sources of carbohydrates do not score high on the glycemic index. In other words, they do not cause a spike in insulin levels, and therefore, they do not promote fat storage.
So, for an easy and healthy way to lose weight, just make sure you have plenty of lean protein with high fibre carbohydrates, and you will find food lovers fat loss really become a reality for you!
Till next time, where you'll discover why building muscle isn't so scary and can boost your metabolism exponentially.
Bye for now
Sandra
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 18 - Eat Yourself Slimmer
Eat Early!
We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In terms of boosting your metabolism, this is certainly true, because again people who do are much less inclined to snack throughout the morning. For instance, if you have a good breakfast of fruit and low-sugar cereal in the morning, the likelihood of you visiting the vending machine at work around 10:30am diminish significantly.
That does not mean you should avoid eating between breakfast and lunchtime of course, but by starting your day in a nutritious way, you will have more control over what you eat throughout the day, and be less inclined to eat anything you can get your hands on.
Another good reason to eat a healthy breakfast is because it directly boosts your metabolism. You see studies have shown that metabolism typically slows during sleep, and does not really get going again until you eat.
Therefore, starting the day with breakfast is like kick-starting your metabolism. You will actually burn more calories throughout the day, simply by eating breakfast.
When you prepare your breakfast, control both the portion size, and beware of high-fat content. High-fat breakfasts, like those including bacon and sausage deliver lots of calories (9 calories for every gram of fat, as compared to 4 for every gram of carbohydrate and protein). Worse still, if you eat such a breakfast, you will not only have ingested a lot of fat (and hence a lot of calories), but you may also still find yourself hungry again in a few hours.
This explains why many people who eat a high fat content breakfast find themselves painfully hungry by lunchtime - it is not their “overactive metabolism” at work, it is simply because the high fat content has been swiftly digested. Conversely, breakfasts that are high in fibre take much longer to digest, which will not only ensure your body is not hungry again for a while, but also help to boost your metabolism because your body is working longer to digest it.
So, eating more (in a controlled way) and eating early, can help you boost your metabolism and slash those pounds – it is one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight there is!
See you next time, when we’ll take a look at the 3 food groups that are good for speeding up your metabolism.
Sandra
We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In terms of boosting your metabolism, this is certainly true, because again people who do are much less inclined to snack throughout the morning. For instance, if you have a good breakfast of fruit and low-sugar cereal in the morning, the likelihood of you visiting the vending machine at work around 10:30am diminish significantly.
That does not mean you should avoid eating between breakfast and lunchtime of course, but by starting your day in a nutritious way, you will have more control over what you eat throughout the day, and be less inclined to eat anything you can get your hands on.
Another good reason to eat a healthy breakfast is because it directly boosts your metabolism. You see studies have shown that metabolism typically slows during sleep, and does not really get going again until you eat.
Therefore, starting the day with breakfast is like kick-starting your metabolism. You will actually burn more calories throughout the day, simply by eating breakfast.
When you prepare your breakfast, control both the portion size, and beware of high-fat content. High-fat breakfasts, like those including bacon and sausage deliver lots of calories (9 calories for every gram of fat, as compared to 4 for every gram of carbohydrate and protein). Worse still, if you eat such a breakfast, you will not only have ingested a lot of fat (and hence a lot of calories), but you may also still find yourself hungry again in a few hours.
This explains why many people who eat a high fat content breakfast find themselves painfully hungry by lunchtime - it is not their “overactive metabolism” at work, it is simply because the high fat content has been swiftly digested. Conversely, breakfasts that are high in fibre take much longer to digest, which will not only ensure your body is not hungry again for a while, but also help to boost your metabolism because your body is working longer to digest it.
So, eating more (in a controlled way) and eating early, can help you boost your metabolism and slash those pounds – it is one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight there is!
See you next time, when we’ll take a look at the 3 food groups that are good for speeding up your metabolism.
Sandra
Sunday, 26 September 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 17 - Eat Yourself Slimmer
Eat More Often?
You may have heard before that eating frequently throughout the day can be very good for boosting metabolism, but if you ever wondered why, here are a couple of reasons.
The first is that people who tend to eat throughout the day do considerably less snacking. As a result, they are able to avoid the potato chips or candy bars that they might otherwise consume if they suddenly became hungry. People who eat throughout the day do not tend to experience severe hunger pangs, because they never reach that stage.
The second reason is that by eating throughout the day, you are constantly keeping your metabolism working. It is a little like having a generator running all the time; it will simply use more electricity than if you just powered it up 3 times a day.
Now, it goes without saying (though it should be said anyway just in case!), that just because it is good for metabolism-boosting to eat frequently, does not mean that you can eat junk all day long!
If you choose to eat more frequently, then try to be more aware of what you eat; because you can easily exceed the amount of daily calories you need if you do not keep an eye on this.
So, if your plan is to follow the eat-more-to-burn-more approach, it is often a good idea to keep a food journal that notes what you eat throughout the day (and drink of course).
Merely focusing on the number of your daily calories is only half the trick though. Try to ensure that you are also eating enough protein, carbohydrates, fats (the good unsaturated kind!), and the other vitamins and minerals that your body needs for a healthy way to lose weight.
See you next time in 'Boosting Your Metabolism - Eat Early!'.
Sandra
You may have heard before that eating frequently throughout the day can be very good for boosting metabolism, but if you ever wondered why, here are a couple of reasons.
The first is that people who tend to eat throughout the day do considerably less snacking. As a result, they are able to avoid the potato chips or candy bars that they might otherwise consume if they suddenly became hungry. People who eat throughout the day do not tend to experience severe hunger pangs, because they never reach that stage.
The second reason is that by eating throughout the day, you are constantly keeping your metabolism working. It is a little like having a generator running all the time; it will simply use more electricity than if you just powered it up 3 times a day.
Now, it goes without saying (though it should be said anyway just in case!), that just because it is good for metabolism-boosting to eat frequently, does not mean that you can eat junk all day long!
If you choose to eat more frequently, then try to be more aware of what you eat; because you can easily exceed the amount of daily calories you need if you do not keep an eye on this.
So, if your plan is to follow the eat-more-to-burn-more approach, it is often a good idea to keep a food journal that notes what you eat throughout the day (and drink of course).
Merely focusing on the number of your daily calories is only half the trick though. Try to ensure that you are also eating enough protein, carbohydrates, fats (the good unsaturated kind!), and the other vitamins and minerals that your body needs for a healthy way to lose weight.
See you next time in 'Boosting Your Metabolism - Eat Early!'.
Sandra
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Boost Your Calories to Boost Your Metabolism
For many of us, information concerning metabolism has related in one way or another to eating, in that we are told of metabolism-friendly foods, or metabolism unfriendly foods.
But really, while we may be basically aware that, all else being equal, a stalk of celery is better for your metabolism than fries with gravy, our understanding of diet and metabolism is actually pretty low.
To help overcome this, here are some powerful and scientific diet-related tips that will boost your metabolism. Indeed, as you will soon learn, it’s not just the case of what you eat that matters; it is when, and how, too.
So calories – yes, the word calorie has a bad rap. We frequently come across low calorie or calorie reduced foods. And it is not uncommon to overhear someone gasp about the immense calorie content of certain foods, such as a rich and creamy desert, or a giant fast food burger.
All of this anti-calorie rhetoric has therefore made a lot of us pretty calorie-phobic; as soon as we see something that has lots of them, we run away. But is this wise?
Well, yes and no. Yes, it is wise in the sense that avoiding that double-layer chocolate fudge cake for dessert may be a good idea. The calories that come from the cake are really going to be the so-called empty calorie kind; which means there is no real nutritional value that your body can squeeze out and make use of.
But in the bigger picture, it is definitely unwise for your metabolism to become calorie-avoidant.
Why? Because your body is a marvelous machine that tries, at all times, to do what it can to make your life easier. Indeed, even when is does not function at optimal levels (for a variety of reasons, including genetics), it still tries to do its very best. The body, for all of its limitations, is not lazy!
The body is always trying to keep us alive and functioning in the manner that it deems to be healthiest, so that is why if you suddenly decrease the amount of calories you need, your body will not try to do more with less. In other words, your body will not respond in the way that you want it to, it will not necessarily provoke catabolism and thus reduce weight and fat cells.
To the contrary, your smart and wise body will try to keep you alive by slowing down its metabolism. Whether you are genuinely trapped somewhere without food, or are deliberately slashing your calories, to your body the circumstances are irrelevant – it will simply believe something is wrong and become very stingy with energy.
The end result? If your body needs 2000 calories a day to survive, and you suddenly slash it to only 1000, it will not begin to burn off 1000 calories worth of cells that you have lying around on your love handles. Instead, your body will slow down its metabolism. It will really try to squeeze as much energy out of those 1000 calories, because it does not want to waste anything.
Physically, you will naturally feel more tired because your body is being very miserly with energy, and will devote its 1000-calorie ration to essential systems, like blood and oxygen supply (and others). Slash your calories and the bottom line is, metabolically, you will not be burning off extra calories. In fact, you can actually gain weight by dramatically reducing your calorie intake!
The flipside to this is of course, that you should consume a daily caloric intake that is proportionate to your body size, type, and weight loss goals. Once you have got an idea on the amount of calories that you need you can provide them to your body via healthy, efficient calories.
For instance, if your body needs 1500 calories per day, and one slice of double-fudge chocolate cake delivers a whopping 500 of those, then obviously, eating just one of these slices will take up a full 1/3rd of your daily caloric needs and worse still, they are empty calories, which means you are going to be very tired and lethargic.
On the other hand, drinking a tasty fruit smoothie made with yogurt and nuts can deliver half as many calories, and provide you with essential nutrients, vitamins, and other elements that your body needs.
So, the healthy way to lose weight is not by slashing your calorie intake; and if you are looking for easy ways to lose weight, banishing all the bad calories you enjoy in your diet is certainly not the answer either. But if you understand where good and bad calories come from, and ration the bad rather than the number of calories in themselves, you will find that boosting your calories really can boost your metabolism, and it is a whole lot easier than you might think!
Until next time, CLICK HERE and find out how you can boost your metabolism without going hungry!
Sandra
But really, while we may be basically aware that, all else being equal, a stalk of celery is better for your metabolism than fries with gravy, our understanding of diet and metabolism is actually pretty low.
To help overcome this, here are some powerful and scientific diet-related tips that will boost your metabolism. Indeed, as you will soon learn, it’s not just the case of what you eat that matters; it is when, and how, too.
So calories – yes, the word calorie has a bad rap. We frequently come across low calorie or calorie reduced foods. And it is not uncommon to overhear someone gasp about the immense calorie content of certain foods, such as a rich and creamy desert, or a giant fast food burger.
All of this anti-calorie rhetoric has therefore made a lot of us pretty calorie-phobic; as soon as we see something that has lots of them, we run away. But is this wise?
Well, yes and no. Yes, it is wise in the sense that avoiding that double-layer chocolate fudge cake for dessert may be a good idea. The calories that come from the cake are really going to be the so-called empty calorie kind; which means there is no real nutritional value that your body can squeeze out and make use of.
But in the bigger picture, it is definitely unwise for your metabolism to become calorie-avoidant.
Why? Because your body is a marvelous machine that tries, at all times, to do what it can to make your life easier. Indeed, even when is does not function at optimal levels (for a variety of reasons, including genetics), it still tries to do its very best. The body, for all of its limitations, is not lazy!
The body is always trying to keep us alive and functioning in the manner that it deems to be healthiest, so that is why if you suddenly decrease the amount of calories you need, your body will not try to do more with less. In other words, your body will not respond in the way that you want it to, it will not necessarily provoke catabolism and thus reduce weight and fat cells.
To the contrary, your smart and wise body will try to keep you alive by slowing down its metabolism. Whether you are genuinely trapped somewhere without food, or are deliberately slashing your calories, to your body the circumstances are irrelevant – it will simply believe something is wrong and become very stingy with energy.
The end result? If your body needs 2000 calories a day to survive, and you suddenly slash it to only 1000, it will not begin to burn off 1000 calories worth of cells that you have lying around on your love handles. Instead, your body will slow down its metabolism. It will really try to squeeze as much energy out of those 1000 calories, because it does not want to waste anything.
Physically, you will naturally feel more tired because your body is being very miserly with energy, and will devote its 1000-calorie ration to essential systems, like blood and oxygen supply (and others). Slash your calories and the bottom line is, metabolically, you will not be burning off extra calories. In fact, you can actually gain weight by dramatically reducing your calorie intake!
The flipside to this is of course, that you should consume a daily caloric intake that is proportionate to your body size, type, and weight loss goals. Once you have got an idea on the amount of calories that you need you can provide them to your body via healthy, efficient calories.
For instance, if your body needs 1500 calories per day, and one slice of double-fudge chocolate cake delivers a whopping 500 of those, then obviously, eating just one of these slices will take up a full 1/3rd of your daily caloric needs and worse still, they are empty calories, which means you are going to be very tired and lethargic.
On the other hand, drinking a tasty fruit smoothie made with yogurt and nuts can deliver half as many calories, and provide you with essential nutrients, vitamins, and other elements that your body needs.
So, the healthy way to lose weight is not by slashing your calorie intake; and if you are looking for easy ways to lose weight, banishing all the bad calories you enjoy in your diet is certainly not the answer either. But if you understand where good and bad calories come from, and ration the bad rather than the number of calories in themselves, you will find that boosting your calories really can boost your metabolism, and it is a whole lot easier than you might think!
Until next time, CLICK HERE and find out how you can boost your metabolism without going hungry!
Sandra
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 15 - There Really is Something GOOD about Your Time of the Month
Hi
Perhaps a strange one for this week’s blog, but bear with me! If you are like most of us women, the chances are that when it’s your time of the month, doing any form of workout or exercise is about the last thing on your mind. But there’s actually a positive when it comes to weight loss that you may like to know about, because capitalising on the opportunity can enable you to burn off as much as 30% more fat!
You see, studies have now demonstrated that the 2-week period prior to the onset of PMS is one in which fat burning capacity is at a premium.
In the usual scenario, PMS symptoms appear seven to ten days before menstruation, so typically from around day 4 of your period right up to the time PMS begins, your body’s production of estrogen and progesterone are at their highest. And since these hormones tell the body to use fat as a source of energy, exercising during this time can really pay off. The body will be inclined to target fat cells for catabolism.
So, if your time of the month has always been nothing but a negative hindrance to your life, now you know there’s a silver lining. It’s not like you can’t lose it, so you might as well use it, because it’s the biggest return you’ll get for your effort all month long!
Coming up next time ‘Love Your Calories and Boost Your Metabolism’, but till then, you might like to CLICK HERE and discover more about your hormones and how they affect you.
See you soon
Sandra
Perhaps a strange one for this week’s blog, but bear with me! If you are like most of us women, the chances are that when it’s your time of the month, doing any form of workout or exercise is about the last thing on your mind. But there’s actually a positive when it comes to weight loss that you may like to know about, because capitalising on the opportunity can enable you to burn off as much as 30% more fat!
You see, studies have now demonstrated that the 2-week period prior to the onset of PMS is one in which fat burning capacity is at a premium.
In the usual scenario, PMS symptoms appear seven to ten days before menstruation, so typically from around day 4 of your period right up to the time PMS begins, your body’s production of estrogen and progesterone are at their highest. And since these hormones tell the body to use fat as a source of energy, exercising during this time can really pay off. The body will be inclined to target fat cells for catabolism.
So, if your time of the month has always been nothing but a negative hindrance to your life, now you know there’s a silver lining. It’s not like you can’t lose it, so you might as well use it, because it’s the biggest return you’ll get for your effort all month long!
Coming up next time ‘Love Your Calories and Boost Your Metabolism’, but till then, you might like to CLICK HERE and discover more about your hormones and how they affect you.
See you soon
Sandra
Monday, 23 August 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 14 - Relax .... Your Waistline Depends on It
Hi again,
You may perhaps think this week’s blog title is a little strange, or at best irrelevant to losing weight, but the fact of the matter is, that experts have now identified stress as having a key influence on our metabolism.
Essentially, what happens is that when the body is under constant stress, it releases stress hormones that flood the system. These stress-related hormones actually tell the body to create larger fat cells in the abdomen, resulting in both increased weight (through increased fat cells), and a slower metabolism.
Obviously, these are two very negative factors in our quest to boost metabolism and lose weight, because the last thing that we want is more and bigger fat cells in our abdomen, coupled with a diminished metabolism. Yet, tragically, this is what happens to many people who experience constant, continuous stress, especially those of us who have to balance so many competing objectives, such as work, family, and other vital tasks.
So the simple advice here is to learn to “relax and chill out”. For many that may be easier said than done, but being aware of the need for you to do so is the first step towards finding a way that works for you.
As women, we often respond very differently to stress stimulants from one another – one woman’s pain can be another woman’s gain, and the same is true for finding ways to relax. But there are some simple techniques that do work for a good proportion of women, so see if any of the following appeal that you might like to try.
Walking is a good one – yes it’s great in that it’s exercise, but for many, finding a little time to walk alone, is often a good way to step back and gain a little clarity and a perspective on life and any of the perceived stresses it places upon us.
Many women find tranquility and relaxation by listening to music, and with today’s technology, it need never be further away than your jacket pocket or handbag. Obviously you need to set aside a little ‘me time’ to really absorb your music and get the benefit – a 23 minute dash round the supermarket doing your weekly grocery shop with Led Zeppelin banging in your head is going to provide limited benefit, but if you haven’t tried experimenting with music before, give it a try – you may be surprised how quickly you can zone in and how relaxed it can make you feel.
Other ideas you may like to try include meditation, yoga, or even just trying to eat less stimulating foods that contain caffeine and sugar etc. Whatever you decide is right for you, the main thing is to try to build a daily regime into your life that includes periodic ‘time outs’ where you can re-centre yourself and de-stress.
Remember, while relaxing is good advice for anyone, it’s important to realize that stress negatively influences metabolism - so there is a link between how much stress you experience and your ability to break down cells and lose weight.
So if you don’t want to relax because you don’t have the time, at least be aware that your stressed-out life is probably playing a greater role in your weight gain or your inability to lose weight than you may have realized.
See you next time with ‘There Really is Something GOOD about Your Time of the Month !’
Take care
Sandra
PS. To discover how you can relieve stress, lose weight and have a general feeling of well-being Click Here and find out for yourself.
You may perhaps think this week’s blog title is a little strange, or at best irrelevant to losing weight, but the fact of the matter is, that experts have now identified stress as having a key influence on our metabolism.
Essentially, what happens is that when the body is under constant stress, it releases stress hormones that flood the system. These stress-related hormones actually tell the body to create larger fat cells in the abdomen, resulting in both increased weight (through increased fat cells), and a slower metabolism.
Obviously, these are two very negative factors in our quest to boost metabolism and lose weight, because the last thing that we want is more and bigger fat cells in our abdomen, coupled with a diminished metabolism. Yet, tragically, this is what happens to many people who experience constant, continuous stress, especially those of us who have to balance so many competing objectives, such as work, family, and other vital tasks.
So the simple advice here is to learn to “relax and chill out”. For many that may be easier said than done, but being aware of the need for you to do so is the first step towards finding a way that works for you.
As women, we often respond very differently to stress stimulants from one another – one woman’s pain can be another woman’s gain, and the same is true for finding ways to relax. But there are some simple techniques that do work for a good proportion of women, so see if any of the following appeal that you might like to try.
Walking is a good one – yes it’s great in that it’s exercise, but for many, finding a little time to walk alone, is often a good way to step back and gain a little clarity and a perspective on life and any of the perceived stresses it places upon us.
Many women find tranquility and relaxation by listening to music, and with today’s technology, it need never be further away than your jacket pocket or handbag. Obviously you need to set aside a little ‘me time’ to really absorb your music and get the benefit – a 23 minute dash round the supermarket doing your weekly grocery shop with Led Zeppelin banging in your head is going to provide limited benefit, but if you haven’t tried experimenting with music before, give it a try – you may be surprised how quickly you can zone in and how relaxed it can make you feel.
Other ideas you may like to try include meditation, yoga, or even just trying to eat less stimulating foods that contain caffeine and sugar etc. Whatever you decide is right for you, the main thing is to try to build a daily regime into your life that includes periodic ‘time outs’ where you can re-centre yourself and de-stress.
Remember, while relaxing is good advice for anyone, it’s important to realize that stress negatively influences metabolism - so there is a link between how much stress you experience and your ability to break down cells and lose weight.
So if you don’t want to relax because you don’t have the time, at least be aware that your stressed-out life is probably playing a greater role in your weight gain or your inability to lose weight than you may have realized.
See you next time with ‘There Really is Something GOOD about Your Time of the Month !’
Take care
Sandra
PS. To discover how you can relieve stress, lose weight and have a general feeling of well-being Click Here and find out for yourself.
Sunday, 15 August 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 13 - Zzzzzzzz…..Zzzzzzzz
Sleep, a part of everyday life most would agree, and one most of us would equally like to have a little more of. But in the real world, this is a tough one, because most of us don’t have as much control as we should over the amount that we sleep. Work, education, family, housekeeping, and so many other commitments can literally prevent us from getting the amount of sleep that we would like, and more importantly, need.
Perhaps its nothing new for you to learn that for our ‘health’ we should all be getting 7-8 hours sleep a day – after all, doctors have been telling us that for years, but what exactly do they mean by ‘health’?
Most of us understand ‘health’ as a general term to describe a persons mental or physical condition, but our mental and physical condition is actually determined by a number of processes and functions going on within our bodies, some of which we are aware of, and some we are not.
Many women wrongly assume the only price to pay for burning the candle at both ends, is waking up to see a pair of red eyes and a few more wrinkles in the mirror, but there’s another price to pay as well – at the waistline!
So how can the amount you sleep affect your waistline?
Simple, one of those processes is our metabolism, and experts now tell us that not getting enough sleep actually lowers metabolism, because people who are constantly sleep deprived typically find that they have less energy to do regular daily activities; including digestion.
As a result, sleep-starved people often unwittingly lower their metabolism, because their bodies simply don’t have the strength to break down food efficiently, particularly carbohydrates.
The trouble is sleep, and for that matter exercise if you are willing to do it, may both raise metabolism but that doesn’t remove the catch 22 problem of finding enough hours in your day to do them both.
For example, after a long day of work and dealing with family and home commitments, you may find that the only time you have to exercise is late at night; say around 9:00 pm, or even later. That being said, if you constantly steal time away from your sleep/rest in order to exercise, you can actually do more harm than good, because the following day you won’t have enough energy to digest what you eat.
So what’s the answer, because clearly you’re not going to get fit by sleeping instead of exercising.
Ultimately, it’s a question of balance. You don’t have to work out every night - perhaps you can integrate a workout into your life during the day; maybe at lunchtime or right after work.
Most fitness clubs are open very early (some are even 24 hours a day), and if you choose to workout at home, you can do so in a generally affordable way.
If you find that you have trouble sleeping, then this can also negatively affect the speed of your metabolism. Insomnia and other sleep disorders are very common problems, for which there exists a variety of support systems to help you get the rest that you require – to see one of the best I’ve come across, Click Here and discover how you can easily take control of your life and ‘sleep like a baby’, but in the meantime, some non-medical tips to help you fall asleep include:
Of course no-one but you can find the right balance in your life, but if you thought the trade-off for missing a few hours sleep was a few eye drops and a little extra make-up the next morning, now you know better!
See you next time in ‘Relax …. Your Waistline Depends On It’
Best wishes
Sandra
Perhaps its nothing new for you to learn that for our ‘health’ we should all be getting 7-8 hours sleep a day – after all, doctors have been telling us that for years, but what exactly do they mean by ‘health’?
Most of us understand ‘health’ as a general term to describe a persons mental or physical condition, but our mental and physical condition is actually determined by a number of processes and functions going on within our bodies, some of which we are aware of, and some we are not.
Many women wrongly assume the only price to pay for burning the candle at both ends, is waking up to see a pair of red eyes and a few more wrinkles in the mirror, but there’s another price to pay as well – at the waistline!
So how can the amount you sleep affect your waistline?
Simple, one of those processes is our metabolism, and experts now tell us that not getting enough sleep actually lowers metabolism, because people who are constantly sleep deprived typically find that they have less energy to do regular daily activities; including digestion.
As a result, sleep-starved people often unwittingly lower their metabolism, because their bodies simply don’t have the strength to break down food efficiently, particularly carbohydrates.
The trouble is sleep, and for that matter exercise if you are willing to do it, may both raise metabolism but that doesn’t remove the catch 22 problem of finding enough hours in your day to do them both.
For example, after a long day of work and dealing with family and home commitments, you may find that the only time you have to exercise is late at night; say around 9:00 pm, or even later. That being said, if you constantly steal time away from your sleep/rest in order to exercise, you can actually do more harm than good, because the following day you won’t have enough energy to digest what you eat.
So what’s the answer, because clearly you’re not going to get fit by sleeping instead of exercising.
Ultimately, it’s a question of balance. You don’t have to work out every night - perhaps you can integrate a workout into your life during the day; maybe at lunchtime or right after work.
Most fitness clubs are open very early (some are even 24 hours a day), and if you choose to workout at home, you can do so in a generally affordable way.
If you find that you have trouble sleeping, then this can also negatively affect the speed of your metabolism. Insomnia and other sleep disorders are very common problems, for which there exists a variety of support systems to help you get the rest that you require – to see one of the best I’ve come across, Click Here and discover how you can easily take control of your life and ‘sleep like a baby’, but in the meantime, some non-medical tips to help you fall asleep include:
o Try drinking warm milk before bedtime
o Try yoga or other stress-relieving practices
o Try having a warm bath before bedtime
o Don’t eat late at night
o Don’t exercise close to bedtime; your body can become so energized that you won't sleep!
See you next time in ‘Relax …. Your Waistline Depends On It’
Best wishes
Sandra
Sunday, 8 August 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 12 - Get on the Wagon
Maybe you have noticed that people who carefully choose low-fat, low-calorie meal choices, are often very disciplined when it comes to not ordering the Chef’s Special pecan pie for desert, yet order a glass or two of wine with their meal?
Well, unfortunately, these people are really undermining their efforts to boost metabolism, and are simply unaware that many alcoholic drinks are laden with almost as many calories as sugary-rich soft drinks.
A bottle of beer can deliver a few hundred calories, and most cocktails are in the same range. Wine is generally considered to deliver the least amount of calories; but even this is a bit of a slippery slope.
Three glasses of wine can be worth 300 calories that the body simply has to deal with in one form or another, but that’s not all, because studies show that drinking alcohol with meals actually encourages over eating; which means yet more calories that need to be burned away (or transformed into fat!).
The tip here isn’t to stop drinking alcohol altogether (despite the title of this section). If you enjoy alcohol then there’s no particular reason why you have to quit cold turkey, but you will save a bit of money and not consume as many calories.
If you are compensating for these added calories through exercise or muscle building, that’s okay and catabolism cannot occur. But if you go heavy on the alcohol instead, without compensating, then anabolism will inevitably occur, and new cells will be created from those calories (mostly fat cells).
So the call here is simply that you become aware that alcohol influences your metabolism significantly. If you consume excess alcohol, (even without becoming inebriated), you force your system to deal with more calories and worse still, they will be ‘empty’ calories with little nutritional value.
Just something to bear in mind till next time, when we continue through the Lifestyle section of Boosting Your Metabolism.
See you again soon
Sandra
Well, unfortunately, these people are really undermining their efforts to boost metabolism, and are simply unaware that many alcoholic drinks are laden with almost as many calories as sugary-rich soft drinks.
A bottle of beer can deliver a few hundred calories, and most cocktails are in the same range. Wine is generally considered to deliver the least amount of calories; but even this is a bit of a slippery slope.
Three glasses of wine can be worth 300 calories that the body simply has to deal with in one form or another, but that’s not all, because studies show that drinking alcohol with meals actually encourages over eating; which means yet more calories that need to be burned away (or transformed into fat!).
The tip here isn’t to stop drinking alcohol altogether (despite the title of this section). If you enjoy alcohol then there’s no particular reason why you have to quit cold turkey, but you will save a bit of money and not consume as many calories.
If you are compensating for these added calories through exercise or muscle building, that’s okay and catabolism cannot occur. But if you go heavy on the alcohol instead, without compensating, then anabolism will inevitably occur, and new cells will be created from those calories (mostly fat cells).
So the call here is simply that you become aware that alcohol influences your metabolism significantly. If you consume excess alcohol, (even without becoming inebriated), you force your system to deal with more calories and worse still, they will be ‘empty’ calories with little nutritional value.
Just something to bear in mind till next time, when we continue through the Lifestyle section of Boosting Your Metabolism.
See you again soon
Sandra
Monday, 2 August 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 11 - Lifestyle
When we come across the term lifestyle, we tend to think of our basic day-to-day habits, which sometimes we do without giving them much of a second thought. But it is worth giving it a thought, because your lifestyle can influence the speed of your metabolism considerably.
Now quite honestly, most of us live busy lives in one form or another, and therefore it’s challenging to really keep an eye on all of our habits.
Balancing work, family, hobbies, and other commitments often means that our lifestyle isn’t so much of a choice, as it is a necessity.
Yet with respect to the fact that many of us face sincere limitations in our lifestyle choices, there are many things that we can do – little things, but important things – that can help speed up our metabolism.
So if you’re a bit put-off by the term lifestyle, please don’t skim over this section of the series. The little things that you change in your regular, day-to-day lifestyle can have the most profound influence on the speed of your metabolism, and help accomplish your short and long-term weight loss goals.
We’ll keep rolling on in Blog 12 with ‘Get on the Wagon’.
See you then
Sandra
Now quite honestly, most of us live busy lives in one form or another, and therefore it’s challenging to really keep an eye on all of our habits.
Balancing work, family, hobbies, and other commitments often means that our lifestyle isn’t so much of a choice, as it is a necessity.
Yet with respect to the fact that many of us face sincere limitations in our lifestyle choices, there are many things that we can do – little things, but important things – that can help speed up our metabolism.
So if you’re a bit put-off by the term lifestyle, please don’t skim over this section of the series. The little things that you change in your regular, day-to-day lifestyle can have the most profound influence on the speed of your metabolism, and help accomplish your short and long-term weight loss goals.
We’ll keep rolling on in Blog 12 with ‘Get on the Wagon’.
See you then
Sandra
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 10 - Variety
They say that variety is the spice of life, and most of us wouldn’t disagree with that, yet despite this awareness, many people don’t spice up their exercise program; which is surprising, since doing so often leads to valuable metabolism-boosting benefits.
There are a few easy ways to add variety to your exercise program. We’ve already talked about interval training as one effective method of shifting your body’s metabolic engine into higher gear, but there are other ways too – the first being to break up a longer routine into smaller parts.
So for instance, instead of committing to 1x1 hour workout a day, it can boost your metabolism considerably to split this up into 2x30 minute workouts; or even, on some occasions, 3x20 minute workouts.
Then there are the old tried and tested methods of adding variety into your daily exercise routine without formally exercising – taking the stairs instead of the elevator; starting your day with a brisk walk instead of a coffee and the newspaper, or even parking further away from the grocery store entrance and walking the extra distance.
If you stop to think about it for a moment, there are probably plenty of little tweaks you can make to you daily activities that can add variety and a bit of informal exercise. And the good news is that whether you decide to split up a formal exercise routine, or tweak an existing daily activity, you will gain two important metabolism-boosting benefits. Firstly, they can make exercising more fun, and in terms of weight loss, fun is often a by-word for success.
Having a boring exercise routine increases your chances of stopping considerably, and so adding new or fun elements to your overall exercise commitment simply helps encourage you to stick with your program. And since exercising is a core part of boosting your metabolism, anything that helps you continue exercising over the long term is a great strategy.
The second and equally important benefit of adding variety in your exercise program leads us back to the interval training concept, we discussed in Blog 9.
When you add variety to your workout, your body cannot get into a groove. Remember: the body is a remarkable piece of work, and will always strive to do things efficiently.
Naturally, the overall state of your health (which can be influenced by genetics and other factors outside of your control) will play a role in how efficiently your body runs.
But regardless of how your body is put together, it really likes you, and wants to do things as efficiently as it possibly can.
Therefore, when you start exercising, your body starts to develop a kind of expectation of energy output. It’s not doing this to be lazy; it’s doing this because, quite sincerely, it wants to help!
It starts to predict that you need a certain amount of energy to complete a certain task (such as jog for 20 minutes), and attempts to provide that energy output more efficiently.
So, when you first start jogging for, say, 2 minutes a time followed by 5 minutes of walking, your body may require a great deal of energy to help you achieve this.
And as a result, you may find yourself very out of breath or tired as your body strives to meet this increased demand. Naturally, of course, catabolism will be involved, and your body metabolism will increase.
But over time, say a month or so, your body will simply become more efficient. It will have become stronger, and will be able to supply your energy needs much more efficiently; you may not even break a sweat!
What’s happened here is that your health has improved; your body has to work less hard to provide you with your energy needs.
Ironically, this can actually dilute your metabolism-boosting efforts; because, as you know, you want to tell your body to start the catabolism process. But if your body is efficiently working, it won’t really dig into its reserves (e.g. fat cells) in order to provide you with the energy that you need.
So the trick is to keep variety in your workouts. Many people choose to cross-train for this very reason. It not only targets different muscle groups, but it keeps your body from finding a groove whereby it can try to ‘help’ you by slowing down metabolism.
Remember, your body doesn’t read blogs like this; it doesn’t need to, and it doesn’t care. It has no clue that a speedier metabolism is “good” or “bad”. As far as you and I are concerned, we know that a speedy metabolism is a good thing in our weight loss efforts. But our bodies don’t make this evaluation, and won’t turn on our metabolism jets because we want them to.
Of course it would be great to be able to send a memo to your body and ask it to please speed up metabolism, but sadly that’s not reality. So what we have to do is force the body to say to itself:
And one of the best ways for you to force your body to have this kind of thinking is to add variety to your workouts.
So, although we’ve come to the end of the ‘Exercise’ section now, there’s plenty more for you coming up in the Boosting Your Metabolism series. Next time in Blog 11, we’ll start to explore ‘Lifestyle’ and how little changes can have the most profound influence on the speed of your metabolism.
All the best till then,
Sandra
P.S. If you’re looking for plenty of fresh ideas on how to spice up your exercise routine, there’s bound to be something for you on the link. Just Click Here!
P.P.S. And if the man in your life ever fancied a 6-Pack, he’s going to love this just as much as you will!
There are a few easy ways to add variety to your exercise program. We’ve already talked about interval training as one effective method of shifting your body’s metabolic engine into higher gear, but there are other ways too – the first being to break up a longer routine into smaller parts.
So for instance, instead of committing to 1x1 hour workout a day, it can boost your metabolism considerably to split this up into 2x30 minute workouts; or even, on some occasions, 3x20 minute workouts.
Then there are the old tried and tested methods of adding variety into your daily exercise routine without formally exercising – taking the stairs instead of the elevator; starting your day with a brisk walk instead of a coffee and the newspaper, or even parking further away from the grocery store entrance and walking the extra distance.
If you stop to think about it for a moment, there are probably plenty of little tweaks you can make to you daily activities that can add variety and a bit of informal exercise. And the good news is that whether you decide to split up a formal exercise routine, or tweak an existing daily activity, you will gain two important metabolism-boosting benefits. Firstly, they can make exercising more fun, and in terms of weight loss, fun is often a by-word for success.
Having a boring exercise routine increases your chances of stopping considerably, and so adding new or fun elements to your overall exercise commitment simply helps encourage you to stick with your program. And since exercising is a core part of boosting your metabolism, anything that helps you continue exercising over the long term is a great strategy.
The second and equally important benefit of adding variety in your exercise program leads us back to the interval training concept, we discussed in Blog 9.
When you add variety to your workout, your body cannot get into a groove. Remember: the body is a remarkable piece of work, and will always strive to do things efficiently.
Naturally, the overall state of your health (which can be influenced by genetics and other factors outside of your control) will play a role in how efficiently your body runs.
But regardless of how your body is put together, it really likes you, and wants to do things as efficiently as it possibly can.
Therefore, when you start exercising, your body starts to develop a kind of expectation of energy output. It’s not doing this to be lazy; it’s doing this because, quite sincerely, it wants to help!
It starts to predict that you need a certain amount of energy to complete a certain task (such as jog for 20 minutes), and attempts to provide that energy output more efficiently.
So, when you first start jogging for, say, 2 minutes a time followed by 5 minutes of walking, your body may require a great deal of energy to help you achieve this.
And as a result, you may find yourself very out of breath or tired as your body strives to meet this increased demand. Naturally, of course, catabolism will be involved, and your body metabolism will increase.
But over time, say a month or so, your body will simply become more efficient. It will have become stronger, and will be able to supply your energy needs much more efficiently; you may not even break a sweat!
What’s happened here is that your health has improved; your body has to work less hard to provide you with your energy needs.
Ironically, this can actually dilute your metabolism-boosting efforts; because, as you know, you want to tell your body to start the catabolism process. But if your body is efficiently working, it won’t really dig into its reserves (e.g. fat cells) in order to provide you with the energy that you need.
So the trick is to keep variety in your workouts. Many people choose to cross-train for this very reason. It not only targets different muscle groups, but it keeps your body from finding a groove whereby it can try to ‘help’ you by slowing down metabolism.
Remember, your body doesn’t read blogs like this; it doesn’t need to, and it doesn’t care. It has no clue that a speedier metabolism is “good” or “bad”. As far as you and I are concerned, we know that a speedy metabolism is a good thing in our weight loss efforts. But our bodies don’t make this evaluation, and won’t turn on our metabolism jets because we want them to.
Of course it would be great to be able to send a memo to your body and ask it to please speed up metabolism, but sadly that’s not reality. So what we have to do is force the body to say to itself:
“Hey, I need to speed up metabolism because this person needs more energy!”
And one of the best ways for you to force your body to have this kind of thinking is to add variety to your workouts.
So, although we’ve come to the end of the ‘Exercise’ section now, there’s plenty more for you coming up in the Boosting Your Metabolism series. Next time in Blog 11, we’ll start to explore ‘Lifestyle’ and how little changes can have the most profound influence on the speed of your metabolism.
All the best till then,
Sandra
P.S. If you’re looking for plenty of fresh ideas on how to spice up your exercise routine, there’s bound to be something for you on the link. Just Click Here!
P.P.S. And if the man in your life ever fancied a 6-Pack, he’s going to love this just as much as you will!
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 9 - Interval Training
Hi there,
Today we are going to cover interval training. Some of you it will appeal to and some of you it may not, but if you are one of the latter, don’t worry! The purpose of this ‘Boosting Your Metabolism’ series is to present as many different ways of doing so, in order to allow you to decide which is the best way for you to Boost Your Metabolism, or to perhaps give you some new ideas that you may like to try.
The basic weight loss nuts and bolts behind cardiovascular exercise (or any kind of exercise, really) is, as you know, a matter of catabolism.
Essentially, if you can engineer your body to require more energy, your body will comply by breaking cells down to deliver it; and that process (metabolism) burns calories. Simple, right?
So based on that logic, something called interval training neatly fits in with the overall plan. Interval training is simply adding a high-energy burning component to your exercise plan on an infrequent, or interval, basis.
For example, you may be at a stage where you can jog for 20 minutes every other day, therefore putting your heart into a cardiovascular zone during this time.
Obviously, this is going to help boost your metabolism and burn calories/energy, yet you can actually burn disproportionately more calories if, during that 20 minute jog, you add a 30 second or 1 minute sprint.
Why? Because during this 30 seconds or 1 minute, you give your body a bit of a jolt.
Not an unhealthy jolt - remember, we’re talking about quick bursts here, not suddenly racing around the track or through the park! By giving your body an interval jolt, it automatically and somewhat unexpectedly, has to turn things up a notch.
And to compensate for your extra energy requirements, your body will burn more calories.
It’s essential to always keep in mind that interval training only works when it’s at intervals. This may seem like a strange thing to say (and even difficult to understand), but it’s actually very straightforward.
The metabolism-boosting benefits that you enjoy as a result of interval training are primarily due to the fact that your body, suddenly, needs to find more energy. During cardiovascular exercise, if your body suddenly needs to grab some more energy in that period, it will boost your metabolism as if it were given a nice, healthy jolt.
Should you then decide to extend your 30 second or 1 minute sprint into a 20 minute sprint, you simply wouldn’t experience all of the benefits.
Yes, your body would use more energy if you extend yourself to the higher range of your aerobic training zone. But your body won’t necessarily get that jolt that only comes from interval training.
So remember: your goal with interval training is to give your body a healthy jolt where it suddenly says to itself:
“Whoa! We need more energy here FAST, this person has increased their heart rate from 180 beats per minute to 190 beats per minute! Let’s go to any available cell, like those fat cells down at the waist, and break them down via catabolism so that this person can get the energy that they need!”
Interval training can last longer than 30 seconds or a minute, indeed some experts suggest that you can use interval training for 30-40 minutes, depending on your state of health and what your overall exercise regimen looks like. But the reason we’re focusing on 30 seconds to 1 minute is simply to give you a clear understanding that interval training is a kind of mini training within a training program.
And, as always, don’t overdo it with your interval training. Your goal here is to become healthier and stronger, and lose weight in the process.
That’s all for now, but if you are interested in a seriously powerful programme to boost your metabolism by giving yourelf that healthy jolt, just take a look at this by Clicking Here, and it's amazing value!
See you next time in Blog 10.
Sandra
Today we are going to cover interval training. Some of you it will appeal to and some of you it may not, but if you are one of the latter, don’t worry! The purpose of this ‘Boosting Your Metabolism’ series is to present as many different ways of doing so, in order to allow you to decide which is the best way for you to Boost Your Metabolism, or to perhaps give you some new ideas that you may like to try.
The basic weight loss nuts and bolts behind cardiovascular exercise (or any kind of exercise, really) is, as you know, a matter of catabolism.
Essentially, if you can engineer your body to require more energy, your body will comply by breaking cells down to deliver it; and that process (metabolism) burns calories. Simple, right?
So based on that logic, something called interval training neatly fits in with the overall plan. Interval training is simply adding a high-energy burning component to your exercise plan on an infrequent, or interval, basis.
For example, you may be at a stage where you can jog for 20 minutes every other day, therefore putting your heart into a cardiovascular zone during this time.
Obviously, this is going to help boost your metabolism and burn calories/energy, yet you can actually burn disproportionately more calories if, during that 20 minute jog, you add a 30 second or 1 minute sprint.
Why? Because during this 30 seconds or 1 minute, you give your body a bit of a jolt.
Not an unhealthy jolt - remember, we’re talking about quick bursts here, not suddenly racing around the track or through the park! By giving your body an interval jolt, it automatically and somewhat unexpectedly, has to turn things up a notch.
And to compensate for your extra energy requirements, your body will burn more calories.
It’s essential to always keep in mind that interval training only works when it’s at intervals. This may seem like a strange thing to say (and even difficult to understand), but it’s actually very straightforward.
The metabolism-boosting benefits that you enjoy as a result of interval training are primarily due to the fact that your body, suddenly, needs to find more energy. During cardiovascular exercise, if your body suddenly needs to grab some more energy in that period, it will boost your metabolism as if it were given a nice, healthy jolt.
Should you then decide to extend your 30 second or 1 minute sprint into a 20 minute sprint, you simply wouldn’t experience all of the benefits.
Yes, your body would use more energy if you extend yourself to the higher range of your aerobic training zone. But your body won’t necessarily get that jolt that only comes from interval training.
So remember: your goal with interval training is to give your body a healthy jolt where it suddenly says to itself:
“Whoa! We need more energy here FAST, this person has increased their heart rate from 180 beats per minute to 190 beats per minute! Let’s go to any available cell, like those fat cells down at the waist, and break them down via catabolism so that this person can get the energy that they need!”
Interval training can last longer than 30 seconds or a minute, indeed some experts suggest that you can use interval training for 30-40 minutes, depending on your state of health and what your overall exercise regimen looks like. But the reason we’re focusing on 30 seconds to 1 minute is simply to give you a clear understanding that interval training is a kind of mini training within a training program.
And, as always, don’t overdo it with your interval training. Your goal here is to become healthier and stronger, and lose weight in the process.
That’s all for now, but if you are interested in a seriously powerful programme to boost your metabolism by giving yourelf that healthy jolt, just take a look at this by Clicking Here, and it's amazing value!
See you next time in Blog 10.
Sandra
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 8 - Build Lean Muscle
Many women are very cautious about undertaking any exercise regimen that can lead to muscle building.
The old perception was that muscle building leads to muscle bulking, and before long, gorging forearm veins and a shrinking cleavage, is frankly not the case.
Provided you aren’t supporting workouts with specific muscle-building supplements, there is no need to be concerned; because building lean muscle won’t make you bulk up.
Still, the question remains: why would women who want to boost their metabolism focus on muscle building? Isn’t cardiovascular exercising the only thing that matters?
Again, the answer is: No! In addition to a healthy and responsible cardiovascular program, muscle building is an exceptionally powerful way to boost metabolism.
How? Because a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat.
And what does this mean? It means that if you have more muscle on your body – anywhere on your body – you will simply burn more calories as a result.
You don’t even have to do anything. You’ll just burn more calories, because muscle simply requires more of an energy investment.
Of course, as you can probably guess, if you build muscle and then leave it alone, over time, the muscle fibres will weaken and you’ll lose that wonderful calorie-burning factory. But that’s no problem, because all you need to do is build and maintain healthy muscle.
It may sound daunting; especially if at the moment you perceive yourself to have much more fat than muscle. But the important thing to remember is that once you start building muscle – through any kind of strength training – your body will itself start burning more calories.
It has to; even while you sleep, or go to a movie, or read a book. It’s like putting your calorie-burning (catabolism) program on auto-pilot.
So don’t let a little (or even a lot) of extra flab, deter you from believing that muscle building is important.
Yes, you should enjoy cardiovascular exercise too, because that’s ultimately how your body is going to burn existing fat. But muscle building plays a profoundly supportive role in that pursuit.
And it’s an exponential one, too: the more fat you transform into muscle, the more calories you’ll burn simply to maintain that new muscle (and the wonderful cycle goes on and on!).
For more great ideas on building lean muscle Click Here and take a look...
See you in Blog 9!
Sandra
The old perception was that muscle building leads to muscle bulking, and before long, gorging forearm veins and a shrinking cleavage, is frankly not the case.
Provided you aren’t supporting workouts with specific muscle-building supplements, there is no need to be concerned; because building lean muscle won’t make you bulk up.
Still, the question remains: why would women who want to boost their metabolism focus on muscle building? Isn’t cardiovascular exercising the only thing that matters?
Again, the answer is: No! In addition to a healthy and responsible cardiovascular program, muscle building is an exceptionally powerful way to boost metabolism.
How? Because a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat.
And what does this mean? It means that if you have more muscle on your body – anywhere on your body – you will simply burn more calories as a result.
You don’t even have to do anything. You’ll just burn more calories, because muscle simply requires more of an energy investment.
Of course, as you can probably guess, if you build muscle and then leave it alone, over time, the muscle fibres will weaken and you’ll lose that wonderful calorie-burning factory. But that’s no problem, because all you need to do is build and maintain healthy muscle.
It may sound daunting; especially if at the moment you perceive yourself to have much more fat than muscle. But the important thing to remember is that once you start building muscle – through any kind of strength training – your body will itself start burning more calories.
It has to; even while you sleep, or go to a movie, or read a book. It’s like putting your calorie-burning (catabolism) program on auto-pilot.
So don’t let a little (or even a lot) of extra flab, deter you from believing that muscle building is important.
Yes, you should enjoy cardiovascular exercise too, because that’s ultimately how your body is going to burn existing fat. But muscle building plays a profoundly supportive role in that pursuit.
And it’s an exponential one, too: the more fat you transform into muscle, the more calories you’ll burn simply to maintain that new muscle (and the wonderful cycle goes on and on!).
For more great ideas on building lean muscle Click Here and take a look...
See you in Blog 9!
Sandra
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 7 - Exercise
It’s going to be old news for you to be reminded that exercising is a big part of boosting your metabolism and burning up calories.
Unless you’re born with one of those unusually active metabolisms which allows you to, almost freakishly, eat thousands of calories a day without gaining weight, you’re like the vast majority of us who need to give our metabolisms a bit of a kick through exercising.
Now if the very word ‘exercise’ provokes beads of perspiration and the prospect of two hours ironing is more alluring that even setting foot in a fitness club – don’t do it, because if an activity is that unappealing from the start, you won’t be keeping it up for very long.
That said, if there are no medical reasons why you shouldn’t, and you haven’t ever tried it before, give it a go – you’d be surprised how quickly you get into a rhythm after the first few weeks, and it will only ever get easier!
So, to kick off, if you think that cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise is an important part of boosting your metabolism, you’d be right! Provided that of course, your qualified doctor confirms you are able to start a program of cardiovascular exercise, this is indeed a great place to start. Increasing heart rate, blood circulation, body temperature, and oxygen intake/carbon dioxide exchange all send messages to the system to initiative catabolism (breaking down cells and using them for energy).
Yet if cardiovascular exercising is the place to start, does that mean that it’s the place to end? No!
Many people, who aren’t as educated as you’ll be when you’ve finished this blog series, responsibly start a dedicated program of cardiovascular health, but they don’t go any further. Not because they’re lazy; but because, frankly, they don’t know that there is significantly more that they can do in their home gym, or at the fitness club, that will be a potent boost to their metabolism.
We will focus upon one of these additional activities in blog post 8 – But if you want to start turbo-boosting your metabolism right now, then this is for you - just Click Here
See you then
Sandra
Unless you’re born with one of those unusually active metabolisms which allows you to, almost freakishly, eat thousands of calories a day without gaining weight, you’re like the vast majority of us who need to give our metabolisms a bit of a kick through exercising.
Now if the very word ‘exercise’ provokes beads of perspiration and the prospect of two hours ironing is more alluring that even setting foot in a fitness club – don’t do it, because if an activity is that unappealing from the start, you won’t be keeping it up for very long.
That said, if there are no medical reasons why you shouldn’t, and you haven’t ever tried it before, give it a go – you’d be surprised how quickly you get into a rhythm after the first few weeks, and it will only ever get easier!
So, to kick off, if you think that cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise is an important part of boosting your metabolism, you’d be right! Provided that of course, your qualified doctor confirms you are able to start a program of cardiovascular exercise, this is indeed a great place to start. Increasing heart rate, blood circulation, body temperature, and oxygen intake/carbon dioxide exchange all send messages to the system to initiative catabolism (breaking down cells and using them for energy).
Yet if cardiovascular exercising is the place to start, does that mean that it’s the place to end? No!
Many people, who aren’t as educated as you’ll be when you’ve finished this blog series, responsibly start a dedicated program of cardiovascular health, but they don’t go any further. Not because they’re lazy; but because, frankly, they don’t know that there is significantly more that they can do in their home gym, or at the fitness club, that will be a potent boost to their metabolism.
We will focus upon one of these additional activities in blog post 8 – But if you want to start turbo-boosting your metabolism right now, then this is for you - just Click Here
See you then
Sandra
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism – Part 6: Strategies, Techniques and Tips
If you’re reading this blog, chances are that you’ve tried – at least once in your life – to boost your metabolism.
Perhaps (like most of us) you weren’t quite certain what metabolism is, and perhaps (again, like most of us) you probably didn’t quite know all that you needed to know in order to accomplish your goals.
Maybe you started a rigorous exercise program of jogging and muscle toning, or eating several small portions a day, rather than three large traditional meal-sized portions, or maybe you even started taking all kinds of supplements that promised to boost your metabolism.
The thing is, is that all of these methods can indeed work. Exercise, eating strategically, and ensuring that your body has catabolism-friendly supplements are but three of many generally good ideas.
So what’s the problem?
The problem is that many of us have no real scientific understanding of what methods boost metabolism, and how or why they work. Some of us, in fact, don’t really even know if they work, we just think that they do.
To give an example, supposing a person were to start a vigorous exercise program that includes significant aerobic cardiovascular movement, such as jogging or cycling. And indeed, after a week, they noticed a drop in weight.
The obvious reason that many would conclude for this is because that person has boosted their metabolism. But have they really boosted their metabolism? May be, may be not. Could it be due to water loss through perspiration that hasn’t been adequately replenished? May be, or may be not.
The point here is that many people – at risk to their health and wellness – don’t quite understand what methods boost metabolism, and the strategies, techniques, and tips, to make it happen for them. And that’s what we’re going to rectify in the blogs ahead.
You won’t come across any casual information that a friend of a friend heard on TV. Nor will you be subjected to off-the-cuff information of how to boost your metabolism.
Rather, we’re going to look at the popular, easy, fun (yes, believe it or not), and successful ways to boost your metabolism.
To most easily introduce and discuss them here, I have taken key ideas and broken them down into 3 broad categories:
As you go through each of the key points, you are bound to note that there is some overlap between them. For example, it’s hard to imagine that introducing exercise into your life isn’t, in many ways, a lifestyle choice.
Similarly, integrating all kinds of metabolism-boosting foods into your diet is surely going to influence how you spend your time (less time in fast food line-ups for sure!).
So, please don’t get bogged down in the categories, they are merely provided here to help organize key points, and to help you easily refer to them in the future. The important thing for you to do is understand each of the points, and evaluate how you can responsibly integrate them into your life.
Till next time
Best Wishes
Sandra
Perhaps (like most of us) you weren’t quite certain what metabolism is, and perhaps (again, like most of us) you probably didn’t quite know all that you needed to know in order to accomplish your goals.
Maybe you started a rigorous exercise program of jogging and muscle toning, or eating several small portions a day, rather than three large traditional meal-sized portions, or maybe you even started taking all kinds of supplements that promised to boost your metabolism.
The thing is, is that all of these methods can indeed work. Exercise, eating strategically, and ensuring that your body has catabolism-friendly supplements are but three of many generally good ideas.
So what’s the problem?
The problem is that many of us have no real scientific understanding of what methods boost metabolism, and how or why they work. Some of us, in fact, don’t really even know if they work, we just think that they do.
To give an example, supposing a person were to start a vigorous exercise program that includes significant aerobic cardiovascular movement, such as jogging or cycling. And indeed, after a week, they noticed a drop in weight.
The obvious reason that many would conclude for this is because that person has boosted their metabolism. But have they really boosted their metabolism? May be, may be not. Could it be due to water loss through perspiration that hasn’t been adequately replenished? May be, or may be not.
The point here is that many people – at risk to their health and wellness – don’t quite understand what methods boost metabolism, and the strategies, techniques, and tips, to make it happen for them. And that’s what we’re going to rectify in the blogs ahead.
You won’t come across any casual information that a friend of a friend heard on TV. Nor will you be subjected to off-the-cuff information of how to boost your metabolism.
Rather, we’re going to look at the popular, easy, fun (yes, believe it or not), and successful ways to boost your metabolism.
To most easily introduce and discuss them here, I have taken key ideas and broken them down into 3 broad categories:
1. Exercise
2. Lifestyle
3. Diet
As you go through each of the key points, you are bound to note that there is some overlap between them. For example, it’s hard to imagine that introducing exercise into your life isn’t, in many ways, a lifestyle choice.
Similarly, integrating all kinds of metabolism-boosting foods into your diet is surely going to influence how you spend your time (less time in fast food line-ups for sure!).
So, please don’t get bogged down in the categories, they are merely provided here to help organize key points, and to help you easily refer to them in the future. The important thing for you to do is understand each of the points, and evaluate how you can responsibly integrate them into your life.
Till next time
Best Wishes
Sandra
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism – Part 5:
A Final Word About Fat
There’s a nasty rumour floating around out there that fat cells are permanent. And the nastiest thing about this rumour is that it’s true.
Yes, most experts have conceded that once fat cells are created, they are there for life. Yet this doesn’t spell doom and gloom to those of us who could stand to drop a few pounds. Because even though experts believe that fat cells are permanent, they also agree that fat cells can be shrunk. So even if the absolute number of fat cells in your body remain the same, their size, and hence their appearance and percentage of your overall weight, can be reduced.
A Quick Recap
So while we haven’t gone into any medical detail – because we don’t need to or want to – we have covered some key basics about metabolism. In fact, you probably now know as much about metabolism as many so-called experts.
The bottom line is simply that metabolism represents a process - countless processes in fact, that convert food into energy. When this process creates cells, it’s called anabolism. When this process breaks cells down, it’s called catabolism.
For people trying to lose weight, it’s important to encourage catabolism. That is, it’s important to convert food into energy that is used to break cells down.
Catabolism is also important because it prevents excess energy (calories) from being stored by the body.
Remember: when the body has too many calories – regardless of what food source those calories came from, it can only do two things. It can desperately try and see if you have any energy needs (very handy if you happen to be running a marathon at the time), or, more often, it will have to store those calories. It has no choice. And unless you have lean muscle that is gobbling up those excess calories, you’ll be adding fat.
The remainder of this blog series however, is going to point you in the opposite direction. You’ll learn various techniques, tips, and strategies to boost your metabolism.
And then, in the latter part of the blog, you’ll be introduced to some metabolism-boosting foods that you’ll definitely want to add to your regular eating regimen.
To discover how you can eat healthily without starving yourself and lose weight naturally whilst still enjoying your food Click Here
Till next time
Sandra
There’s a nasty rumour floating around out there that fat cells are permanent. And the nastiest thing about this rumour is that it’s true.
Yes, most experts have conceded that once fat cells are created, they are there for life. Yet this doesn’t spell doom and gloom to those of us who could stand to drop a few pounds. Because even though experts believe that fat cells are permanent, they also agree that fat cells can be shrunk. So even if the absolute number of fat cells in your body remain the same, their size, and hence their appearance and percentage of your overall weight, can be reduced.
A Quick Recap
So while we haven’t gone into any medical detail – because we don’t need to or want to – we have covered some key basics about metabolism. In fact, you probably now know as much about metabolism as many so-called experts.
The bottom line is simply that metabolism represents a process - countless processes in fact, that convert food into energy. When this process creates cells, it’s called anabolism. When this process breaks cells down, it’s called catabolism.
For people trying to lose weight, it’s important to encourage catabolism. That is, it’s important to convert food into energy that is used to break cells down.
Catabolism is also important because it prevents excess energy (calories) from being stored by the body.
Remember: when the body has too many calories – regardless of what food source those calories came from, it can only do two things. It can desperately try and see if you have any energy needs (very handy if you happen to be running a marathon at the time), or, more often, it will have to store those calories. It has no choice. And unless you have lean muscle that is gobbling up those excess calories, you’ll be adding fat.
The remainder of this blog series however, is going to point you in the opposite direction. You’ll learn various techniques, tips, and strategies to boost your metabolism.
And then, in the latter part of the blog, you’ll be introduced to some metabolism-boosting foods that you’ll definitely want to add to your regular eating regimen.
To discover how you can eat healthily without starving yourself and lose weight naturally whilst still enjoying your food Click Here
Till next time
Sandra
Saturday, 10 July 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 4: Food Lovers Fat Loss – Calories make it Happen!
Hi there,
So, what are calories any way?
Well, calories are simply units of measure. They are not actually things in and of themselves; they are labels for other things, just like how an inch really is not anything, but it measures the distance between two points.
So what do calories measure?
Easy: they measure energy.
Yup, the evil calorie – the bane of the dieter’s existence – is really just a 3-syllable label for energy.
And it is worthwhile highlighting this, because the body itself, despite its vast intelligence (much of which medical science cannot yet understand), does not really do a very intelligent job of distinguishing good energy from bad.
Actually, to be blunt, the body does not care about where the energy comes from. Let us explore this a little more, because it is very important to the overall understanding of how to boost your metabolism, particularly when we look at food choices.
In our choice-laden grocery stores and supermarkets, with dozens of varieties of foods, and perhaps even hundreds, there seems to be a fairly clear awareness of what is good food, and what is bad or junk food.
For example, we do not need a book to remind us that, all else being equal, a plum is a good food, whereas a tub of thick and creamy double-chocolate ice cream is a bad food.
Not bad tasting, of course; but for obvious reasons, if you are looking for a healthy way to lose weight, eating a vat of ice cream a day is not a great idea. So what does this have to do with calories and energy?
It is this: while you and I can evaluate our food choices and decide that something (like a plum) is a healthy source of energy, and something else (like a tub of ice cream) is an unhealthy source of energy, the body does not, and cannot evaluate.
It sounds strange and amazing, but the body, despite its vast intelligence, does not really care. To the body, energy is energy. It takes whatever it gets, and does not really know that some foods are healthier than others. It is kind of like a garbage disposal: it takes what you put down it, whether it should go down or not.
So let us apply this to the body, and to weight gain. When the body receives a calorie – which, as we know, is merely a label for energy – it must do something with that energy.
In other words, putting all other nutrients and minerals aside, if a plum delivers 100 calories to the body, the body has to accept those 100 calories. The same goes for 500 calories from a (small) tub of ice cream: those 500 calories have to be dealt with.
Now, the body does two things to that energy: it either metabolizes it via anabolism, or it metabolizes it via catabolism. That is, it will either convert the energy (calories) into cells/tissue (anabolism), or it will use that energy (calories) to break down cells (catabolism).
Now the link between calories/energy, metabolism, and weight loss becomes clearer.
When there is an excess of energy, and the body can’t use this energy to deal with any needs at the time, it will be forced to create cells with that extra energy. It has to.
It does not necessarily want to, but after figuring out that the energy cannot be used to do anything (such as help you exercise or digest some food), it has to turn it into cells through anabolism.
And those extra cells? Yup, you guessed it: they add up to extra weight!
In a nutshell (and nuts have lots of calories by the way, so watch out and eat them in small portions), the whole calorie/metabolism/weight gain thing is really just about excess energy. When there are too many calories in the body – that is, when there’s too much energy from food – then the body transforms those calories into stuff.
And that stuff, most of the time, is fat. Sometimes, of course, those extra calories are transformed into muscle; and this is usually a good thing for those watching their weight or trying to maintain an optimal body fat ratio.
In fact, because muscles require calories to maintain, people with strong muscle tone burn calories without actually doing anything; their metabolism burns it for them.
This is the primary reason why exercising and building lean muscle is often part of an overall program to boost your metabolism; because the more lean muscle you have, the more places excess calories can go before they are turned into fat.
So, now you understand calories, you do not have to be scared of them – just be aware of how your body treats them. Balance those calories and there will be no reason why Food Lovers Fat Loss cannot be a reality for you.
For great ideas on recipes and food choices, take a look at the Healthy Foods Cook Book by Clicking Here now.
Till the next time
Best Wishes
Sandra
So, what are calories any way?
Well, calories are simply units of measure. They are not actually things in and of themselves; they are labels for other things, just like how an inch really is not anything, but it measures the distance between two points.
So what do calories measure?
Easy: they measure energy.
Yup, the evil calorie – the bane of the dieter’s existence – is really just a 3-syllable label for energy.
And it is worthwhile highlighting this, because the body itself, despite its vast intelligence (much of which medical science cannot yet understand), does not really do a very intelligent job of distinguishing good energy from bad.
Actually, to be blunt, the body does not care about where the energy comes from. Let us explore this a little more, because it is very important to the overall understanding of how to boost your metabolism, particularly when we look at food choices.
In our choice-laden grocery stores and supermarkets, with dozens of varieties of foods, and perhaps even hundreds, there seems to be a fairly clear awareness of what is good food, and what is bad or junk food.
For example, we do not need a book to remind us that, all else being equal, a plum is a good food, whereas a tub of thick and creamy double-chocolate ice cream is a bad food.
Not bad tasting, of course; but for obvious reasons, if you are looking for a healthy way to lose weight, eating a vat of ice cream a day is not a great idea. So what does this have to do with calories and energy?
It is this: while you and I can evaluate our food choices and decide that something (like a plum) is a healthy source of energy, and something else (like a tub of ice cream) is an unhealthy source of energy, the body does not, and cannot evaluate.
It sounds strange and amazing, but the body, despite its vast intelligence, does not really care. To the body, energy is energy. It takes whatever it gets, and does not really know that some foods are healthier than others. It is kind of like a garbage disposal: it takes what you put down it, whether it should go down or not.
So let us apply this to the body, and to weight gain. When the body receives a calorie – which, as we know, is merely a label for energy – it must do something with that energy.
In other words, putting all other nutrients and minerals aside, if a plum delivers 100 calories to the body, the body has to accept those 100 calories. The same goes for 500 calories from a (small) tub of ice cream: those 500 calories have to be dealt with.
Now, the body does two things to that energy: it either metabolizes it via anabolism, or it metabolizes it via catabolism. That is, it will either convert the energy (calories) into cells/tissue (anabolism), or it will use that energy (calories) to break down cells (catabolism).
Now the link between calories/energy, metabolism, and weight loss becomes clearer.
When there is an excess of energy, and the body can’t use this energy to deal with any needs at the time, it will be forced to create cells with that extra energy. It has to.
It does not necessarily want to, but after figuring out that the energy cannot be used to do anything (such as help you exercise or digest some food), it has to turn it into cells through anabolism.
And those extra cells? Yup, you guessed it: they add up to extra weight!
In a nutshell (and nuts have lots of calories by the way, so watch out and eat them in small portions), the whole calorie/metabolism/weight gain thing is really just about excess energy. When there are too many calories in the body – that is, when there’s too much energy from food – then the body transforms those calories into stuff.
And that stuff, most of the time, is fat. Sometimes, of course, those extra calories are transformed into muscle; and this is usually a good thing for those watching their weight or trying to maintain an optimal body fat ratio.
In fact, because muscles require calories to maintain, people with strong muscle tone burn calories without actually doing anything; their metabolism burns it for them.
This is the primary reason why exercising and building lean muscle is often part of an overall program to boost your metabolism; because the more lean muscle you have, the more places excess calories can go before they are turned into fat.
So, now you understand calories, you do not have to be scared of them – just be aware of how your body treats them. Balance those calories and there will be no reason why Food Lovers Fat Loss cannot be a reality for you.
For great ideas on recipes and food choices, take a look at the Healthy Foods Cook Book by Clicking Here now.
Till the next time
Best Wishes
Sandra
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 3 - Anabolism and Catabolism
The first function is creating tissue and cells. Each moment, our bodies are creating more cells to replace dead or dysfunctional cells.
For example, if you cut your finger, your body (if it’s functioning properly) will begin – without even wasting a moment or asking your permission –the process of creating skin cells to clot the blood and start the healing process. This creation process is a metabolic response, and is called anabolism.
On the other hand, there is the exact opposite activity taking place in other parts of the body. Instead of building cells and tissue through metabolism, the body is breaking down energy so that the body can do what it’s supposed to do.
For example, as you aerobically exercise, your body temperature rises as your heart beat increases and remains with a certain range.
As this happens, your body requires more oxygen; and as such, your breathing increases as you take in more. All of this, as you can imagine, requires additional energy.
After all, if your body couldn’t adjust to this enhanced requirement for oxygen (both taking it in and getting rid of it in the form of carbon dioxide), you would collapse!
Presuming, of course, that you aren’t overdoing it, your body will instead begin converting food (e.g. calories) into energy. And this process, as you know, is a metabolic process, and is called catabolism.
So, the metabolism is a constant process that takes care of two seemingly opposite functions: anabolism that uses energy to create cells, and catabolism that breaks down cells to create energy.
It is in this way that the metabolism earns its reputation as a harmonizer. It brings together these apparently conflicting functions, and does so in an optimal way that enables the body to both create cells as needed, and break them down, again as needed.
Metabolism and Weight Loss
By now, you already have a sense of how metabolism relates to weight loss (catabolic metabolism, or breaking cells down and transforming them into energy).
To understand this process even more clearly, in Boosting Your Metabolism – Part 4, we can introduce a very important player in the weight loss game: the calorie.
Click here and check out this Hot Site for more on how you can boost your metabolism effortlessly
See you again soon
Best Wishes
Sandra
For example, if you cut your finger, your body (if it’s functioning properly) will begin – without even wasting a moment or asking your permission –the process of creating skin cells to clot the blood and start the healing process. This creation process is a metabolic response, and is called anabolism.
On the other hand, there is the exact opposite activity taking place in other parts of the body. Instead of building cells and tissue through metabolism, the body is breaking down energy so that the body can do what it’s supposed to do.
For example, as you aerobically exercise, your body temperature rises as your heart beat increases and remains with a certain range.
As this happens, your body requires more oxygen; and as such, your breathing increases as you take in more. All of this, as you can imagine, requires additional energy.
After all, if your body couldn’t adjust to this enhanced requirement for oxygen (both taking it in and getting rid of it in the form of carbon dioxide), you would collapse!
Presuming, of course, that you aren’t overdoing it, your body will instead begin converting food (e.g. calories) into energy. And this process, as you know, is a metabolic process, and is called catabolism.
So, the metabolism is a constant process that takes care of two seemingly opposite functions: anabolism that uses energy to create cells, and catabolism that breaks down cells to create energy.
It is in this way that the metabolism earns its reputation as a harmonizer. It brings together these apparently conflicting functions, and does so in an optimal way that enables the body to both create cells as needed, and break them down, again as needed.
Metabolism and Weight Loss
By now, you already have a sense of how metabolism relates to weight loss (catabolic metabolism, or breaking cells down and transforming them into energy).
To understand this process even more clearly, in Boosting Your Metabolism – Part 4, we can introduce a very important player in the weight loss game: the calorie.
Click here and check out this Hot Site for more on how you can boost your metabolism effortlessly
See you again soon
Best Wishes
Sandra
Friday, 2 July 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 2 - What is Metabolism?
Hi again,
Before you can begin to boost your metabolism, it makes sense to explain exactly what metabolism is, and how it works – but don’t worry, you only need to know the basics!
Some people think that the metabolism is a kind of organ, or a body part, that influences digestion. Actually, the metabolism isn’t any particular body part. It’s the process by which the body converts food into energy.
Hence, you’ve likely heard of the phrase metabolic process used synonymously with the term metabolism, because they both mean the same thing.
The Medical Mumbo Jumbo
Again, don’t worry - this isn’t a complicated medical text (which should be great news to most of you!), and so we don’t need to spend an unnecessary amount of time and space focusing on the layered complexity of the human body and its extraordinary intelligence.
Without drilling deeply into medical details (which are not relevant for our general understanding purposes) it is however helpful to briefly look at the biological mechanisms behind metabolism.
Metabolism, is the process of transforming food (e.g. nutrients) into fuel (e.g. energy). The body uses this energy to conduct a vast array of essential functions.
In fact, your ability to read this page, literally, is driven by your metabolism.
If you had no metabolism – that is, if you had no metabolic process that was converting food into energy – then you wouldn’t be able to move.
In fact, long before you realized that you couldn’t move a finger or lift your foot, your internal processes would have stopped; because the basic building blocks of life – circulating blood, transforming oxygen into carbon dioxide, expelling potentially lethal wastes through the kidneys and so on – all of these depend on metabolism.
Keep this in mind the next time you hear someone say that they have a slow metabolism. While they may struggle with unwanted weight gain due to metabolic factors, they certainly have a functioning metabolism. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t even be able to speak (because that, too, requires energy that comes from, you guessed it: metabolism!).
It’s also interesting to note that, while we conveniently refer to the metabolic process as if it were a single function, it’s really a catch-all term for countless functions that are taking place inside the body. Every second of every minute of every day of your life – even, of course, when you sleep – numerous chemical conversions are taking place through metabolism, or metabolic functioning. Anabolism (building cells) and catabolism (breaking down cells), are two of those functions we’ll be looking at a little more in Boosting Your Metabolism – Part 3.
So to sum up, metabolism can reasonably be referred to as a harmonizing process that manages to achieve two critical bodily functions that, in a sense, seem to be at odds with each other.
And that’s it – that’s about as much as you need to know about what metabolism is to start boosting yours, and when you do, you will find out that it is not just a healthy way to lose weight, but one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight too!
If you would like to find out more about a really great metabolism boosting proramme, just Click Here.
Till next time
Best Wishes
Sandra
Before you can begin to boost your metabolism, it makes sense to explain exactly what metabolism is, and how it works – but don’t worry, you only need to know the basics!
Some people think that the metabolism is a kind of organ, or a body part, that influences digestion. Actually, the metabolism isn’t any particular body part. It’s the process by which the body converts food into energy.
Hence, you’ve likely heard of the phrase metabolic process used synonymously with the term metabolism, because they both mean the same thing.
The Medical Mumbo Jumbo
Again, don’t worry - this isn’t a complicated medical text (which should be great news to most of you!), and so we don’t need to spend an unnecessary amount of time and space focusing on the layered complexity of the human body and its extraordinary intelligence.
Without drilling deeply into medical details (which are not relevant for our general understanding purposes) it is however helpful to briefly look at the biological mechanisms behind metabolism.
Metabolism, is the process of transforming food (e.g. nutrients) into fuel (e.g. energy). The body uses this energy to conduct a vast array of essential functions.
In fact, your ability to read this page, literally, is driven by your metabolism.
If you had no metabolism – that is, if you had no metabolic process that was converting food into energy – then you wouldn’t be able to move.
In fact, long before you realized that you couldn’t move a finger or lift your foot, your internal processes would have stopped; because the basic building blocks of life – circulating blood, transforming oxygen into carbon dioxide, expelling potentially lethal wastes through the kidneys and so on – all of these depend on metabolism.
Keep this in mind the next time you hear someone say that they have a slow metabolism. While they may struggle with unwanted weight gain due to metabolic factors, they certainly have a functioning metabolism. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t even be able to speak (because that, too, requires energy that comes from, you guessed it: metabolism!).
It’s also interesting to note that, while we conveniently refer to the metabolic process as if it were a single function, it’s really a catch-all term for countless functions that are taking place inside the body. Every second of every minute of every day of your life – even, of course, when you sleep – numerous chemical conversions are taking place through metabolism, or metabolic functioning. Anabolism (building cells) and catabolism (breaking down cells), are two of those functions we’ll be looking at a little more in Boosting Your Metabolism – Part 3.
So to sum up, metabolism can reasonably be referred to as a harmonizing process that manages to achieve two critical bodily functions that, in a sense, seem to be at odds with each other.
And that’s it – that’s about as much as you need to know about what metabolism is to start boosting yours, and when you do, you will find out that it is not just a healthy way to lose weight, but one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight too!
If you would like to find out more about a really great metabolism boosting proramme, just Click Here.
Till next time
Best Wishes
Sandra
Friday, 25 June 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - The Facts You Really Need To Know - Part 1
Hi there, and welcome to Part 1 of my blog series on ‘Boosting Your Metabolism – The Facts You Really Need To Know’.
It seems rarely a week passes without hearing the word metabolism these days – from the ‘girl on the street’ as an explanation of why she’s having trouble shifting her love handles, to doctors by way of explaining why starvation and water loss diets are not medically or scientifically effective, because they do not influence or take into account metabolism (there’s that word again!)
So, for all of the usage that this rather daunting and biologically-charged word enjoys in our world, you would comfortably assume that people understand it, or at least have some fundamental information when it comes to speeding up their metabolism, right?
Wrong!
Each year, tens of millions of people attempt to retake control over their health and the shape of their body; and each year, tens of millions of people feel that they’ve “failed” because, try as they might, they just cannot speed up their metabolism.
So this blog series is the antidote to that way of thinking and feeling, because the perceived failure is not a failure in any of these hard working dieters and exercisers (of which you may be one).
The failure is with the medical and nutritional sector as a whole, which has simply not provided people with the information that they need to know in order to speed up their metabolism.
And given the size of the nutritional field and the fact that so much of it is influenced by money-making enterprises, (not all of the field, but enough to make a difference) perhaps that is not so surprising.
What’s Inside…
And that is why this blog series exists. It’s been created for the millions of everyday people like us, who simply want to know the healthy way to lose weight by speeding up their metabolism.
We want to know:
• What the heck a metabolism is, and what role it really plays on weight loss and gain
• The proven, scientific ways to speed up metabolism – not myths and fitness club “speculation”, but the real deal.
• Specific diet and food items that promote a faster metabolism, so that once unwanted weight has been lost, it can be kept off through a responsible eating plan.
And in the blog posts ahead, that’s precisely what I will cover, so look out for Boosting Your Metabolism – The Facts You Really Need To Know – Part 2, because if you are looking for easy ways to lose weight, speeding up your metabolism is as easy as it gets …. and it’s permanent!
See you then
Sandra
It seems rarely a week passes without hearing the word metabolism these days – from the ‘girl on the street’ as an explanation of why she’s having trouble shifting her love handles, to doctors by way of explaining why starvation and water loss diets are not medically or scientifically effective, because they do not influence or take into account metabolism (there’s that word again!)
So, for all of the usage that this rather daunting and biologically-charged word enjoys in our world, you would comfortably assume that people understand it, or at least have some fundamental information when it comes to speeding up their metabolism, right?
Wrong!
Each year, tens of millions of people attempt to retake control over their health and the shape of their body; and each year, tens of millions of people feel that they’ve “failed” because, try as they might, they just cannot speed up their metabolism.
So this blog series is the antidote to that way of thinking and feeling, because the perceived failure is not a failure in any of these hard working dieters and exercisers (of which you may be one).
The failure is with the medical and nutritional sector as a whole, which has simply not provided people with the information that they need to know in order to speed up their metabolism.
And given the size of the nutritional field and the fact that so much of it is influenced by money-making enterprises, (not all of the field, but enough to make a difference) perhaps that is not so surprising.
What’s Inside…
And that is why this blog series exists. It’s been created for the millions of everyday people like us, who simply want to know the healthy way to lose weight by speeding up their metabolism.
We want to know:
• What the heck a metabolism is, and what role it really plays on weight loss and gain
• The proven, scientific ways to speed up metabolism – not myths and fitness club “speculation”, but the real deal.
• Specific diet and food items that promote a faster metabolism, so that once unwanted weight has been lost, it can be kept off through a responsible eating plan.
And in the blog posts ahead, that’s precisely what I will cover, so look out for Boosting Your Metabolism – The Facts You Really Need To Know – Part 2, because if you are looking for easy ways to lose weight, speeding up your metabolism is as easy as it gets …. and it’s permanent!
See you then
Sandra
Saturday, 19 June 2010
Pilates Leg Workout
For a really good and easy leg workout, take a look at this video - it will give you a seriously toned butt and legs!
For more great information on seriously toning those abs too - take a look at this great site by just Clicking here
Sandra
For more great information on seriously toning those abs too - take a look at this great site by just Clicking here
Sandra
Saturday, 12 June 2010
Top 10 Secrets of the Slim
Want to know the secrets of the slim? Well check out this video on how people use them everyday of their lives, and how you can too, enjoy!
To find out more information on losing weight whilst still enjoying all the foods you love, Click here
Sandra
To find out more information on losing weight whilst still enjoying all the foods you love, Click here
Sandra
Monday, 7 June 2010
The Don't Go Hungry Diet!
Take a look at this video and find out why you shouldn't stop eating when trying to lose weight !
To discover how you to can still have all the things you love to eat and still lose weight, just Click here
Sandra
To discover how you to can still have all the things you love to eat and still lose weight, just Click here
Sandra
Sunday, 6 June 2010
Permanent Weight Loss - Healthy Ways to Succeed
There are many diets that may help you to lose weight but as soon as they are finished, the pounds start to creep back on, and then within a few months you are back where you started, probably feeling very de-motivated and frustrated. Most diets are focused on short term goals and do not educate us on long term changes that can easily be made to our diet and lifestyle to ensure we lose weight healthily and permanently.
Well the secret is to lose weight slowly and gradually, which is healthier for you, as the body does not like any sudden changes, so aiming for losing a couple of pounds each week is ideal.
1. One of the most important things is to increase the amount of physical activity you do on a regular basis, which will help to burn calories, and tone and strengthen the body. This doesn’t have to mean using expensive weight loss plans, diet aids or spending hours in the gym, just simply walking for 20 minutes 3 times each week or joining a dance class will help you to get fitter and slimmer. If you have friends that like cycling, swimming or even yoga, why not join their group? Whichever type of exercise you choose, it will help to burn fat fast.
Exercise is a metabolism booster, and your metabolism determines the rate at which your body burns calories - the higher it is, the more successful you will be in achieving permanent weight loss. Exercise helps to build muscle tissue in the body which in turn burns calories at a rate that is ten times higher than that of fat tissue.
2. Cut back on the amount of carbohydrates in your diet and reduce your intake of unhealthy fats. Increase the amount of foods in your diet that are high in fibre and low in fat, such as brown bread, pasta, rice and also fruit and vegetables, which will fill you up fast and are healthier for you.
To make the body use up its stores of fat, reduce your calorie intake …. which doesn’t mean living on a diet of lettuce for months on end! Switch to skimmed milk instead of whole fat milk and if you must, use a sweetener instead of sugar in your tea or coffee. Fizzy drinks can be replaced with water or fruit juices and cutting down on alcohol as much as possible will help you to reduce calories, as will eating slightly smaller portions.
Remember it is important to introduce changes gradually, and also to have realistic expectations. Making a number of small changes to your diet and lifestyle is the easiest way to shed unwanted pounds permanently. Eating one extra biscuit a day can lead to a 5 pound weight gain over the course of a year, so if you eat 1 biscuit less a day, you should lose 5 pounds!
So by reducing your calorie intake together with an increase in your physical activity, you can lose weight both healthily and permanently
Losing weight can improve your health, increase energy levels, reduce stress and is useful in preventing and reversing disease.
For more great diet advice and how you can maximise your metabolism click here now.
Sandra
Well the secret is to lose weight slowly and gradually, which is healthier for you, as the body does not like any sudden changes, so aiming for losing a couple of pounds each week is ideal.
1. One of the most important things is to increase the amount of physical activity you do on a regular basis, which will help to burn calories, and tone and strengthen the body. This doesn’t have to mean using expensive weight loss plans, diet aids or spending hours in the gym, just simply walking for 20 minutes 3 times each week or joining a dance class will help you to get fitter and slimmer. If you have friends that like cycling, swimming or even yoga, why not join their group? Whichever type of exercise you choose, it will help to burn fat fast.
Exercise is a metabolism booster, and your metabolism determines the rate at which your body burns calories - the higher it is, the more successful you will be in achieving permanent weight loss. Exercise helps to build muscle tissue in the body which in turn burns calories at a rate that is ten times higher than that of fat tissue.
2. Cut back on the amount of carbohydrates in your diet and reduce your intake of unhealthy fats. Increase the amount of foods in your diet that are high in fibre and low in fat, such as brown bread, pasta, rice and also fruit and vegetables, which will fill you up fast and are healthier for you.
To make the body use up its stores of fat, reduce your calorie intake …. which doesn’t mean living on a diet of lettuce for months on end! Switch to skimmed milk instead of whole fat milk and if you must, use a sweetener instead of sugar in your tea or coffee. Fizzy drinks can be replaced with water or fruit juices and cutting down on alcohol as much as possible will help you to reduce calories, as will eating slightly smaller portions.
Remember it is important to introduce changes gradually, and also to have realistic expectations. Making a number of small changes to your diet and lifestyle is the easiest way to shed unwanted pounds permanently. Eating one extra biscuit a day can lead to a 5 pound weight gain over the course of a year, so if you eat 1 biscuit less a day, you should lose 5 pounds!
So by reducing your calorie intake together with an increase in your physical activity, you can lose weight both healthily and permanently
Losing weight can improve your health, increase energy levels, reduce stress and is useful in preventing and reversing disease.
For more great diet advice and how you can maximise your metabolism click here now.
Sandra
Saturday, 5 June 2010
How to be a Buff Bride!
Here is a great video for all you brides to be - how to get that great body for your wedding day !
Hope you liked the video, for more great information on how you can easily lose that weight before your special day, click here now
Sandra
Hope you liked the video, for more great information on how you can easily lose that weight before your special day, click here now
Sandra
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
Lose Weight Healthily after Pregnancy and Rekindle Your Relationship with those Skinny Jeans!
We have all seen the high profile celebrity mums on the red carpet at film premiers, who just weeks after giving birth appear to have regained their shape, and show it off by wearing the slinkiest of designer dresses.
So, with today’s enthusiastic media coverage of celebrity mothers, there is more pressure than ever on new mothers to lose weight quickly, but how do they do it?
Well, they are most likely to have a team of personal trainers, dieticians and doctors to help them, not to mention the nanny who looks after the baby so they have the time to spend getting back in shape! Thankfully though, you do not need to be a celebrity and have an army of assistants to lose weight quickly after pregnancy, though do make sure you get the all-clear from your doctor before you do any strenuous exercise.
Generally, losing weight after childbirth is much the same as at any other time, so here are a few things to help you - whether you are a celebrity or not!
1. Breast feeding is one of the best ways to help shift that excess weight because it uses up stores of fat in the body equivalent to burning an extra 500 calories each day, and if that’s not an incentive for breast feeding, then I don’t know what is! Breast feeding can lower the risk of diabetes and lower your body’s need for insulin if you already have diabetes, and can also reduce the risk of osteoporosis. It also helps the uterus contract and return to the pre-pregnancy state.
2. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water each day will help you to lose weight. Water will ensure that you are properly hydrated and will also help if you are suffering from water retention after giving birth. Eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and high fibre foods will help ease water retention. Lower your salt intake by avoiding processed and fast foods. Salt will encourage your body to retain water, which is an important element in your diet, but its use should not be excessive.
3. Eat healthy foods as your body will need time to recover after giving birth - if you are breast feeding, now is not the time to go on a calorie restrictive diet exercise programme. Make sure that your diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables and a regular source of lean protein such as chicken and fish. Lean protein is necessary for the body to repair itself.
4. When you feel ready, start doing some light exercise. Going for regular walks with your baby is a great place to start, as pushing the pram is the best exercise for burning calories, getting rid of tummy fat, and will work wonders on those flabby thighs!
By following a healthy weight loss diet for women and taking regular exercise, your confidence and self-esteem will soon blossom, and you may be surprised when other mums in your group wonder how you look so good in such a short space of time. And the really great bonus is that you will also have the benefit of more energy, which will definitely come in handy when your baby grows to the toddler stage!
For more great advice on how you can lose those pregancy pounds click here
Sandra
So, with today’s enthusiastic media coverage of celebrity mothers, there is more pressure than ever on new mothers to lose weight quickly, but how do they do it?
Well, they are most likely to have a team of personal trainers, dieticians and doctors to help them, not to mention the nanny who looks after the baby so they have the time to spend getting back in shape! Thankfully though, you do not need to be a celebrity and have an army of assistants to lose weight quickly after pregnancy, though do make sure you get the all-clear from your doctor before you do any strenuous exercise.
Generally, losing weight after childbirth is much the same as at any other time, so here are a few things to help you - whether you are a celebrity or not!
1. Breast feeding is one of the best ways to help shift that excess weight because it uses up stores of fat in the body equivalent to burning an extra 500 calories each day, and if that’s not an incentive for breast feeding, then I don’t know what is! Breast feeding can lower the risk of diabetes and lower your body’s need for insulin if you already have diabetes, and can also reduce the risk of osteoporosis. It also helps the uterus contract and return to the pre-pregnancy state.
2. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water each day will help you to lose weight. Water will ensure that you are properly hydrated and will also help if you are suffering from water retention after giving birth. Eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and high fibre foods will help ease water retention. Lower your salt intake by avoiding processed and fast foods. Salt will encourage your body to retain water, which is an important element in your diet, but its use should not be excessive.
3. Eat healthy foods as your body will need time to recover after giving birth - if you are breast feeding, now is not the time to go on a calorie restrictive diet exercise programme. Make sure that your diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables and a regular source of lean protein such as chicken and fish. Lean protein is necessary for the body to repair itself.
4. When you feel ready, start doing some light exercise. Going for regular walks with your baby is a great place to start, as pushing the pram is the best exercise for burning calories, getting rid of tummy fat, and will work wonders on those flabby thighs!
By following a healthy weight loss diet for women and taking regular exercise, your confidence and self-esteem will soon blossom, and you may be surprised when other mums in your group wonder how you look so good in such a short space of time. And the really great bonus is that you will also have the benefit of more energy, which will definitely come in handy when your baby grows to the toddler stage!
For more great advice on how you can lose those pregancy pounds click here
Sandra
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