Why is is that some people seem to eat a lot and yet remain "stick-like"? Instead of lamenting about "life isn't fair" or starting on a crash diet, read on about how you can keep fit too!
The most effective way of losing excess weight is to increase metabolism through exercise and planned diets. Metabolism is your body's rate of burning calories for energy in order to carry out functions like digestion and brain activity. An exercise program is very important to losing weight. The body is forced to burn its excess fat storage for energy if you burn more calories than you take in.
Don't skip breakfast
By eating breakfast in the morning, it kick-starts your metaolism. If you wait until mid-morning or afternoon to eat, your metabolism will run slower. So cultivate a habit of eating breakfast. If you have to rush in the morning, bring a packet of cereal with you to school or office. Concentration will be higher when you eat breakfast. Mind and body function much better when they receive a steady source of energy.
Eat frequent small meals
Eat smaller meals at regular intervals instead of having one or two big meal a day. Have 4 to 6 small meals throughout the day, 2 to 3 hours apart. Ideal nutritious snacks include fruits, whole grain breads, sandwiches or sliced carrots and veggies with low fat dressing.
Don't starve yourself
Starving yourself when trying to lose weight will slow down your metabolism. Avoid 5 to 6 hour gaps between meals without eating. The common mistake is to skip meals and eat too little during the day. This makes you vulnerable to eating junk food and all the wrong food later in the day. When dinnertime arrives, slight hunger turns to ravenous hunger which leads to bingeing. It is more difficult to burn off calories at night because we tend to be less active. Thus, in the end, you gain more weight and your metabolism is slowed down.
Fact: Diets that are TOO low in calories actually lower your metabolism, as your brain is tricked into thinking that your body is in starvation mode, thus retaining some of the calories.
Eat high energy food
Include more high energy food such as whole grain beans, vegetables and fruits in your meals to increase your energy level or metabolism.
Fact: Snacks are unhealthy, have little or no nutrition value, and gives you added calories. So cut down on snacking. Eat nutritious food instead.
Walk away the calories
Walking is a good way to increase your metabolism. Inorporate a walking routine at least three to four times a week for 30 minutes each. Use the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible. Take your dog on a daily walk. Do more activities around the house to burn energy.
Strength Training
Incorporating strength training into your routine will allow you to maintain lean muscle mass while losing fat. As your overall muscle mass is increased, your body will burn more calories. Doing "dumb-bell" lifting for at least twice a week will help you stay fit.
Vary your exercises
Your body gets efficient at doing the same exercises day after day, so it makes you burn fewer calories. So consider walking, swimming, aerobic dancing and stationary bike riding. Swimming is an excellent way to stay in shape and burn lots of calories.
Fact: Swimming and stationary bikes are great for people who suffer from chronic back or joint pain because these activities exert the least amount of pressure on the back and joints.
Labels: crash diet, exercising, high energy food, how to increase metabolism, increase metabolism, keeping fit, planned diets, strength training
