Boost Your Metabolism

Any diet you decide on should also include an exercise regimen. Most people fail in their diets because they focus only on changing their eating habits. They only worry over how many calories they consume with each meal. The optimal way to lose weight is to combine your diet of choice with a regular exercise program. Exercise raises your metabolism, which is essential to weight loss.  A higher metabolism allows your body to burn more calories; thus, preventing fat from developing.  Without exercise, weight loss will occur much slower and you will never be able to fully lose all of the weight.

Set specific goals and track your progress to see how your exercise plan is working. Regular exercise even for brief periods can help you feel more energized and more alert. Exercise has also been proven to improve cardiovascular function and reduce your risk of certain health conditions. So get up and get moving!

If you have been inactive for a while, you may want to start with less strenuous activities such as walking or swimming at a comfortable pace. Start slowly so that day by day you will become physically fit without straining your body. Once you are in better shape, you can gradually do more strenuous activity.  Studies show that regular exercise can help improve mood, help you to sleep better, reduce depression and anxiety and help you to better manage stress.

Before you get started ask yourself these few questions:

1.      What do I want to accomplish with my exercise program?

2.      What type of exercise program would I enjoy?

3.      Are my goals realistic?

4.      How long will it take me to reach my goal?

Weight management generally requires sensible goals and a commitment to make realistic changes in your lifestyle. A great first step in starting a new weight loss plan is to build a new lifestyle that is based on healthy eating and regular physical activity, you will improve your overall health and quality of life.

To become more active throughout your day, take advantage of any chance to get up and move around. Here are some examples:

• Use the stairs instead of taking the elevator.
• Mow the lawn.
• Chew sugarless gum. Research has found that the action of jaw muscles alone burns about 11 calories an hour.
• Play actively with the kids.
• Take a walk around the block. Even a short walk has some physiological benefits.
• Take an activity break — get up and stretch or walk around.
• Park your car a little farther away from your destination and walk the extra distance.
• While at your desk change posture, stretching your arms above your head, and getting up from your seat and walking around it a few times.
• Stay on your feet — standing burns 36 more calories per hour than sitting.
• Wash your car by hand instead of taking it through the automatic carwash. You’ll burn an extra 280 calories in an hour. Take a walk around the block. Even a short walk has some physiological benefits.
• Put music on and dance while you’re doing chores. The point is not to make physical activity an unwelcome chore, but to make the most of the opportunities you have to be active.  Reward yourself periodically by having something you love, such as having a tall Starbuck’s Café Mocha with skim milk.  If there’s a new movie you’re dying to rent on DVD, pop it in while you’re exercising or running on the treadmill.
• Get a fitness “non” friend.  According to numerous studies, working out with a partner will help you get you to the gym. So seek out a friend of a friend or a colleague as your exercise partner — someone you can’t blow off with a quick e-mail and a sorry excuse, “If it’s a person with whom you are friendly but aren’t all that close with socially, you’re probably going to feel more of an obligation to get to your workout appointments on a regular basis.”

Sure diet programs do work to give you a jump-start on losing that extra weight, however your weight is determined by the number of calories you eat each day minus what your body burns off daily. Everything you eat contains calories and everything you do uses calories, including sleeping, breathing, and digesting food. Any physical activities in addition to what you normally do will burn those extra calories and boost your metabolism also!

Balancing the number of calories you expend through exercise and physical activity with the calories you eat will help you achieve your desired weight. The key to successful weight control and improved overall health is making physical activity a part of your daily routine.

Conclusion…find a diet to help you get those pounds off quick and then follow through by changing your lifestyle “forever”  by eating healthy and making exercise a regular part of your day!