20th March, 2013
Sometimes we get in a slump in life. For various reasons we lose our energy and drive. Our metabolism slows down. We gain weight. When we are heavier, we don’t feel like moving much. It’s a merry-go-round….until we devise a plan to jump off.
HERE’S ONE WAY TO WAKE UP A STAGNANT METABOLISM AND GAIN SOME ENERGY
In the morning before you start your day, run or jog in place, jump rope(skipping) or use your stair case (if you have one) for five minute- you can do that, can’t you? During your midmorning break and then again at lunch, take a brisk five-minute walk or climb up and down stairs. When you get home from work, use your jump rope or stairs again for five minute.
We don’t recommend exercise before bed because most people will be so charged up and won’t fall asleep! But by dividing your workout into small increments throughout your day, you get the benefit of twenty minutes of aerobics without using a large block of time. Research has shown that several short burst of exercise each day jump-start a sluggish metabolism. As your strength and energy increase, you can lengthen each exercise segment to ten minute. Think what will happen to your health and figure then.
There are several good health reasons to begin a strength-training programme. Research over the past few years indicates that working out with weights improves the body on the inside too. Look at these benefits:
Stay Strong: If you don’t exercise, you will lose 30-40 percent of your muscle capacity by age sixty-five. That’s almost half your strength! Two-thirds of the great grandmas in Nigeria can’t lift anything heavier than ten kilograms. Please don’t think this is another unavoidable effect of ageing. Use it or lose it friend! Muscles that go unused become weaker and weaker. They were made to be worked long into those golden years.
Build Strong Bones: For years weight bearing exercise (aerobics) was thought to be the way to maintain your bone mass. Now studies show that resistance training will do the same thing. At age thirty-five or so, most of us begin to lose up to 1 per cent of our bone per year. After menopause, the loss is even greater. When you lift weights you stress the bone, stimulating it’s growth. Combine weight training with aerobics and the Body Confidence diet, and you have a plan to battle arthritis and osteoporosis.
More Balance Fewer Injuries: As you strengthen muscles in every section of your body, your balance improves. You are less apt to fall. In addition, as the muscles increase, new circulatory paths are created, bringing a fresh blood supply to heal injured areas. Tightened muscles hold your head high, shoulders back, and tummy flat. Improved posture gives you a new sense of confidence. You look and feel very confident!
Improved Metabolism: This is the best discovery of all! Physical exercise awakens your metabolism to burn more calories, even when you are resting! Your resting metabolism is the number of calories needed to maintain your body important functions like pumping blood and digesting food. Muscles need more energy. The bigger and stronger your muscles, the more calories you will burn. Now that’s not an excuse to eat more, but it will make your body more efficient. On the other side of the mirror, if you don’t build up muscle mass, you will burn fewer calories no matter how little you eat. Not a pretty picture, is it?
Now you don’t need to worry. You won’t end up as a competitor in the World Wrestling Federation. Women don’t have the hormonal or structural makeup to become as big as men. If you workout with weights consistently , say three times a week, every other day, you will see a huge difference on about six weeks. But not in size.
The improvements will show up as tight, contracted muscle (even those big arms we’ve complained about!), better shape, better balance and posture, more confident, smaller clothing size and possibly a slight toning of your body.
You Can ALSO Improve Your Metabolism Through:
More Resistance Training
You need to stress your muscles to develop them. Use your body weight, use resistance bands, use machines, use dumbbells, or any other form of resistance. The key is impose weight bearing resistance against your body!
Eat Raw Foods Every Day
High amounts of food enzymes found in raw foods allow your body spend more energy on metabolism and less on digestion.
Eat Small Meals Throughout The Day
We’ve all heard this before and for good reason. Keep your fire burning by adding small amounts of wood to it throughout the day – that’s the analogy. This is much more effective than stuffing your tummy full of food once or twice a day.
For questions and answers connect with me at [email protected] or send me a personal message at www.facebook.com/BodyConfidenceFitnessClub . I’ll answer the best questions.