Metabolism is the rate at which your body uses energy and expends calories. And to lose weight, all you have to do is increase your metabolism. Sounds straightforward, doesn't it?
And that is exactly what it is. It sounds simple but sometimes, the simpler it is, the more challenging it becomes.
A magic formula?
In reality, the biggest factor in whether someone gains or loses weight is not metabolism. Your weight loss depends on your body's daily energy balance. How many calories are you taking in every day vs. how many are you expending?
In other words, what determines whether you're gaining or losing weight is whether you're eating more calories than you're burning.
And to burn off all those extra calories, you have to exercise. By exercising, it will allow you to eat more or lose more weight.
No magic formula. Just that you need to stay active and eat healthily which in turn boost your resting metabolic rate.
What is resting metabolic rate?
It is the rate at which your body burns calories every day just through the process of eating, digesting, breathing, sleeping and whatever the body needs to do to stay alive.
By boosting your metabolism, you increase the amount of calories you burn during rest or normal activity, which aids in your weight loss. Even after you stop exercising, your resting metabolic rate also plays a large role in keeping lost weight off. But ultimately exercise and diet are what determine how much you weigh.
Boosting Your Metabolism through proper intake of food
Diet can have a large impact on your metabolism, but only if you keep eating. By not eating the correct food and binging on empty calorie food or high fat, sugar and salt or skipping meals can send your body into fat-storing starvation mode, which slows down your metabolism and hinders your attempts for lasting weight loss.
To keep your metabolic rate up, you should:
Boosting Your Metabolism by exercising (with a word of caution)
Aerobics-The Pros
No doubt that this form of exercise provides your metabolism a temporary boost, but it only lasts for a short time after the exercise has ended. The main role of aerobic exercise is to burn calories and influence your body's daily energy balance.
But do bear in mind the condition of your body in terms of stamina, pain free joints and back muscles before you embark. Start slow and build up your strength to take the vigorous movements.
The cons
Aerobic exercise is high impact and may cause knee injuries if you are not careful. My nerve on the left knee gave me some problem when I took up step aerobics after giving birth to my third child. Of course putting on an extra 6 kilos have probably weaken my knee even further. And the healing process took a long time-2 years to be exact.
Strength Training-The Pros
Strength training is one form of exercise that can boost your resting metabolic rate. It also increases your muscle mass and your metabolism. In fact, as you grow older, you lose muscle mass and that's why your metabolism slows down.
Muscle and fat weigh exactly the same on the scale but, muscle is compact tissue and it is also active tissue — it burns calories.
With strength training, eating lean protein is crucial to maintain the muscles and to contribute to weight loss. But keep in mind that when you stop these activities, your body will revert to its original metabolism. To keep the weight off, you need to adopt healthy habits that you will be able to live with for a long time.
The cons
Strength training does give you a toned and firm bod. However, do not go overboard with the weight lifting as it can:
- Damage your nerves
- Strain your heart muscles.
- Pinched nerves in your legs, back and neck can give you excruciating pain and if not treated may develop into a chronic disease.
- Knees and hip joints injuries and sprains may occur if you do not follow the proper method.
- Is expensive as you may need a professional trainers and dieticians to guide you.
But keep in mind that when you stop these activities, your body will revert to its original metabolism. To keep the weight off, you need to start eating healthy foods and keep you alive for a longer time.
The two words you may hear is "exercise and diet". Another word you should hear is "The right motivation."
Without the right motivation, you may never exercise or eat healthily. People succeed in what they do because they have the right motivation. Find it and you are on your way. And to get you started please read:
Of course, reading the information is simple. Putting it into action....that is another kettle of fish you have to figure out yourself.
My next topic for discussion is, "Is There Such A Thing As Zero Calorie Food?"
You may also like to read:
MY POEM CORNER
Heard of metabolism?
Derivative of Metabolic.
No magical schism,
Just little scientific.
To lose the weight
Experts have said
Exercise and diet
Calories burn on quiet
It sounds so simple,
And yet it's complex.
To rid of dimples,
And get ripples.
Muscles toning,
Strength training.
If you like Aerobics,
Not for the phobic,
High on impact,
and very compact.
And in conclusion
A needed inclusion
The right motivation
To get into action.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Until my next post,
Here's To Your Health!
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