Monday, January 28, 2013

Increase Your Metabolism to Boost Your Weight Loss!

A few quick thoughts on your metabolism...
Dictionary.com defines metabolism as "the biological processes of converting food into energy". Sounds complex? It can be, but all you need to know is how to control your metabolism in order to ignite your body into a fat burning machine. You can buy books on metabolism, but I want to give you a few tips in the next few paragraphs.

For starters, your thyroid gland controls your metabolism, and it can make or break you when it comes to weight loss. When your thyroid gland is not functioning properly, it can really interfere with your weight loss goals. Do yourself a favor and consult with your physician before you start any weight loss program, diet, etc.

Everyone wants to increase their metabolism in order to burn MORE fat. No doubt... But do you really know how that works or what to do? Most people will immediately turn to fat burners, hoping to make their metabolism skyrocket! Did you know that drinking plenty of water and eating 5-6 times a day will increase your metabolism? Exercise is probably the best way to send your metabolism through the roof!!

There are several foods out there that naturally help your metabolism, but leafy greens, apples and grapefruit are the most common. As for spices, cinnamon and cayenne pepper excellent choices. You can buy cinnamon and cayenne pepper in capsules rather than trying to load your foods up with these spices. Cinnamon will also help control your insulin levels as well, so it's wise to find a way to incorporate that into your diet!

As for the cayenne pepper, it has a thermogenic effect, which basically heats up your body to increase the fat burning process. Thermogenics have been proven to work, but don't go spending all of your money just yet. In my opinion, thermogenic supplements should be used when you're trying to lose that last 10-15lbs of belly fat. I really don't like using them myself, but they will certainly give you an edge and can help you get over those small hurdles. Like I said, save your money and learn how to eat and exercise properly FIRST. I promise it will help you in the long run!

As we get older and become less active, we lose muscle mass. Because muscle is a metabolic tissue, our metabolism will start to slow down. The more muscle we lose, the slower our metabolism becomes. In other words, at 21 years old we used to be able to eat over 3000 calories a day without worrying about gaining weight. At 31 years old, 3000 calories a day would not be a good thing!

 So what's the solution? Focus on resistance training and building lean muscle! The more lean muscle mass you add to your body, the better! Cardio alone is cool for burning fat, don't get me wrong. But combining cardio AND weight training is the perfect combination! Weight training doesn't necessarily mean trying to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. You just need to tone those muscles so you can start burning more fat!

Take a special note here... Most people think that simply not eating will make them lose weight. Good luck with that... Starving yourself will end up doing more harm than good. It will actually slow your metabolism because your body is trying to keep you alive. Your body will attempt to conserve every ounce of fat in order to keep you from dying. Starving yourself might make you drop 15lbs pretty quickly, but you will eventually hit a plateau and it will come to a stop.

In addition, the weight you lose will be mostly water weight. Even if you starve yourself for six months and manage to lose 45lbs, there's no way you can maintain that lifestyle forever. You will eventually need to eat something, and once you start eating again, all of that weight will come right back! I honestly don't understand why people think this is how it should be done.

Me personally, I'd rather eat 6 times a day and never feel hungry than try to eat 600 calories a day. But hey, whatever makes you happy... I'm just letting you know there's a better way!
So, you want to increase your metabolism right away? Try this...

- Don't skip breakfast. Even if it's a protein bar, eat something!

- Eat 5-6 times a day (every 3-4 hours)

- Drink lots of water

- Get active and start exercising!

- Incorporate cinnamon and cayenne pepper into your diet, either pill form or into your meals.

- Eat lean proteins and avoid fats.

In one of my next posts, I'll be talking about your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). Learning about your BMR is extremely important when it comes to losing weight, so be looking for this post in the near future!
My goal is to help you lose weight the proper way. I'm tired of these fad diets and all of these weight loss marketing scams that lead people down a dead end road, leaving them frustrated about not being able to lose weight. You don't need fat burners and ab machines to do the job, so save your money. If you want to learn to burn fat the right way then you need to read my blog at [http://www.burnfatwithknowledge.com]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benjamin_L_Riley

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