Archive for the ‘energy’ Category
Quick Tips to Boost Your Metabolism
January 8th, 2009
Quick Tips to Boost Your Metabolism
There are a lot of people who would give a lot to increase their metabolism. Having a high level of metabolism enables one to maintain burn fat and lose weight fast with the least amount of activity. Metabolism is the rate by which the body produces and consumes energy and calories to support life.
There are several factors that affect the metabolism of a person, such as the amount of muscle tissue, the frequency of the meals one consumes, genetics, stress levels, personal diet and activity levels. Metabolism slows done due to the following: loss of muscle because of not enough physical activity, the tendency of the body to cannibalize its own tissue because there is not enough food energy to sustain it, and the decrease of physical activity that comes naturally with old age.
Here are several ways to fire up one’s metabolism:
1. Build up on lean, mean body mass. It is only natural that metabolism decreases along with age, but it is possible to counter the effects. The amount of muscle a person has is a very strong determinant in the ability to burn calories and shed fat. So it goes without saying that exercise is essential. Build strength and resistance by working out at least twice a week, preferably with weights. Do easy exercises in between workouts. Simple tasks such as walking the dog and using the stairs in place of the elevator can already take off calories. The key is to match the amount of eating to the amount of activity one has. Here are some guidelines in getting the right exercise:
For strength training
-Increase the amount of repetitions of a particular exercise.
-Add the level of resistance
-Utilize advance exercise techniques if possible
For cardiovascular training
-Insert intervals between exercises
-Perform cross-training and combine the exercises
-Add up on resistance and speed
2. Eat breakfast. A lot of people are ignoring the fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Surprisingly, the ones who eat breakfast are thinner than the ones who do not. Metabolism can slow down considerably if breakfast is taken during mid-morning or if one waits until the afternoon to eat.
3. Avoid sugar. Sugar enables the body to store fat. It is recommended that a person consumes food that helps sustain an even level of blood-sugar. Additionally, progressive execerise 2-3 times a week should be in order to stabilize blood sugar.
4. Eat spicy foods. Hot cuisine with peppers can increase metabolism.
5. Sleep more. According to research, it is riskier for people who do not get enough sleep to gain weight. Also, muscles are regenerated during the last couple of hours of slumber.
6. Increase water intake. Water flushes out toxins that are produced whenever the body burns fat. Majority of bodily functions involves water, and lack of water causes the body system’s operations to decrease its speed, and produces unneeded stress as a result.
7. Eat smaller meals. It is advisable to consume 4 to 6 small meals that are timed 2 to 3 hours apart.
8. Never skip meals. People tend to skip meals in order to lose weight, which is a big mistake since it slows down metabolism.
9. Plan meals in detail. Always prepare the right amount of food to be consumed at the designated intervals. Do not commit the mistake of eating meals in sporadic patterns.
9. Ditch the stress! Stress, be it physical or emotional, triggers the release of a steroid called cortisol, which decreases metabolism. Also, people tend to eat excessively when stressed.
10. Guzzle up on green tea. It can be used as a substitute for coffee. Tea has the ability to stimulate metabolism, and unlike coffee, it has no undesirable side effects when too much is consumed.
11. Include more energy foods in the diet, such as fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains.
Achieving the desired body weight is never impossible if one has the determination and patience needed to stabilize the metabolism level, which plays an important role in weight loss. A person needs to realize that eating right and working out is not just a passing fancy, but a way of life.
Disclosure: Compensated Affiliate
Posted in 
Tags: 
Increase EnergyRunning on Empty?… Read This
December 6th, 2008
by Shane Ellison 12/21/2007
Millions of Americans suffer from fatigue. Their energy levels are so low that they require a pot of coffee to crawl out of bed in the morning. When afternoon hits, they begin drinking sugary, caffeine-rich energy drinks to keep up at work. By evening, exhaustion sets in and they go straight to bed, only to repeat the same lethargic process the next day. It’s time for these energy-deprived people to realize that this isn’t how the body was meant to operate.
Your body can produce massive amounts of energy when it is given the right fuel. Once this happens, anything is possible! Your boundless energy will drive life’s most important accomplishments, thoughts, creations, and relationships. The world’s best athletes and business entrepreneurs understand this important fact. High levels of energy have driven their many achievements and gotten them to the top.
But don’t think that performance-driven energy is for elite athletes and businessmen only. You too can have it when you make some simple dietary changes that are required for energy building.
First, replace carbohydrates with healthy fats three times per day. I’m not talking about disease-causing trans fats and vegetable oils. I’m talking about Mother Nature’s energy-boosting fats found in whole eggs, grass-fed beef, cold water fish, coconut oil, seeds, nuts and avocados, to name just a few. Unlike carbohydrates, consuming healthy fat does not result in a spike of the fatigue-causing, fat-storing hormone insulin. And even better, healthy fat exponentially increases production of the energy molecule ATP. ATP is the master energy- and strength-producing molecule within the body. The more you have, the better you perform.
A single fat molecule can produce a whopping 129 molecules of ATP. In contrast, without enough healthy fat, the body is forced to utilize an inferior source of fuel for ATP production — carbohydrates. A single carbohydrate molecule produces a paltry 38 molecules of ATP! Do the math — a single fat molecule yields more than three times the energy as a carbohydrate molecule!
Second, begin supplementing daily with 0.5 to 3.0 grams of the amino acid, acetyl-L-carnitine (ACLAR).This essential molecule acts as a chaperone to fat. It works by carrying fat to our cellular energy furnace — the mitochondria. Without ALCAR, fat remains stored, usually in the belly, and you grow tired.
An article in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics recently highlighted the effectiveness of ALCAR among the elderly.1 The authors showed that ALCAR was successful at boosting both mental and physical energy. About 100 participants over the age of 70 showed dramatic increases in mental capacity and exercise duration as a result of ALCAR.
Finally, replace sugary energy drinks with water, green tea or yerba mate tea. Each one of these healthy drinks mobilizes fat to enter the bloodstream to ensure energy production. Green and yerba mate teas can also boost mood and serve as a great pre- and post-exercise drink.
Once you have implemented these dietary changes, expect a significant change in your energy levels. You can say goodbye to mediocrity and the highs and lows associated with the use of fatigue-masking substances. And regardless of your age, say hello to a new found energy that will fuel success.
- Malaguarnera, M et al. Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr. accepted for publication 22 March 2007.
[Ed. Note: Shane Ellison is known as 'The People's Chemist.' He holds a Master's degree in organic chemistry and has first-hand industry experience with drug research, design and synthesis. He is the author of Health Myths Exposed and The Hidden Truth about Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs. To learn more, click here.]
This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs which offers alternative health solutions for mind, body and soul.
