Increase Fat Burning
You hear the phrase metabolism all the time… but what does it really mean?
Metabolism is the process of converting food to energy. It happens in your muscles and organs, and the result is what we commonly refer to as “burning” calories. Your metabolic rate is the speed at which this process occurs.
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the calorie expenditure needed to maintain basal body functions such as your heartbeat, breathing, muscle tone, etc. Basal metabolism accounts for about 75 percent of the calories you expend on a daily basis.
Below you’ll find eight ways to boost your BMR. The more of these you’re able to incorporate into your life, the more you’ll boost your metabolism. That means you’ll be expending (burning) more calories 24 hours a day!
Tone your muscles with weight training three to four days per week.
Toned muscles require more fuelling, sending your metabolism through the roof. Do it!
Do cardio (aerobic) exercise on a DAILY basis.
(walking, jogging, swimming, stationary cycling, aerobic dancing, etc.) Try to do it in the morning for 30 to 60 minutes. Your body was designed to be active on a daily basis. When you are successful, your metabolism soars!
Always eat breakfast!
Skipping breakfast sends the message to your body that you’re starving because you haven’t had food for a while. As a protective mechanism, your metabolism slows down. Food, especially complex carbohydrates, fuels your metabolism.
Never eat less than 1,000 -1,200 calories per day!
Less than 1,200 is usually not enough to support your basal metabolism and thus will slow your body’s calorie-burning ability.
In addition to your regular cardio exercise…
Take a 10- to 30-minute walk at lunch or in the evening. This serves to rev your metabolism even more!
Look for situations to be active.
Park as far from the store as you can rather than looking for the closest parking spot, use the stairs rather than the elevator, etc. Look for the most active way to do things! Make your life active!
Incorporate “intervals” into your aerobic sessions.
Intervals are a powerful tool to help boost your metabolism. They are brief periods (about a minute) of more intense exercise mixed into your regular aerobic exercise sessions. For example if you’re walking, you would do a one minute interval of faster walking about every five minutes throughout your exercise session.
Eat small meals often.
Your body needs to be refuelled throughout the day in amounts it requires to function. You wouldn’t have one large meal only once a week. The same goes for each day. You need to give it fuel, let your body use it, then refuel and so on. The point is, we don’t want your body to store the fuel, we want your body to use the fuel i.e.. ‘Burn’ it. This raises your metabolism and increases fat burning. Get started today! You’ll feel better and your metabolism will soar. Check out Nutrition Plan to further understand the importance of nutrition in achieving your body-shaping goals.
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