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HOW TO RAISE YOUR METABOLISM
Achieving
lifelong weight loss is a goal that most people want to achieve whether its 5
to 100 plus pounds, it’s all the same desire—to feel healthier and happier
about our bodies and life in general.
Everything
that you do in regards to your diet and exercise is based on emotion. The
more positive you are the more optimally your body functions. It’s
virtually impossible to release fat and maintain a lower body weight when you
are sad, depressed, worried or stressed out all of the time.
When
you are stressed your hormones become imbalanced and cortisol levels increase
which causes weight gain from the “fight or flight” energy in the body.
To turn
your body into a fat burning machine you need to have an attitude of gratitude
for your life as it is now in addition for our miraculous body.
What
your mind can conceive it can, in fact, achieve! Believe in yourself that you can achieve that which you
set your mind to.
Below
are 5 tips to help you better understand how your body burns glycogen stores
a.k.a. fat and how it prefers one source of energy over another.
Knowing
how your body uses ingested calories for fuel and energy can make a difference
in how you approach your weight loss goals.
Physical
energy sources come from fat, carbohydrates and protein. However, it’s
not as easy as eating a potato smothered with butter and think that going for a
brisk walk later the calories from the baked potato you ate will be used for
fuel and will be burned for energy by being active.
Our
bodies draw from our stored energy aka fat if we eat a healthy low calorie
diet. We want to use their stored fat for their energy source; unfortunately,
we often eat too much and have an excess of energy which is stored as fat.
Understanding the best way
to burn fat and jump start a lazy metabolism starts with some basic facts about
how our bodies utilize stored energy. Here are a few simple explanations of how
energy is used for fuel to keep you energized throughout the day.
· FATS
& CARBS
The body reaches for quick fuel aka carbohydrates for energy. Fat is stored energy and is used if the body does not have an over abundance of calories to draw from. Fats and carbs are the body's primary energy sources to energize your active lifestyle.
The body reaches for quick fuel aka carbohydrates for energy. Fat is stored energy and is used if the body does not have an over abundance of calories to draw from. Fats and carbs are the body's primary energy sources to energize your active lifestyle.
A small
amount of protein is used during exercise; however, protein is mainly used to
repair the muscles after exercise during the "after burn" effect of
working out as well as during sleeping hours at night when your body
rejuvenates and repairs itself from your tough workout earlier in the day.
So if
weight loss is your goal then it's best to workout on an empty stomach first
thing in the morning. Drink a pre-workout drink that has branch chain amino
acids throughout your training to ensure you have the proper
nutrients to keep you energized and hydrated during training.
· HOW
MUCH WILL YOU BURN?
How
much fat stores you burn during exercise depends on the level of intensity.
High Intensity Interval Training will burn brown fat for energy. Exercising
on your target heart-rate zone will burn more stored fat than just going for a
walk. The ratio of burned energy will shift depending on the activity
you're doing as well as the after burn effect based on your level of
intensity.
· CARBS
FOR FUEL
For
higher intensity exercise such high intensity interval training or tough
strength training the body will rely more on carbs for fuel than fat that is
why it’s best to do cardio on an empty stomach first thing in the
morning. The body turns to carbs because the metabolic pathways available
to break down carbs for energy are more efficient than the pathways available
for fat breakdown for energy.
· DAILY
ACTIVITY FUEL RESOURCES
The
body prefers slow digesting complex carbs and healthy fats for longer less intensity
training such as jogging. That’s why eating healthy fats is essential to have
during the afternoon when you’re not quite as active as earlier in the day for
added energy.
Healthy
fats such as Omega 3, 6 & 9 are optimal for health and wellness. Omegas
have a plethora of health benefits on the body, one of which is it aids in
weight loss which is an awesome bonus.
· NOT ALL
CALORIES AR THE SAME
Not all
calories are the same; fats, carbs and protein all have various amounts of
calories per gram. The body will draw upon the most easily converted
energy for fuel. That’s why when you’re exhausted you naturally want to
reach for simple carbs for a quick raise in blood sugar. But when you do that
you spike your insulin and if you don’t use the high calorie treat for energy
it will be stored as fat.
When it comes to weight loss fueling your body with wholesome
clean foods such as fresh veggies, fruits, healthy fats and protein will increase
your strength and energy in addition to burning more fat stores as it utilizes
fatty acids more efficiently in the body.
Stay active as you can during the day and get plenty of quality
sleep to aid in your ideal weight and fat loss goals. You can reach your
goal weight by following these tips daily.
Liv Fit! Train Hard! And Liv Happy!
Carol Whitaker
Life Success Coach
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