FIRING UP YOUR METABOLISM!

excerpts taken form

"THE EAT CLEAN DIET BOOK"

by Tosca Reno

Definition of Metabolism: The combination of all physical and chemical processes taking place in the body or the rate at which the body burns fuel.

Understanding how your Metabolism works: Throughout our bodies trillions of cells work furiously to process the basic fuel components we feed them - carbohydrates, proteins, dietary fat - and break them down into usable fuel. This fuel translates into energy we use to move our muscles, breathe, and keep our bodies warm. The body is designed to withstand feast or famine, so our metabolism is conditioned to burn hot or cold, depending on available food sources. Within two days metabolism can be reduced by as much as 15-35 percent below normal in response to reduced caloric intake. Sensing the onset of a crisis like starvation, the body slows down all metabolic processes as a protective mechanism.

The metabolism is unique to each of us, the basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the rate at which the body uses energy when at rest. No one utilizes fats, proteins and carbs in the same way as anyone else. What you put into your body is what you get out of it metabolically.

An athlete who trains intensely and eats high quality nutritional foods has an efficient metabolism, while a couch potato whose only form of exercise is lifting the remote and feeding off of a bag of chips has a sluggish metabolism. Whereas someone who has dieted off and on, and has lost weight and gained weight repeatedly just has a messed up metabolism.

Simple Solutions: The best way to keep the metabolism constant so it can burn the fat all ready stored in excess on our bodies is to follow these seven simple steps, and pay attention to the seventh one!

1) Resistance train with weights - As soon as muscle begin to move, the fat cells release fat and become smaller. Exercise triggers the release of testosterone (a fat destroyer) for several hours after exercising. Resistance exercises stimulate muscle growth, and as you know more muscle burns more fat! Building a layer of muscle tissue is a surefire way of increasing your metabolic rate.

2) Increase your workout intensity - This means that when you lift weights, you need to put your mind in each movement. Focus intensely on what you are doing, and don't just drop the weights when lowering each movement. As Chalean Johnson says "Make it Extreme", lower the weights slowly and make the weights seem heavier than what they really are. By making each movement more intense you are breaking down those muscle fibers and building a leaner stronger body.

3) Do interval training - This kind of training involves performing a cardiovascular activity at a maximum for a period of time (2-5 minutes for example) and then dropping the level of intensity for the same period of time. This type of explosive activity will fire of a lazy metabolism for sure! The metabolism is fired up so much that nearly twice as much weight is lost among those who do interval training as those who don't.

4) No more YO-YO Dieting - Fad diets such as The High-fat Diet, The Low-fat Diet, The Grapefruit Diet, The Cabbage Soup Diet, Avoid Carbs Diet, etc. only tax the body by sending it mixed messages and causing it to go into starvation mode. The metabolism goes into hibernation, preparing itself for scant food supplies. This is not what you want for you body, instead you need to feed it GOOD CLEAN FOOD to supercharge your body with energy!!

5) EAT GOOD FOODS! - To maintain a healthy physique you must nourish your body with good high quality foods, especially lean protein and complex carbohydrates. Otherwise muscle tissue will be flat and your metabolic rate will be even flatter! Your body prefers to burn energy from carbohydrates instead of fats, fat does not dissolve into the blood stream like carbs do, fat just gets stored and layered onto your body in all the wrong places!

6) Get some Sleep! - Only during the hours of good deep sleep is human growth hormone produced. This hormone works directly on cells to stimulate metabolism. It can increase the metabolic rate by as much as 20 percent. So remember to get in your beauty sleep! (This hormone is also produced during a strenuous weight training session!!!)

7) Have SEX! - Yes that's right you heard correct! The release of male and female sex hormones causes an increase in metabolic rate. This activity increases your BMR by as much as 15 percent. What a sure fire way to get you significant other into a workout routine!!

By incorporating the above simple strategies with a great workout plan from Beachbody you will be sure to fire up your metabolism. What a great way to get ready for summer!!! If you want to know more about any of the workout programs that Beachbody has to offer please contact me through email address. coachjudy@thefitnessxpress.com.

Coach Judy
www.beachbodycoach.com/judyt5000
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