How to Increase your Metabolism Naturally

The single most important thing to properly losing weight and increasing your energy levels is your metabolism, and this function tends to get a lot of attention these days. Your metabolism takes the nutrients you have consumed and converts them into energy, which is commonly referred to as “burning calories”. This energy producing process allows your body to prevent further weight gain. However, each person’s metabolism is different because of genetics, age, and gender, but do not let this prevent you from taking measures into your own hands that increase your metabolism naturally.

Strength Training to Build Lean Muscle

Strength training is often misconstrued as being the same as muscle bulking, but they have different intentions. Muscle bulking is where a person follows a high calorie diet with plenty of weight training. However, strength-training focuses on building your strength through lean muscle gains, which plays a role in your metabolism and overall health.

The reason is because muscle requires calories to exist and maintain themselves. Research shows that muscle requires 6 calories per pound a day for sustainment, while fat only requires 2 calories per pound. Your resting metabolic rate is constantly running even while you are asleep, so the muscle makes a difference in keeping the unwanted weight from sticking around.

During training, and the 2-3 hours afterwards, your body’s metabolism is at an all-time high depending on the intensity of your workout. The harder you train and elevate your heart rate, the faster your metabolism pumps away and burns calories. Increase your intensity to reap the max benefits, but do not over train and injure yourself.

Stay Hydrate with Water

Your body requires the daily amount necessary in order for you to simply survive with a healthy body, and your metabolism needs this water in order to process the calories being taken in. Studies have shown that an average adult who drank up to 8 (8 ounce) bottles of water has seen a higher number of calories burned opposed to those who drank only 4 (8 ounce) bottles. Even being the slightest bit dehydrated can slow your metabolism down, so drink water throughout the day and prior to a meal. Fruits and veggies are also good choices for hydrating since they naturally have water in them.

Moderate Consumption of Spicy Foods and Caffeine

Spicy foods have a way with your body, and are capable of increasing your metabolism naturally with the use of thermogenic properties (cayenne, chili powder and cinnamon) Supplements used for weight loss repeatedly contain ingredients such as chili extract, and the reason is because this kind of food heats your body up, which causes your metabolism to increase for a short period of time. So that warm sensation you have been feeling from eating spicy foods is actually your body starting to burn more calories.

Caffeine from green tea and black coffee actually has great benefits when consumed moderately. Caffeine naturally increases your energy levels by making your heart pump blood faster, which as mentioned leads to a heightened state in your metabolism. Both drinks are easy to consume, but do not excessively drink too many cups a day or the outcome is not just an increased metabolism.

While you cannot overcome things like aging or genetics, you can and boost your metabolism and have a healthy lifestyle. It just depends on how you choose to diet and exercise.

Source:

Smith, Michael W., Dr. "Slideshow: 10 Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism to Burn Calories and Lose Weight." WebMD. WebMD, 19 Aug. 2013. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.

Overcoming Childhood Obesity with Personal Training

Overcoming Childhood Obesity with Personal Training

It is not news that childhood obesity rates are skyrocketing. We have all seen ads and school initiatives for better eating, but there is still a strong need for physical education. School budget cuts are causing many problems for kids today as physical education is one of the first programs to go.

According to the American Obesity Association, this is not a small problem. Approximately 30% of children of school age are overweight and another 15% are obese. This has educators, politicians, and, most important, parents concerned about how to tackle this growing problem.

Personal Training: Not Just for Adults

Not every child is a candidate for personal training but it is certainly a route to help some children learn about healthy habits and the role of exercise in their lives. For children that are struggling with their weight now, not only does personal training help them learn good habits, but it also helps them start to lose weight in a healthy way.

Childhood obesity is a leading indicator for adulthood obesity, so tackling this problem early is imperative for parents to make sure your children become healthy adults. Parents often choose personal trainers because they are skilled in providing your child with structure that he or she may not get elsewhere when it comes to healthy habits.

It is not just overweight children that are strong candidates for personal training. Many people hire personal trainers to help their children excel at sports. While this may seem overboard to some, studies are showing that children that engage in weight training with light weights are more adept at sports and, more importantly, less injury prone than those children that do not spend as much time exercising.

Children Who are Best Fits for Personal Training

Personal trainers are a great fit for particular types of children. When children are not interested in organized sports, trainers can provide the much needed exercise. It is not uncommon for kids to like organized sports, but feel insecure about their abilities and person trainers can increase their confidence.

There are many children today that have different health issues or specific needs that do not allow for them to participate in organized sports. Personal trainers can take the individual needs of these children in to consideration when they are creating a plan for healthy eating and exercise.

Qualifications for Trainers

How do you choose the best trainer for your child? Well, there are several characteristics to look for:

1.     Certification – there are different certifications and degree programs so make sure your personal trainer is certified.

2.     Experience – not only should the trainer have testimonials/references, but they should have worked with children in the past.

3.     Compassion – trainers need to be able to listen to the input from the child and make the sessions fun.

4.     Philosophy – a trainer should be able to tell you about what he or she thinks is best for your child and why.

As a parent, you should always attend a few sessions with the child to see what kind of person the trainer is and how well the trainer fits with your child. It takes time to develop healthy habits, so make sure that you give it time and patience.

The Ins and Outs of Foam Rolling

Foam rolling is something many people hear about or see other people doing, but many do not realize the benefits that it has when done correctly.  This technique for muscle relaxation is not a new “fad”. In fact, athletes, coaches, physical therapists, chiropractors, and many other fitness enthusiasts have been using foam rollers for decades. But now, this recovery method has really started to show up in mainstream gyms and personal training.

What to Know About Trigger Points and Tightness

Anyone that has been to a physical therapist, acupuncturist or chiropractor may have heard of trigger points and muscle release as therapies to help with muscle tightness. The foam roller allows you to get this muscle tightness under control yourself by putting pressure on trigger points, the muscle locations that cause tightness and pain, as well as help recovery post-workout.

Often times, people refer to trigger points as knots. When they knots have pressure applied, pain will often move to other locations of the body. For instance, it is not uncommon to have a knot in the shoulder area that causes pain in the neck or a knot in the back that causes pain down the leg.

Foam rolling often gets a bad reputation because when you work on these trigger points with a foam roller, it can be painful. The pain should be uncomfortable but not something that you cannot handle. However, the benefit comes when you are done. The pain should be dramatically better and the muscles loose once you have rolled.

Muscle tightness and knots can happen for many reasons. Sometimes it is related to muscle training like lifting weights because you are putting your body under a lot of strain. Other things like inflexibility, poor posture, repetitive movements, lack of movement like sitting at a desk all day, nutrition and hydration habits, stress and sleep can all cause problems for muscles. Our bodies are made to compensate for what we are putting them through, but that does not mean that we are able to recover quickly.

What Foam Rolling Can Do For You

Foam rolling is self-massage. When muscles are knotted or tight, tiny areas of scar tissue form in the muscle layers. When muscles are in healthy, normal working states, they are soft, supple, and pliable. But, when we put them under stress, they tighten up and cause tears and hard spots in the tissues. The pressure of massage and foam rolling allows these hard spots to break up and elongate the muscle back to a normal, healthy state. Our bodies can recover on their own, but sometimes they need a little help to get the job done.

Proper Foam Rolling Technique

As with any exercise, technique is important to protect the body from harm.

·       You want to remember to apply light to medium pressure. It should be uncomfortable, but not unbearable. This pressure is applied to specific muscles or groups using your own bodyweight.

·       Roll slowly to allow the muscle the ability to lengthen. Think of rolling out dough. Pain should subside within no longer than 30 seconds.

·       When areas are painful, relax as much as possible to fully allow the muscle to get the blood flow it needs. Tightening up counteracts the rolling process.

·       Wait a day or two before rolling the same area again.

Sources: www.breakingmuscle.com

Apple Cider Vinegar

Can Apple Cider Vinegar aid in Weight Loss?

The Value of Apple Cider Vinegar

When you think about it, it makes sense to drink apple cider vinegar prior to any meal for the promotion of weight loss. Apples are an excellent source of pectin, and when you include pectin in your diet, it will make you feel as though you are fuller and a general feeling of being satisfied. Your appetite can be suppressed similarly because apple cider vinegar contains the same amount of pectin that is contained apples.

More effective than eating raw apples, there is good science behind why apple cider vinegar encourages even more weight loss. Generally, the acid will help to aid digestion of proteins, which, for some hormones, are the building blocks, especially the growth hormone. When it comes to breaking down fat cells, this hormone is instrumental. When the level of acid that is present in the stomach is increased prior to a meal, you will make sure digestion is thorough as well as increasing the hormone synthesis for protein availability.

Digestion is stimulated by apple cider vinegar, and the duration of time that fats remain in the digestive tract is reduced. Conditions that contribute to diarrhea could be life-threatening, so it is important to make sure that your body removes the key nutrients from the food you eat. Food that remains in the intestines for too long can also be unhealthy. Fats that are present too long during the digestion process will cause more absorption of fats.

The Bodily Breakdown

Just like fire is essential for burning in a fireplace, oxygen is essential to burn energy. Apple cider vinegar is very supportive for weight loss because it has the ability to increase the utilization of iron and energy consumption in the body. When the body absorbs iron, it uses oxygen and consumes energy, increasing your metabolism to enhance weight loss.

Another excellent source of potassium is apples. Additionally, apple cider vinegar when taken regularly can contribute to your body’s level of potassium and help you maintain a balance of sodium. If possible, you should attempt use apple cider vinegar as a replacement for salt in your diet. You can use it on foods you would normally add salt to like proteins or vegetables. In most of the foods you eat, salt is often present and enhances the flavors for fat. Salt tempts you to eat more foods that are high in fat content and additionally it increases the water weight that is carried. Some of these foods are pastries, fatty meats, French fries, or meat substitutes.

How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar

Take 2 tsp before each meal

Are You Really Hungry?

                                                  image courtesy of freedigitalimages

Are You Really Hungry?

Hunger is something that we all struggle with when it comes to dieting. Unfortunately, there is a strong psychological aspect to hunger that many people do not talk about. It can go so far as food addiction in some cases. So what is the difference?

Well, biological, real hunger happens when you have gone a number of hours since last eating. This is true hunger and why the idea of eating 5 or 6 small meals a day works well to curb that biological hunger. Psychological hunger, on the other hand, is a mental component of hunger where our minds trick us into believing we are indeed hungry when we are not. This happens most often when you want to eat something soon after a big meal, when you are craving something, or that nightly, routine snack before bed. These are all psychological hunger pains.

The Appetite Awareness Plan

The first thing to do is rate your hunger on a level of 0 to 10 with 0 being not hungry and 10 being starving.  Next, ask yourself this important question: “Why am I hungry?” You need to evaluate what is making you hungry. Maybe you skipped a snack or a full meal. Are you having a bad day or are you emotional? Are you just simply bored? Are you stressed out? These are all reasons that people get hungry, but you need to be able to separate the biological from the psychological.

Once you are aware of how hungry you are and why, it is easier to gain control. If you skipped a snack or meal, it’s time to find a healthy choice. One thing to do is always be prepared with a snack while you are out. Pre-planning can help you to avoid bad choices at a fast food joint or convenience store.  If you are eating in response to an emotion or boredom, find something else to do where you can channel your energy and not focus on food. Even if you make a mistake and give in to that craving, just knowing why helps you move on and get back on track.

The next time you are hungry follow the Appetite Awareness Plan to know why you are hungry and put yourself in control of your eating.

Source: Maria Osnowitz