Boost Your Declining Metabolism

If you're over 40 and struggling with your weight, I don't have to tell you that your metabolism is slowing down. Our metabolism is at its highest until we reach 20, and then gradually slows as we age. 

 

The main reason for the slowdown is simpler than you think. We lose muscle and we decrease our level of physical activity. This occurs mostly because life takes over and can zap us of our energy. I don't know about you, but I crave carbs and sugar when I am tired. Sugar becomes our source of fun when life gets busy. But this only adds to the problem.

 

We turn ourselves into metabolic disasters. Too many carbs and less activity turn into a slow metabolism and excess body fat.

 

The goods news is that you have far more control over this than you think. Gaining weight as you age is completely avoidable! There are lots of things you can do to turn your sleeping metabolism into a fat-melting fireball. Here are a few to get you started. 

 

1. Drink a whey protein shake everyday for breakfast and boost your metabolism by 25%.

This is one of the best things anyone can do to give their metabolism a boost. It not only nourishes the body, but it also allows you to begin losing weight while you're learning how to eat for fat loss. It also makes breakfast easy. The calories that you save by doing this allow a cushion for those food slips-ups that happen to all of us living in the real world. Some celebrities do this to stay lean and healthy. Caution: Not all protein shakes are created equal. Become a label reader and look for low carb and low fat whey proteins with almost no sugar. Whey protein is the best option; soy or milk-based proteins are inferior sources that don't boost your metabolism the way a high quality whey protein shake will.

 

2. Exercise.

We eat 7 days a week so we need to move 7 days a week. You don't need to kill yourself, but you do need to move for 1 hour every day. Get yourself a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps per day, every day. For the ultimate metabolic boost, you need to lift weights 2-3 times a week, training your whole body each workout in a circuit style. Choose one workout a week where you lift as heavy as you can to build muscle.

 

Our bodies are losing muscle every day, so we need to counterbalance this by trying to build muscle. Ladies, don't be afraid. You won't end up looking like a bodybuilder; t's almost impossible at this stage for you to become bulkly. If you feel like you're gaining weight, take a hard look at what you're eating. That's where the problem lies. 

 

Muscle burns calories all day long and that is exactly what we need! Lifting weights will tighten and tone your body better than any exercise out there and keep your bones strong. These metabolic boosting workouts can be done at home and should only take you 30 minutes.

 

3. Eat your greens! 

Eating greens offsets the high-calorie foods we eat and kills cravings before they start. Digesting green vegetables makes your body work harder and causes your metabolism to speed up.

 

Not eating enough vegetables every day is one of biggest mistakes people make, causing us to crave the wrong foods and overeat.

 

4. Eat "clean" protein to get lean.

 "Clean" means low in fat (under 5-7 grams of fat per serving). Choosing the highest quality proteins will allow our bodies to use them rather than store them on our hips and thighs!

 

The best sources of clean lean proteins for women are protein shakes, egg whites, all fish and seafood, turkey breast, nonfat cottage cheese, and high quality protein bars that have at least 15 grams of protein. These are among the very best sources to nourish our bodies, replace lost nutrients, and help us lean out. 

 

High-fat proteins will have the opposite effect and will cause our bodies to store fat. Your body will not burn stored fat if you continue to give it high-fat foods no matter how much you exercise! Your goal is to feed the muscle and starve the fat!

 

5. Supplement your way to a faster metabolism.

Supplements are meant to be just that – a supplement to your healthy diet. They are not magic bullets, and they won't erase bad eating habits or lack of exercise! Taking the right supplements along with a clean lean diet and regular daily exercise is what brings about the best results. 

 

These supplements can really make a difference in how you feel, making it easier to stick to your plan. Plus, you will actually have enough energy to go to the gym!

 

Metabolic-Boosting Fiber

You should be eating 25-30 grams of fiber every day. This is the key to staying full so you won't graze. Fiber will also keep your blood sugar in check. Always aim for veggies whenever you can, and remember 10 half-cup servings of vegetables is the daily goal. If you struggle to get enough fiber, get some calorie-free fiber packets and add them to your water to help you with portion control and regularity. Konjac fiber is one of the best sources of fiber and will help balance your hormones.

 

Metabolic-Boosting Raspberry Keytones

This is a compound found in red raspberries; it basically slices up fat cells, making them easier to be burned as fuel. These keytones also help keep you feeling full and help to keep cravings under control. Raspberry keytones are better taken as a supplement because you would need to eat 1,000 raspberries to reap the same benefits. Aim for 100 mg before lunch and again at dinner. Look for raspberry keytones layered in a supplement with other fat-fighting ingredients.

 

Metabolic Boosting L-Carnitine

This is an amino acid found in red meat. L-Carnitine acts as a shuttle, pulling fat into the cell so it can be burned as fuel. L-Carnitine will also give you energy and ease depression. If you feel better, you won't want to overeat, and you might even get to the gym! Aim for 500 mg twice a day at breakfast and again at lunch. Don't take this near bedtime because it could keep you awake. This is a safe supplement and won't give you the jitters.

 

Metabolic-Boosting White Kidney Bean Extract

This ingredient is a known carb blocker and works great for those "off" eating days. Taken along with a high-carb, high-fat meal, white kidney bean extract will block those unwanted calories from being stored as fat. It will also keep your blood sugar balanced. Aim for 300-500 mg two times a day with meals. 

 

In conclusion, be sure to have a protein bar on hand so you're never caught without the right thing to eat to fuel your metabolism. Every time we eat the wrong kind of food, we slow down our metabolism a notch.

 

Finally, don't forget to drink your water! Not drinking enough will also slow down your metabolic rate as much as 3%!

 

 

 

"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." -  ºoº Walt Disney ºoº  

 

20 Habits That Make You Fat

 

20 Habits That Make You Fat

 

20. #1: Eating "low-fat":

It sounds crazy, but stop buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free. Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly—causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbohydrates. That means you'll store less body fat and be less likely to eat more later.

 

19. #2: Not seeking nutrition advice:

Good news here: By reading this, you're already forming habits that can help you shed pounds. When Canadian researchers sent diet and exercise advice to more than 1,000 people, they found that the recipients began eating smarter and working more physical activity into their daily routines. Not surprisingly, the habits of the non-recipients didn't budge. Don't lose your momentum:

18. #3: Sleeping too little or too much:

According to Wake Forest researchers, dieters who sleep five hours or less put on 2½ times more belly fat, while those who sleep more than eight hours pack on only slightly less than that. Shoot for an average of six to seven hours of sleep per night—the optimal amount for weight control.

17. #4: Eating free restaurant foods:

Breadsticks, biscuits, and chips and salsa may be complimentary at some restaurants, but that doesn't mean you won't pay for them. Every time you eat one of Olive Garden's free breadsticks or Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you're adding an additional 150 calories to your meal. Eat three over the course of dinner and that's 450 calories. That's also roughly the number of calories you can expect for every basket of tortilla chips you get at your local Mexican restaurant. What's worse, none of these calories comes paired with any redeeming nutritional value. Consider them junk food on steroids.

16. #5: Drinking soda—even diet!:

The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda every week. Why is that so bad? Because a 2005 study found that drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better. When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more at subsequent meals.

15. #6: Skipping meals:

In a 2011 national survey from the Calorie Control Council, 17 percent of Americans admitted to skipping meals to lose weight. The problem is, skipping meals actually increases your odds of obesity, especially when it comes to breakfast. A study from the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and increases your odds of overeating at the next meal.

14. #7: Eating too quickly:

If your body has one major flaw, this is it: It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it's had enough. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that slow eaters took in 66 fewer calories per meal, but compared to their fast-eating peers, they felt like they had eaten more. What's 66 calories, you ask? If you can do that at every meal, you'll lose more than 20 pounds a year!

13. #8: Watching too much TV:

A University of Vermont study found that overweight participants who reduced their TV time by just 50 percent burned an additional 119 calories a day on average. That's an automatic 12-pound annual loss! Maximize those results by multitasking while you watch—even light household tasks will further bump up your caloric burn. Plus, if your hands are occupied with dishes or laundry, you'll be less likely to mindlessly snack—the other main occupational hazard associated with tube time.

12. #9: Ordering the combo meal:

A study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing shows that compared to ordering a la carte, you pick up a hundred or more extra calories by opting for the "combo" or "value meal." Why? Because when you order items bundled together, you're likely to buy more food than you want. You're better off ordering your food piecemeal. That way you won't be influenced by pricing schemes designed to hustle a few more cents out of your pocket.

11. #10: Facing the buffet:

Cornell researchers found that when eating at a buffet-style restaurant, obese diners were 15 percent more likely to choose seats with a clear view of the food. Your move: Choose a seat that places your back toward the spread. It will help you avoid fixating on the food.

10. #11: Eating off larger plates:

One study found that when given an option, a whopping 98.6 percent of obese individuals opt for larger plates. Translation: More food, more calories, and more body fat. Keep your portions in check by choosing smaller serving dishes. If need be, you can always go back for seconds.

For more great swaps and completely up-to-date calorie counts and nutritional information, order Eat This, Not That! 2012 today.

9. #12: Putting serving dishes on the table:

Resist setting out foods buffet- or family-style, and opt instead to serve them from the kitchen. A study in the journal Obesity found that when food is served from the dinner table, people consume 35 percent more over the course of the meal. When an additional helping requires leaving the table, people hesitate to go back for more.

8. #13: Choosing white bread:

A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when obese subjects incorporated whole grains into their diets, they lost more abdominal fat over the course of 12 weeks. There are likely multiple factors at play, but the most notable is this: Whole grain foods pack in more fiber and an overall stronger nutritional package than their refined-grain counterparts.

7. #14: Taking big bites:

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who took large bites of food consumed 52 percent more calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed longer. By cutting food into smaller pieces, you can increase satiety and enjoy your food more thoroughly. A good general rule? The smaller your bites, the thinner your waistline.

6. #15: Not drinking enough water:

Adequate water intake is essential for all your body's functions, and the more you drink, the better your chances of staying thin. In one University of Utah study, dieting participants who were instructed to drink two cups of water before each meal lost 30 percent more weight than their thirsty peers. And you can magnify the effect by adding ice. German researchers found that six cups of cold water a day could prompt a metabolic boost that incinerates 50 daily calories. That's enough to shed five pounds a year!

For more great swaps and completely up-to-date calorie counts and nutritional information, order Eat This, Not That! 2012 today.

5. #16: Having overweight friends:

Research from the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that when a friend becomes obese, it ups your chance of obesity by 57 percent. This probably has to do with the social norms that you're exposed to. Rather than ditch a friend who starts to put on a few extra pounds though, suggest healthy activities that you can do together, and avoid letting him or her dictate the meal ("Let's split the cheesecake!").

4. #17: Eating too late :

Your body can burn flab while you sleep, but only if it isn't too busy processing a full stomach. A new study in the journal Obesity looked at the sleeping and eating habits of 52 people over seven days, and it found that those who ate after 8 p.m. took in the most daily calories and had the highest BMIs.

3. #18: Not using a scale:

Looking at your body weight reinforces weight-loss goals and makes it difficult to cheat your diet. When University of Minnesota researchers observed dieters who weighed themselves daily, they discovered that the routine of stepping on a scale helped those people lose twice as much weight as those who weighed themselves less frequently. Avoid being thrown off by natural fluctuations in body weight by stepping onto the scale at the same time every day.

2. #19: Drinking fruity beverages:

Most restaurants and bars have ditched their fresh-fruit recipes in favor of viscous syrups made mostly from high fructose corn syrup and thickening agents. As a general rule, the more garnishes a drink has hanging from its rim, the worse it is for your waistline.

1. #20: Eating when emotional:

A study from the University of Alabama found that emotional eaters—those who admitted eating in response to emotional stress—were 13 times more likely to be overweight or obese. If you feel the urge to eat in response to stress, try chewing a piece of gum, chugging a glass of water, or taking a walk around the block. Create an automatic response that doesn't involve food and you'll prevent yourself from overloading on calories.

Thanks for reading!

 

 

"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." -  ºoº Walt Disney ºoº  

 

Emotional Eating And The Holidays: What To Do

By Rob Dobrenski, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
Dec 05, 2011

ShrinkTalk

by Rob Dobrenski, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist

On Thanksgiving, how many of us ate more than our bodies needed?  "Most" is probably an understatement.  Many holidays have food as a central component which, unfortunately, allows us to easily eat beyond what is needed to satisfy our hunger/provide necessary nutrients.  For a lot of people, this extra consumption is simply a mindless force of habit but, for others, Emotional Eating (EE) is the major culprit. In short, this is using our feelings to dictate what, when and how much we eat, rather than what our bodies actually need. 

For those who are interested in curbing this habit as we roll into the holiday season, awareness is the first and perhaps most important tool. You need to know and understand what the emotion(s) is that is generating poor eating habits.  It's at that point you can intervene so you are making the best decisions regarding food choices.  Below are common emotional states people experience during the holidays that lead to EE, along with some possible solutions.

Boredom

This is the most commonly reported emotion that leads to EE, and for good reason.  While many people enjoy the respite from the daily grind of life, the reality is that there isn't all that much to do.  Most public arenas are closed and there are only so many films/television programs to watch, so what do many people do?  Eat.

Obvious Solution: Fill up your calendar…in advance!  Know what you'll do with your time, plan it out, be active.  Don't take a "wait and see" approach to what the holidays will offer, dictate the pace and plan.

Alternative Solution: There's an old saying in psychology that reads "don't just do something, stand there."  In other words, people often believe that boredom requires action.  While behavior can often ameliorate the feeling, it's not mandatory.  Sit with the emotion, don't block it out.  Boredom can sometimes be a cue to reflect on your life: what is working, what isn't, what needs to change, what should stay as is.  Your mind is capable of going in countless directions if you allow it to, so don't believe you simply have to mask your boredom through activity.  This is a chance to be much more mindful about your life.

Depression

Unfortunately, the holiday season is an extremely debilitating time for millions.  Dissatisfaction with life, paired with the pressure to be happy and grateful and "into the holiday spirit" can bring about or amplify depression. 

Obvious Solution: Remember that, first and foremost, food is a very poor antidepressant.  Like alcohol, the positive effects are quite brief while the aftermath of emotional eating (e.g., weight gain, feeling overstuffed, self-dislike) is of much greater duration and intensity.  Identify the people and tasks you enjoy and immerse yourself in them instead. 

Subtle Solution:  Even the most religious people recognize that the holiday season, at least regarding duration, is man-made; it is society that has created a month-long extravaganza filled with consumerism and psychological pressure.  That said, make the holidays what you want them to be, independent of what anyone tells you.  Conforming to society's standards might be expected, but it is certainly not required.  Change your mindset about what the holidays "should" be for you as an individual and the depression associated with it is often tempered.

Stressed Out

This isn't an emotion per se; it's really a compilation of many different feelings.  But it is what many of my patients report when they think about the psychological toll of holiday shopping, party planning, party attending and, of course, spending time with some relatives who aren't necessarily the easiest group to get along with. 

Obvious Solution: Cut back on the demands.  Do your shopping online instead of in the chaos that is the retail outlets.  Pick a select number of gatherings and only attend those.  In short, streamline your life during this time.

Subtle Solution: Remember that what you "should" be thinking, feeling and doing is not necessarily reality.  Make your holiday what you want it to be and your stress level will decrease.

Happy

Not all Emotional Eating is based on negative emotions.  Many cultures use food for celebration and appreciation.  This is not a bad thing, but one must recognize its limits as a healthy experience. 

Obvious Solution: When you're happy, anything should seem possible.  Using food as a sole expression of happiness is, quite frankly, psychologically lazy.  Embrace your family, friends, health, wealth, religion, whatever it is that brings you joy.  Isn't that at least part of what the holidays are about?

Subtle Solution: Eat a reasonable meal, in the same way you would any other day.  Holidays are notorious for leftovers, so after you've consumed your fair share, bring all the extra food to a soup kitchen or shelter. Rid yourself of temptation while helping others.  Contrary to popular belief, the happiest people on the planet are the most altruistic, so why not actually increase your own happiness by elevating someone else's?  That is what the holidays should truly be about.

 

 

"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." -  ºoº Walt Disney ºoº  

 

Top 10 Weight Loss Tips

Top 10 Weight Loss Tips

By Stephanie Dolgoff | Healthy Living – Mon, Dec 12, 2011 6:10 AM EST

Weight loss tips

If you don't understand many weight loss tips, research them before you overlook them all together. In order to know the difference between what works and what doesn't work you must also realize that there are also many weight loss myths and lies out there as well.

Follow these ten weight loss tips and in no time you will feel and look great!

1. Don't eat after 8 pm. This is because, as your prepare to sleep, your metabolism becomes slower and therefore it is harder to properly digest food. Eating late at night doesn't allow for proper metabolism of food..

2. Stop eating when you begin to feel full, and eat only when you are hungry. Learn the difference between hunger and emotions.

3. Never forget that weight loss should be a personal journey. However, working with a friend who has the same goals is helpful to many who are trying to lose weight.

4. Eat protein rich foods regularly. Eating high protein, raw foods is one of the best ways to keep hunger at bay in addition to being a healthy change to your diet.

5. Never wait to get back on track if you have broken your diet. Do it immediately!.

6. Don't be afraid to refuse diet breaking snacks or foods. Don't be afraid of being rude when turning down unhealthy foods, it is acceptable. Don't be worried about doing so.

7. Don't skip meals! You are much more likely to overeat during later meals. Skipping meals may also slow down your metabolism..

8. If you become full, it is okay to not completely clear your plate. If you are concerned with wasting food, eat smaller portions.

9. Finish at least two 8oz cups of water prior to eating. This will help you feel full much quicker, allowing you to eat less and still be fulfilled.

10. These weight loss tips would not be complete without suggesting exercise. When you exercise, your metabolism will be boosted and a more effective fat burn will be activated throughout the entire day.

Avoid as best you can the incorrect weight loss information and tips that are available all around you. To obtain effective and healthy weight loss, a nutritional diet and daily exercise plan must be followed.

 

 

"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." -  ºoº Walt Disney ºoº