If only we could all be blessed with perfect metabolisms, the diet and fitness industries would be small fish in the big sea of commerce. But life is not that way and Moms have to see to it that they burn the baby fat because it is the first important step towards a healthy lifestyle for them and their family. Moms can get their pre-pregnancy bodies back by focusing on increasing their metabolism with a few "natural" tricks to the trade.
It is easy to ignore the fact that every single cell in our body is a part of us. How we assist the biochemical symmetry that goes on inside of us to keep us alive has a huge impact on our success in losing pregnancy weight and keeping the weight off. An important piece of this "symmetry" is our metabolism. It is responsible for controlling the efficiency at which our bodies can utilize our energy to keep you the busy Mom that you are. You can get on the road to proper weight management by boosting your metabolism with the following actions.
Eat to Live
You teach your children to eat healthy so it's assumed that you will lead by example. Wanting to lose your tummy involves fueling your body with foods that require more energy to digest them than the energy it receives from them. This extra energy expenditure helps to increase your metabolism and keep it going on "active" mode instead of on "conservation" or resting mode when we skip meals.
Some of these foods you already eat and when you want to lose your tummy, this is a step in the right direction. Foods high in lean or low-fat protein and high in fiber are the target foods to aid your fat loss. Also, increasing your dietary fiber also lowers your risk for obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders and heart disease. Thus, these foods should be included into your diet simply for maintaining good health.
Interval Training at maximum Effort
Wouldn't it be great to have a workout session that could burn the baby fat at minimum cost to your precious time? Well, you can burn the fat effectively with a 15-minute workout done in intervals. Interval training is basically repetitively doing an exercise at high intensity with short periods of rest or low intensity after each set. Studies show that this method of training is more effective at burning body fat compared to just training at a low to moderated level of intensity for the same time period. Varying the intensity of your workout makes your body burn more calories because it has to work harder.
Strengthen your muscles
Losing pregnancy weight to get a lean and toned body includes more than just cardiovascular workouts. You need to include some strength training into your workout routine so that you can start to re-build your muscle mass to become toned and lean. The more muscle you have, the more fat you will lose.
Resistance training equipments are simple and user friendly. Equipment such an exercise ball on which you can use your own body as a tool is inexpensive and simple to use. You can trim your tummy and get lean in the comfort of your home.
Participate in Physical Activities
An active Mom, who is determined to lose the pregnancy weight for the long-term, will have to keep the momentum going by staying physically active. When the weight has come off, your new goal will be weight management. This can be done if you recruit your family into participating in physical activities such as a hiking, biking, swimming, skiing, rollerblading, etc. Not only will you be living a healthier lifestyle and keeping the weight off but you will have quality time with your loved ones.
Your metabolism is the biological key to sustaining your weight after losing the baby fat. By living a healthy lifestyle that includes balancing your time for your mind, body, soul and your loved ones, you will become successful at being the fabulous woman that you are.
In simple terms, our metabolism is the rate by which the body produces and consumes energy and calories to support life. Metabolism takes place 24 hours a day, even while we rest and sleep. As we know, some bodies burn calories more effectively than others and this is down to our metabolic rate - the speed at which our bodies convert food into energy.
We hear of fast or slow metabolisms but in fact we should be referring to efficient or inefficient metabolisms. Having an efficient metabolism enables us to burn fat and lose weight fast with the least amount of activity. As we age, we tend to become less active and lose muscle tissue and increase the amount of fat with a corresponding effect on metabolism but it is possible to counter this, and here are several ways to do this:
1. Build up on lean body mass. The amount of muscle a person has plays a large part in the ability to burn calories and shed fat, so it goes without saying that exercise is essential. We can build strength and resistance by working out at least twice a week, preferably with weights. Do easy exercises in between workouts. Simple tasks such as walking the dog and using the stairs in place of the elevator can already take off calories. The key is to match the amount of eating to the amount of activity we do.
2. Eat breakfast. The old saying "Breakfast like a King" is based on good sound principles. A lot of people are ignoring the fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Surprisingly, those who eat breakfast tend to be thinner than those who do not. Eating well and early gives our metabolism a good kick-start. Metabolism can slow down considerably if food isn't eaten until mid-morning or even later.
3. Avoid sugar. Sugar enables the body to store fat. It's recommended that we eat food that helps sustain an even level of blood-sugar. Additionally, progressive exercise 2-3 times a week should help to stabilize blood sugar levels.
4. Eat spicy foods. Hot cooking with peppers and chillies can increase metabolism through raising your body temperature and heart rate, both of which will burn calories.
5. Sleep more. According to research, it's easier for people who do not get enough sleep to gain weight. We need proper and sufficient sleep for the release of hormones such as melatonin and growth hormone, which our bodies need to operate efficiently. Also, muscles are regenerated during the last couple of hours of slumber.
6. Increase water intake. Water flushes out toxins that are produced whenever the body burns fat. The majority of bodily functions involve water, and lack of water causes the body system's operations to decrease its speed, and produces unneeded stress as a result.
7. Eat smaller meals. It is advisable to consume 4 to 6 small meals that are timed 2 to 3 hours apart. You raise your metabolic rate every time you eat, so eating more frequently gives you a metabolic boost more often, whereas eating one large meal can have the effect of slowing metabolism.
8. Never skip meals. People tend to skip meals in order to lose weight, which is a big mistake since it slows down metabolism. Put some planning into your daily meal pattern to make sure you eat at the right times.
9. Do away with stress! Stress, both physical and emotional, triggers the release of Adrenaline, Noradrenalin, and Cortisol. These hormones switch off metabolic activities such as the digestive system, as it's not needed at times of danger or perceived danger, as we prepare for 'fight or flight'.
10. Don't stint on green tea. It can be used as a substitute for coffee and the catechins in green tea have the ability to stimulate metabolism. Green tea has many other health benefits through its antioxidant qualities.
11. Include more energy foods in the diet, such as fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains. These foods should be a staple of most diets anyway for their overall health-giving qualities.
Achieving the desired body weight is never easy but if you have a sensible diet and exercise regime which increases your muscle mass and reduces the amount of body fat, this will significantly boosts your metabolism, and make weight loss just that bit easier.
Both Teresa Brown & Andrew Poole are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Teresa Brown has sinced written about articles on various topics from Metabolism, Careers and Job Hunting and Lose Weight. Ready to get healthy? Visit Teresa Brown's blog for more information on how you can and. Teresa Brown's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
Andrew Poole has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lose Weight, Health and Computers and The Internet. Andrew Poole is a qualified specialist Weight-loss Coach and the creator of the New-Slimmer-You Weight-loss Support Plan He offers a sp. Andrew Poole's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.