Boost your metabolism so you can lose weight

Perhaps you think that in order to lose weight you need to cut your calories way down. However, when we cut our calories below our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), which is the rate at which our bodies burn calories when we are resting, we do ourselves more harm than good.

Calories to sustain vital functions

Our bodies need calories to sustain the vital functions of our body like breathing, heart rate, waste removal, and cell repair and growth, even when we are resting. When we cut our calories way below our RMR, our body shifts into starvation mode, making our metabolic rate very slow.

So, even though we are eating less, it’s hard to lose weight because our bodies are fighting to keep the energy it has stored in body fat. In addition to not being able to lose weight, we also don't have much energy during the day, so it's tough to do even our routine chores. That is why it's important to increase our metabolism rate - that way our body can sustain the vital functions of our body and we can have more energy during the day!

Lyssie Lakatos, R.D., and Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., authors of Fire of your Metabolism: 9 proven principles for burning fat and losing weight forever, offer these tips to boost our RMR:

1. Do 30 minutes or more of aerobic activity at least four to five times a week. Try brisk walking, biking, or dancing to burn calories and get your hard pumping.
2. Strength-train three times a week to increase your lean muscle and the rate at which your body burns calories
3. Don’t wait more than five hours before you eat another meal (except at night). Skipping meals can slow your metabolism and deprive you of the energy you need.
4. Eat breakfast to wake up your metabolism after a night’s sleep. Having breakfast gives you energy and helps prevent overeating at your next meal.

Boost your metabolism by exercising and eating at regular intervals, and NEVER skip breakfast. The faster your metabolism, the more calories you will burn, even when you are resting.

Additional Information

Visit the weight-training section in www.Health4U.com site)

Mirdza Hayden is a Holistic Health expert