Give Your Metabolism a Boost!

A quick way to begin the weight loss process and get the results you want is to boost your metabolism.   Metabolism is the rate at which your body burn calories.  It’s the process of breaking down macronutrients such as carbohydrates, protein and fats. 

Factors that determine one’s metabolic rate are genes, weight, activity level and aging.   We can not control the genes we inherited or the fact that we age with time but we can control our weight, and activity levels.  We can also live a life that offsets the consequences of aging and bad genetic make-up.

Easy ways to boost your metabolism are:

 

1.  Become active.   Physical activities have been proven to increase your metabolism by at least 50%.  Whether it’s a high impact 30 minute cardio session or a low-intensity burnout using free weights,  exercising build muscles, increases your body’s need for energy thus resulting in more used calories. 
    
2.  Eat healthy regularly.  Whether you are eating 5-6 small meals a day or 3 meals, the key to boosting your metabolism is to remain consistent with your meals.  Skipping meals slows your metabolism and can also lead to over eating.   Focus on eating foods low in sugar, sodium and fats.  Choose foods with healthier unsaturated fat content such as nuts, seeds, fish and avocado.    
    
3. Get enough sleep.   Sleeping accounts for 60 to 70 percent of total calories burned daily.  It is not a myth, our bodies’ burn calories at rest.  Lack of sleep can slow your metabolism and lead to weight gain. Inadequate sleep also affects mood, increases irritation, stress and can lead to unhealthy habits.
    

Tips to give your metabolism the boost it needs for weight loss:

 

Get adequate protein daily.  Eat protein rich food such as; salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, eggs, beans, tofu, lean meats, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and cheese

 

Go for a brisk walk, a jog or run at your fastest pace

 

Dance for an hour or 2

 

Stay hydrated.  Your body needs to be hydrated to use calories efficiently. Increase your water intake, aim for at least 8 cups a day.  Eating fresh fruits and vegetables daily will also keep you hydrated.

 

Avoid sitting or lying right after a meal

 

Add weights to your workout routine and increase the intensity of your workout

 

Cook your foods with herbs and spices such as cayenne pepper, paprika and curry for a flavor and metabolism boost

 

Eat regularly and eat healthy!

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Survival 101

 

1.    First and most important forget the diet!

 

2.    Take the guilt out of eating more than you normally would by:

a.   Preparing  foods in a healthy way

b.   Eating smaller portion of all foods selected

c.   Waiting at least an hour, to an hour and a half before having seconds

d.   Avoiding large amount of fluids before, with or after meals.

3.   Oven fry chicken is just as tasty as pan fried chicken.  Use a dry batter in place of a wet one when frying in the oven.

4.   Make steamed or roasted vegetables as sides. Avoid using bacon, smoked meats with your vegetables. (see below for great vegan collard greens recipe)

5.   Use natural ingredients; avoid using process foods as much as possible.

6.   If you feel sluggish after dinner due to over eating, go for a quick brisk walk or entertain

yourself, family and friends with a game of musical chairs, or a 15 minute dance off.  Dancing for 15- 30 minutes burns anywhere from 60 to 150 calories.

Recipe!

Vegan Collard Greens

 

2 large bunches collard greens

3 garlic cloves crush and chopped

1 small onion chopped

2 tbsp. Olive oil

¼ tsp. dried rosemary

Dash of salt for taste (optional)

Dash of black pepper

 

Wash and chop (or tear) collard greens.

In a tall stock pot heat olive oil, add chopped onions, garlic and dried rosemary, sauté for about 3 minutes then add collard greens.

Add one cup of water, cover stock pot and let simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Once collard greens are cooked add small amount of black pepper and salt, simmer for 5 more minutes then remove from heat.

 

*If you prefer your greens soggy cook longer (it is better to steam your vegetables than it is to cook them in water). For collard greens add just enough water to keep it from burning or sticking to bottom of pot.  If water dries out before greens are cooked add water as needed. Kale and turnip greens can be used in place of collards as well!!

Guilt Free Holiday Eating

It is a myth that the holidays will cause you to gain an extra ten pounds, at the most a pound or two unless you are binging callously and using the holiday as a reason to not be mindful and active. Whole Body Nutrition is providing you with a few tips to make this holiday season more festive and less stressful:

Enjoy a guilt free holiday by:

1.  Not overeating, eat what you want but eat small portions of it. Smaller portions leave room for some of the higher calorie treats we like to have during the holidays.

2.  Exercising as usual, and if that is not possible spend time ice skating, shopping, cooking, dancing or site seeing with your family.

3.  Plan ahead, if you know an office party or a dinner is coming up have a game plan to prepare for that day. Eating light for breakfast and lunch will leave room for a few extra calories. Just as important is, not skipping meals. Skipping meals will lead to overeating due to hunger.

4.  Control the things you know you can when cooking. For example use low fat milk, and cream, where necessary use only egg whites, use fruit and vegetable alternates to add sweetness to baked goods; bananas, applesauce, pumpkin and carrots are ways to sweeten naturally.

5.  Don’t panic, be positive and enjoy the season. It only comes once every year! Stressing and worrying too much can lead to emotional eating. People who eat because of their emotions tend to eat more and often choose foods higher fat, sugar, and salt.

Eating and enjoying food during this short holiday season will not make you fat or fatter. Weight gain is relative to the individual based on how much they eat each day, and how active they are during these days. We all know, doing nothing and eating a lot leads to weight gain, so do as much as you eat and enjoy t

he time with family and friends! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!