You've probably heard, and it's no secret, that if your metabolism is sluggish you will have a much harder time losing weight.
This is true, but I am here to relieve you of this burden and give you some tried and true tips to get your metabolism running in high gear and help you start losing weight fast.
METABOLISM is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the body to maintain life.
These processes allow us to grow and reproduce, maintain our structures, and respond to our environment.
Typically, we hear about a person having a slow or fast metabolism.
We all know that person who can eat anything they want and not gain an ounce, then there are those of us who carefully watch every morsel we ingest and we still gain weight, this is due to our rate of metabolism.
There are several reasons for a sluggish metabolism and some very simple ways to speed it up.
THYROID - The thyroid plays a huge role in a person's metabolism.
A sluggish thyroid can cause a host of symptoms, one being a decreased ability to lose weight.
If you suspect you may have a thyroid condition, it is best to consult your doctor.
Your doctor will likely run lab tests to check your thyroid levels, but even if your levels are within normal range that doesn't mean your thyroid is running at peak performance.
The thyroid needs iodine to function properly and over 90% of Americans are iodine deficient.
Adding iodine, in supplement form, is an easy way to boost thyroid function and make losing weight much easier.
EXERCISE - Exercise, whether we like to hear it or not, is very important in sustaining a healthy metabolism and in losing weight.
We all know exercise is important if we want to stay healthy and ward off disease, but did you know a certain type of exercise can actually keep your body burning calories even while you sleep or watch a movie? Strength training, or exercising with weights, is what helps our muscles grow and burn calories for up to 72 hours after the workout! Just 20 minutes of strength training three times per week will aid in losing weight and keeping your metabolism running at its peak.
FATIGUE OR LOW ENERGY LEVELS - Fatigue is another symptom of a sluggish thyroid and poor metabolism.
If you feel like you could curl up and take a nap anytime of the day or just don't have the energy to do all you need to do during the day, you need to rev up your metabolism.
There are 4 easy ways to boost low energy levels and get you feeling energized from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed.
1.
Drink 8-10 glasses of pure water daily.
Coffee and pop actually dehydrate the body, thus causing fatigue and poor body function.
2.
Eat whole, natural foods every day.
When you nourish your body with whole foods - which means foods with no ingredient list - you nourish your body with natural vitamins and minerals that the body can easily convert to energy.
Processed foods are foreign to the body and therefore contaminate and slow us down, making losing weight more difficult.
3.
Get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.
The body repairs and replenishes itself while we sleep.
If we continually cut our sleep short or wake up various times during the night, the body never gets the opportunity to recharge.
Poor sleep habits can actually lead to weight gain.
4.
De-stress.
We are all under different amounts of stress each day, but it is how we handle that stress that makes the difference.
Taking "down-time" to relax each day is essential to our well-being.
High stressed individuals are also more likely to be overweight.
So, as you can see, there are several things you can start doing right now to speed up your metabolism and start losing weight quickly and easily.
Taking matters into your own hands and setting a mental determination to follow through and reach your goals is imperative in any effort to lose weight.