As a trainer, I find that many clients are willing to put in the fitness and exercise component while struggling with the nutrition component of their health program. If you experience the same thing, this article is for you.
It is important to realize that nutrition plays a bigger role in fat and weight loss than exercise and physical training. There are many ways to boost metabolism and working with a personal trainer will help you to incorporate as many strategies as possible into your daily routine.
The following are a few techniques to boost your fat loss efforts:
Engage in aerobic exercise for 30-60 minutes MOST days of the week and an additional 15-30 minutes in the afternoon/evening. My peers in the fitness industry may suggest less time per week but I find that the body is designed to be active daily and maintaining a strong workout schedule boosts the metabolism. Always remember that you can break your workouts into shorter sessions to meet your schedule and personal obligations.
When exercising, use interval training and weight training sessions at least three times a week. Both techniques push the body to use carbohydrate and fat stores in the body. Weight training also builds lean muscle mass which increases your metabolism.
If you are performing weight training and cardiovascular exercise in the same day, weight train first because it will burn carbohydrates for the first 30 minutes so that the calories you burn during cardiovascular exercise will come from fat.
Always look for ways to be active throughout the day. Walking up the stairs instead of using elevators and walking as much as possible throughout the day will add up to meet your fitness goals.
Exercise in the morning when you can because it will help to control your appetite all day long and decrease food cravings.
Do not hold your breath and breathe deeply during exercise because your body needs oxygen to effectively burn fat and boost your metabolism.
Once you have the fitness component in place, you should take a look at your dietary habits to boost your metabolism.
First of all, drink water, water, and more water. Drinking cold water throughout the day actually encourages your body to get rid of excess water, increases your body’s core temperature which stimulates your metabolism and promotes cleansing of the body.
Always eat breakfast and eat 5-6 smaller meals a day (every 3 hours).
Eat the majority of your calories earlier in the day when your body is active and able to burn more calories than during sleep.
Avoid empty-calorie foods and beverages like sodas or alcohol which dehydrate your body, slow your metabolism, do not satisfy your hunger, and add to the calories you have to burn later.
Whether you want to boost your metabolism to increase fat burn or boost overall energy, make sure you consult a professional like myself and gradually incorporate the tips I am sharing with you to reach your goals. Don’t forget to avoid stress and sleep well (7-8 hours) to improve your results.
