By: Sue Pasqual
So many people I work with suffer from a sluggish metabolism, but they’re usually not aware that some of the choices they make to revv it up are actually contributing to slowing it down. If you’re wondering what changes you could make or you’re just curious on how to keep your metabolism moving, keep reading!
Certain things, like age, can impact our metabolism but they’re simply parts of life we can’t change. But, there so many other factors that you can address such as yo-yo dieting, not moving enough, and not getting enough sleep!
So, what are some ways to keep your metabolism moving? It seems simple enough to just do the opposite of what I just mentioned, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it isn’t always that easy to break those unhealthy habits! So, let’s tackle each individually:
Supplement Smart
While we can’t turn back the aging process, we can make sure we’re doing what we can to support our bodies as they grow and change. Quality supplementation is a great option! Since we may have lived unhealthily for some time, now is the time to fix what we broke through those unhealthy habits so we can age gracefully, not allowing it to detour us from meeting our goals. After all, with age comes wisdom!
Don’t Diet
Technically, diet is what we eat on a daily basis – but, what I mean here are fad diets. These diets range anywhere from OMAD to Paleo to the Cabbage Soup craze, all of which tend to come and go as fast as the season’s trends. These diets hey may work for the short term but they aren’t sustainable. When you dramatically lower your calorie intake and restrict food groups, your body senses that food is scarce and lowers the rate at which it burns calories. So, not only is your body going to slow itself to adjust to the restrictions, but many restrictive diets don’t allow you to get sufficient nutrition to maintain muscle & overall health.
Focus on Nutrition
This means providing your body with all the nutrients it needs to not only lose weight, but maintain it, too! This means not skimping on proteins, good fats, and carbohydrates – all important nutrients to fuel your body. Keep in mind that carbs aren’t just grains! They also include foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Eating enough of a variety of whole, nutritious foods will give you energy & help keep your metabolism moving!
Make Movement Fit
Fitness is another important factor for keeping your metabolism moving, but that doesn’t always mean hitting the gym! There are plenty of at-home workouts, bodyweight workouts, and Youtube video workouts to choose from, but the point is that you have to MOVE!
Challenge yourself, especially if your job consists of sitting down most of the day. Find something you like to do, find a friend to do it with and be sure to FIT IT IN. Schedule it into your day planner so you know you will do it.
Make Sleep a Priority
Sleep is so important for our wellness, and it impacts weight loss as well. So many of us lack sleep, and our bodies simply cannot function at 100% if you aren’t allowing yourself to rest & recharge. If you have trouble getting to sleep, try shutting off your electronics an hour before bed. Grab a book, listen to soothing music, or just close your eyes and relax to get in those 8 hours of restful sleep.
Improving your metabolism can be done! Don’t let any old bad habit steer you away! You can do everything you set your mind to.
Comments (0)