Tag: exercise

10 Ways To Boost Your Metabolism With Exercise

Increasing Metabolism Accelerates Weight Loss

www.motivationtoexercise.orgIncreasing your metabolism is one of the best ways to accelerate your weight loss. You’ll be burning more calories while at rest, and people who have a faster metabolism can cheat on their diet here and there with fewer negative repercussions.

In this article, we’ll look at 10 ways you can increase your metabolism with exercise. While it won’t happen overnight, you’ll burn slightly more calories in the first week. After the first month, your metabolic rate will be higher… and by the third month, you’ll have a high metabolism and have more energy for life.

10 Ways To Increase Metabolism

1. Running
Without a doubt, this is one of the best ways to burn calories and shed the stubborn fat. Running must be done at high speed. Sprinting is best because it puts you in fat burning mode for hours. This is how your metabolic rate skyrockets.

Avoid jogging which doesn’t put you in an excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) state. In other words, the calorie burning benefits ends once the exercise session ends. All you’ll get is impact on your joints and minimal fat burning benefits.

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2. Train legs more
When working out at the gym, focus on squats, box jumps, lunges, etc. The legs are huge muscles and training them more will not only help burn more calories, but you’ll develop lean muscle too. This will translate to more calories burned while at rest, because muscle is ‘calorically expensive’ and energy must be used to maintain them.

 

3. Focus on compound exercises
Pullups, deadlifts, squats, bench presses, etc. are examples of compound exercises. These exercises recruit several muscle groups and you’ll be burning more calories as compared to isolation exercises such as calf raises and dumbbell curls which only work one specific muscle each. Your workouts should mostly comprise compound movements.

 

4. Interval training
Interval training twice or three times a week will help to raise your metabolism and put you in fat burning mode for hours. They’re far more effective for fat loss than slow, steady state cardio.
You really do not need to do more than 3 sessions a week – and always have a one-day break between sessions. Interval training is so potent that if done daily without breaks, you can tax your central nervous system causing chronic fatigue and other problems.

 

5. Increase the resistance
Your goal should always be to increase the weight you move or the resistance you add in your training. If you run, you may use ankle weights to add resistance. If you lift weights, you should aim to lift as much weight as you can while maintaining good form and train safely.

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The more resistance you add, the harder your muscles will work. This will increase lean muscle growth and boost your metabolism.

 

6. Work your core
Hanging leg raises, planks, v-sits, etc. are all core exercises that work your core muscles and entire body. Incorporating a few of them towards the end of your workout session will help you tone your core and midsection. Your metabolism will also increase because many muscles are used to stabilize your core during core training.

 

7. Activity throughout the day
Drops make an ocean. The same principle applies in your daily life. You can spike and maintain your metabolism throughout the day by not slouching into a kyphotic position over your computer and being sedentary throughout the day.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk instead of using a car, if possible. Use a Swiss ball instead of a chair when you’re at your desk. Do 10 pushups, 10 half-squats and 10 jumping jacks every half an hour.

Not only will the short bursts of activity wake you up from the daily daze of monotony, but the short exercise sessions will work your muscles too.

 

8. Stay hydrated
Drinking sufficient water throughout the day has been shown to increase one’s active metabolism. The colder the water, the better. So, guzzle down those glasses of iced water.

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9. Change up your activities
The human body is a highly intelligent and adaptive organism. If you subject it to the same workouts every week, it will get more efficient at handling the workouts. This is why you see improvements in performance.

To stimulate your body’s metabolism, it would be a good idea to keep it guessing. Do new exercises and engage in a variety of activities. If you do CrossFit today, try indoor rock climbing the next day. A spinning class the day after that will be a refreshing change too. What’s next?

Kickboxing classes, rowing machine training, yoga, etc. You’re spoiled for choices. While you don’t have to vary your workouts daily, adding a new activity once a week will keep your body in ‘constantly adapting’ mode.

 

10. Slow your movements
This is applicable to weight training. When lifting weights, it’s best to check your ego at the door and stop comparing the size of your muscles with others. Some people have a natural tendency to want to lift the most weight just for bragging rights.

Very often, form goes out the window and jerky movements are used to lift weights that are far too heavy for them. This is counterproductive.

Instead, you should lift weight in a slow and controlled manner. One count to lift the weight up and three counts to slowly lower it. The eccentric phase of the movement stimulates the muscle fibers and causes growth. This will lead to a higher metabolism.

The 10 pointers in this article are highly effective if you apply them.

Warnings

Of course, you should consult your doctor first and tailor an exercise program to fit in with your current level of fitness. If you’ve led a sedentary lifestyle for years or you’re obese, you’ll not be able to handle high intensity training initially. It will be best to walk more, clean up your diet and lose several pounds till harder exercise becomes possible.

Once you’re lighter and can move more fluidly, you can apply the more ‘hardcore’ tips mentioned here. What matters is that you make exercise a part of your daily lifestyle.
You have everything to gain from it. The only bad workout is the one that didn’t happen.

Get moving today.

Health And Fitness

Great Fitness Tips For Better Health Now!

People all have their own preferences for getting fit and there are as many ways to motivate yourself towards getting fit as there are people thinking about it. Here are some suggestions you may find useful.

Challenge

The concept of fitness is about much more than just losing weight. Losing weight is a part of the puzzle that is fitness, but only one piece. To truly become fit you must push yourself further than before. Your body becomes used to a certain level of fitness and will begin to slacken off. In order to stay fit, you must keep challenging your body.

Rest

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While it may seem counter-intuitive, an extremely important part of a fitness regimen is a regular rest day. This gives your muscles a chance to repair any damage they have suffered. If you don’t take a regular rest day, you are likely to suffer a damaging injury. It also held to keep you motivated, as constantly working and exercising can be extremely tiring and demotivating, so rest for motivation too.

Improve Fitness

You really only need six simple exercises to improve fitness. These exercises are the push up, squats, leg raises, pull ups, bridges, and handstand push ups.

No Pain

When working out some soreness is normal, but pain is not. Working out is often uncomfortable as you are working to increase your endurance and limits; however, it should not be outright painful. If you ever experience severe pain when working out, stop what you are doing immediately. If the pain does not subside, head to the doctor, as you may have suffered an injury.

Cardio

A really good way to get fit is to join a boxing gym. Boxers are some of the fittest athletes in the world and by joining a boxing gym, you’ll have access to all of the resources they have. Hitting a speed bag is just one of the things you can do. One of www.motivationtoexercise.orgthe fitness exercises in boxing is skipping. It takes only a rope and enough space to swing it. This will definitely improve your cardio fitness if you practice it regularly. Try skipping for a minute, then resting a minute, working up to skipping 3 minutes (a full round) then a minute’s rest.

Marathon

One way to motivate yourself to get fit, is to sign up for a marathon. Participating in a marathon can be a once in a lifetime opportunity and you’ll definitely get fit from the training. If you have the discipline to train for a marathon, it can be a great way to get a high level of overall fitness.

Professional Help

Another way to get fit is to consult with a professional bodybuilder. A lot of bodybuilders have their own web sites where they offer a service that gives you the opportunity to pay to have your own consultation with them. You can get their experienced advice on your diet and workout routine. Working along with someone who has the knowledge and experience, especially if you are paying for their time, is a great motivation to attend the training sessions and work at it.

Personal trainers are often a valuable thing for those truly committed to raising their fitness. Personal trainers have a wealth of experience to draw from. Personal trainers don’t mesh with everyone’s style, but they can have a huge effect on a person’s fitness results.

Think Outside The Box

Think outside the box when it comes to your weight loss and fitness goals. Instead of doing the same boring things like running, walking, push ups, etc. try something fun. Why not take a dance class? There are tons of fun classes you can take that will whip you into shape. Yoga, martial arts, circuit training, sports are all different fun ways that can motivate you to improve your fitness.

Buddy System

www.motivationtoexercise.orgA great way to help you get fit is to find a workout buddy. Workout buddies are great because they can lend you motivation when you need it and they can spot you when you’re lifting weights. If you’re going to be lifting heavy weights, a workout partner is strongly recommended. Or you could join a group fitness class. Try to get a friend to join with you so that you feel more obligated to go. This is so much more fun than working out alone and it will prompt you to work out more often.

Of course instead of a workout buddy, you could take the walkout buddy!

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Measurements

Keep your body measuring on a regular schedule. You need to keep track of your progress after a set amount of time and keep doing it to see what is working and what is not. It is recommended that you measure every four weeks or so. Take measurements of waist size, body fat, etc. Seeing these numbers will give you motivation to stay on track and achieve your goals.

Use math as a motivation tool. Multiply the amount of times you are lifting a weight by the mass of the weight to get your exercise number. Try to improve on that number every time you work out to give yourself a challenge and to keep yourself coming back to the gym.

The longer you exercise, the more fat you will burn off at the gym. So, when you are working out at the gym or at home, make sure that you are listening to good music. Music should be uplifting, which can give you the motivation to push harder to reach your goal. Music is one of the most important things to add to your regimen if you desire to improve your level of fitness. Bring an MP3 player with you and listen to songs that are going to help your level of motivation. This can help stimulate adrenaline, which will increase the length of your workouts.

Meet That Challenge

Although getting fit will certainly be a challenge, don’t let that scare you off. If you follow the tips presented here and take things step by step, you will quickly find that you can reach all of the goals you have set for yourself. This will cause you to have more confidence and enjoy life more.

Finding The Motivation To Exercise

Finding The Motivation To Exercise

Most people are aware of the many benefits of exercise. It keeps fat at bay, raises metabolism, lowers blood pressure, and a whole host of other health boosts. However exercising is easier said than done. It can be difficult to find the motivation to exercise amidst hectic and exhausting day to day

For anyone having trouble staying motivated, the first step is to evaluate their exercise routine. The most common exercise plan involves simply heading to the gym, however this is not the best choice for a lot of people. Many people find the gym boring, as it always has the same machines and the same workouts. If an exercise routine becomes boring and predictable, it becomes easier to find excuses to skip it.

To spice up a workout regimen, and regain the motivation to exercise, it is important to look outside of the gym. Look to favorite hobbies and activities and find a way to introduce exercise into the mix. For example, for someone who loves the outdoors, hiking is a great way to exercise. Fans of music may enjoy taking a dance class. The key is to find a type of exercise that is enjoyable and something to look forward to, instead of dreading.

Another great way to increase motivation to exercise is by getting a workout partner. When there is someone to be accountable to, it is harder to excuse missing a workout. In addition, there will always be someone to talk to and commiserate with as the calories are burned away.

If motivation is still failing, it might be time to reevaluate the goals being set. When goals are set too high, it can be hard to stay motivated. Instead, break the larger goal up into smaller, more manageable goals. For example, having a goal of running a marathon seems great at first, however when it is a struggle to get past mile 10, it starts to seem impossible. It is this feeling of futility that leads people to quit altogether. Instead, try focusing on smaller goals. First work on running 5 miles, then 10, 15, and so on. The eventual goal is the same, however having the milestones to reach before the end goal can help make sure that the progress and hard work is obvious and motivation will stay high.

Sometimes all it takes to improve motivation is a little bit of a success story. Find support groups online and follow the social media and blogs of people who have reached their goals. Reading about others conquering the same difficulties and succeeding can help inspire and show that anything is possible.

Finding the motivation to exercise is one of the hardest parts of living a life of fitness. It is all too easy to skip a workout in favor of relaxing in front of the television. However, it is possible to regain focus and get back lost motivation. By following the advice listed here, it is possible to get back in the game.