There are a number of reasons our metabolism may be failing us - from medication and illness to stress, age and poor diet. Unfortunately a sluggish metabolism is like trying to use a match to run a freight train. So finding easy, everyday ways to continue to boost our own fire is essential to increased energy and vitality. Below you will find some simple steps and tips to boost your metabolism daily and if you add at least one of these in a day, over time your body will begin to work better and provide you with greater health and wellbeing.
1. Eat whole foods - Not half foods:It's no secret that you are what you eat and that food is our fuel. So if we are trying to achieve the best possible energy then why do we settle for half foods? So what is a half food you ask? Basically anything that is stripped, refined, concentrated or split apart from it's natural state. Some examples include fruit juice concentrates and not fruit, white breads, pastas and flours instead of whole grains, food products like corn chips instead of corn and so on. Whole foods are nature's perfect package of vitamins, nutrients, fiber and just the right amounts of carbohydrate, protein and fat. And whole foods provide whole energy - half foods, stripped of all the natural and essential vitamins and minerals take more energy to digest and offer less than half the nutrition in return.
2. Believe in Self Care:Metabolism is like a body schedule and it takes consistency to keep it running well, like clockwork. Follow these very simple steps to make sure you help your metabolism run smoothly and effectively.
First and foremost - Start your day with BREAKFAST! Not only does it add kindling to your night burning coals and start your morning fire, but people that eat breakfast can also have more focus, control weight and mood, and preform better in work and school. In terms of weight control of the more than 3,000 people in the National Weight Control Registry, who have lost more than 60 pounds and kept it off for 6 years or more, close to 80% contribute it to a combination of eating breakfast, eating a low fat diet and exercising for one hour or more daily. Keeping the same pattern of a low fat diet and exercise without breakfast did not yield the same results.
But not all breakfasts are created equally! Remember that food is fuel so fuel yourself with whole foods and you will have whole energy all day. It's pretty obvious that a doughnut and coffee is not equal fuel to whole grain toast, eggs and some fresh fruit. The first breakfast is like throwing lighter fluid on hot coals where the second is providing proper logs for long burning energy.
When making breakfast choices for long sustained energy, be sure to include a complex carbohydrate with a natural fiber and a protein.
Secondly, remember to get enough high quality sleep. Without good sleep you are burning the wick at both ends and you not only burn your body out but run your metabolism down to the end. Ways to help include taking time for yourself during the day to unwind instead of all at once at night, get physical during the day, do something you personally enjoy and reduce or eliminate caffeine and refined sugars - especially in the late afternoon and evening.
Third - take time for self care. A great lymphatic and metabolic booster and toxin release activity you can include in your daily self care is dry brushing or the warm washcloth scrub. Use a dry, natural bristle brush on dry skin in the morning and/or at night to gently brush up your body, always moving towards the heart. You can do the same with gently rubbing a warm washcloth over your body to stimulate circulation and relaxation.
3. Move and Breathe:It sounds simple but it is a practiced art that can lead to a lifetime of energy and vital wellbeing. Try this every morning at home for a great start:
Morning Exercises and Core Breathing - Basic Technique
1) Lie on your back, with your knees bent, heels opposite your sitting bones and hands resting on lower ribs and abdomen.
2) Inhale through your nose for the length of 4-5 counts, expanding through the side and back of your ribcage. The abdominals should remain controlled, drawing inward and upward gently. Remember to relax shoulders, neck and upper chest.
3) Exhale for the length of 4-5 counts, allowing your chest and ribs to fall (or "zip up") while drawing lower abdominals in and up. Keep shoulders relaxed and down while lengthening the spine - imagine a string pulling from the top of your head and the base of the spine, stretching and lifting your body in two directions at once.
Check: Relaxed and dropped shoulders. Relaxed legs and glutes. Neutral Pelvis (Imagine it holding up a bowl of water or tea cup) 15 Step Morning Metabolic Boost 1) Lie on your back with knees bent. Without tucking the pelvis, lift knees directly over hips with shins parallel to the floor.
2) Lift your hands to your knees keeping shoulders down and back, draw abs in and up and inhale into the back of your ribs.
3) Exhale and allow the breath to lift your head and shoulders from the ground towards your toes. Imagine your lower abs scooping in instead of pressing out or popping up. Maintain neutral pelvis and draw shoulders and ears apart as you lift.
4) Inhale again into the back and sides as you lower, still maintaining abdominal control. Repeat 4 -5 times.
5) When you feel ready, extend your legs outward as you exhale and lift. Begin to pump your arms down and out. Inhale 5 times and exhale 5 times breathing out of your mouth. Pump vigorously, give it a little speed. This is one set. Repeat this set 10 times.
6) Hold the last movement and lift even more as you inhale and then lower with control.
Check: Breathing, remember to use your breath to help guide movement. Imagine abs scooped and flat. Neutral pelvis, relaxed shoulders. 7) Bring in legs and wrap your arms around them tucking your head to your chest like a ball.
8) With your right hand to your left knee and your left hand on your left shin, extend your right leg out pulling your left leg toward you.
9) Switch sides and alternate your abdominal breathing as you continue to switch. Repeat 10 times keeping your head, neck and back neutral.
10) Finish back in your ball position with both feet together.
11) Now stretch your body out like taffy - Arms above as far as they can go and feet straight down pulling in the opposite direction.
12) Roll over - come to all fours. Push your hands and knees into the ground and imagine a string attached to your navel pulling through your back, rounding it up toward the ceiling. Let your head drop down as you roll your back up. Use your abdominal exhale.
13) Inhale in as you stretch your navel toward the ground - still on all fours - stretching your back in a "U" shape - shoulders away from ears, head and tailbone reaching toward eachother and face up to the ceiling. Pull in deep breaths and repeat these movements 10 times.
14) Finish in neutral - on all fours - and bring the tailbone back to your heals in childs pose reaching your arms in front of you - stretching your neck and back. Breathe deeply for a few breaths. Now bring your arms around to grab your feet and breathe deeply and calmly.
15) Take your time to slowly rise and enjoy a new day!
Now pat yourself on the back, you did awesome! Try this every morning as a simple metabolic stimulator and to bring awareness and practice to the core. Adding in these great exercises will bring your body into balance in no time and this balance will create great fuel for your metabolism and overall health.
Be Well!
