It is a simple matter of bio-chemistry that all living things need constant supplies of both energy and matter; the intake and conversion of these elements within a bodily system is known as the metabolism. The concept of “metabolism” is an easy one to clarify: given how all living things require energy to remain alive, and furthermore, given how energy does not simply drift around in a form that our bodies can process, we must receive it in another way.
Forget about starving yourself or going on a fad diet. We’ve got super-easy ways for you to fit into your jeans next month. By Nicole Adolphe
Foods to live by We asked nutritionist Kira Sutherland what to feast on.
1. Bring on full fat
You may have spent last year drinking only skim milk, avoiding cheese and eating diet yoghurts, but aren’t you still the same size? “Don’t be afraid to eat some full-fat foods,” says Sutherland. “Often fat-free foods contain artificial sweetener or lots of sugar to replace the fat.” The fat in foods helps make you feel satisfied, so you don’t overeat. It’s better to have one scoop of full-fat ice cream and feel satisfied than eat a huge bowl of low-fatice-cream.
It is amazing when you think about this, but one of the easiest and quickest ways to lose weight is also one of the most overlooked. I’m talking about drinking a glass of fresh cool water. Here is a look at why water can be so important in helping you lose weight.
While we all generally take water for granted in our everyday lives, the truth is our body is 66% water. Water helps to keep us healthy and also plays a pivotal role in weight control.
Tip #1 Stretch your meals out. Don’t eat too fast. Your stomach, mouth and brain are all connected and it takes twenty minutes of chewing before your stomach signals your brain that you are full. To feel full and successfully lose weight on any weight loss program, you need to eat slowly for twenty minutes or longer. Tip #2 Drinking eight glasses of water a day is important to your health, your normal diet and will help lose weight. Water is necessary for the metabolism of your stored fat. Weight loss cannot occur without an active metabolism which requires large quantities of water. Tip #3 The more positive your self-esteem, the better you feel about yourself, the faster and easier it will be for you to lose weight. When you are self-confident, you are better able to take charge of your life. Tip #4 If you go on a fat free or low fat diet, you also cut out much of the taste of the foods you eat. Add the flavor back with herbs and spices. Strong flavors such as vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cayenne, curry powder, rosemary and tarragon can be used to doctor up any food you are eating. Tip #5 Increase your metabolism by as much as forty percent by using hot and spicey foods. Research has been done that shows spicey foods can increase your metabolism. For double duty, give up fat filled mayonnaise for mustard and add hot peppers to your food for greater flavor and increased metabolism. Tip #6 Negative emotions will also interfere with your weight loss program. It’s difficult to stay motivated to lose weight when you feel bad. Overeating often accompanies negative emotions such as depression, anxiety, fear, guilt and anger. Try to keep a positive attitude throughout your life. Tip #7 To lose weight faster, reduce your intake of caffeine. Caffeine leads to an increase of insulin in your body which retards the burning of your stored fat.This is a simple chemical reaction in your body that you can change. Reduce your caffeine intake by 50% and see what happens. Tip #8 Incease your intake of fiber rich foods. They will help fill you up faster and will help all the food you eat pass through your digestive system more easily. Tip #9 Exercise is probably the most important key to increasing your metabolism and burning off excess fat. Research shows that you burn more stored fat for energy when you do aerobic exercises on an empty stomach than on a full stomach. Research also shows that you burn more stored fat when you exercise late in the day rather than in the morning. Put it all together, and the best time to exercise to lose body fat is in the late afternoon/early evening after dinner. Second best is in the morning before breakfast. Tip #10 Never skip a meal. Your first meal after waking starts your metabolism. Your metabolism then speeds up for about eight hours and then starts slowing down until you go to sleep when it goes to low until you wake and eat and start the cycle again. If you skip breakfast, your metabolism doesn’t get started until lunch time. You’ve just missed three or four hours of fat burning time. When you skip meals during the day, your metabolism also slows down. Weight loss through the burning of stored fat is all about eating enough of the right kinds of foods so you stay full and your metabolism stays as high as possible. Try to eat five to six small meals throughout the day.
