Metabolism - Rev It Up

Metabolism, in a nice simple definition, means the function of how the body breaks down food and uses it for energy. Sadly, it’s also a process that can be sluggish and unfortunately slows down as we age. The slower the process, the more likely we are to gain weight. Good news…we are not entirely helpless in the battle. There are some great wellness steps everyone can take to rev their metabolism up.
1. Lift it up! My personal favorite – pick up those weights! Increasing muscle and decreasing fat is a huge metabolism mover in the right direction. Muscle is an efficient calorie burning device. As you build nice lean muscle mass, your body will begin to work more efficiently. So build it, keep it and love it!
2. Water Water Everywhere- proper hydration helps flush toxins out of the systems as we burn the fat…so drink it up. Besides…water has no calories. So, as beverages are one of the biggest calorie consumptions in our society, learn to love it!
3. Cope – Stress is a big role player in metabolism and weight gain. Stress forces the body to produce cortisol(think fight or flight) which slows down our metabolism. The more stress…the slower the metabolism. Now I don’t mean to suggest for a second that because of this little article, you will miraculously ditch all of your stressors, but there are the A’s of stress to consider…Adhere, Avoid and Adapt. In other words, with regards to stress we can adhere to it or accept it for what it is, with little or no effort to change it, focus our actions on avoiding it altogether or adapt to knowing there will be stress in life and find ways to not have it negatively affect us.( I vote for Adapt)
4. Sleep It Off - Sleep is an integral part of the bodies needs. It is also an important time for muscle recovery(back to step one). The recommendation is 7-8 hours per night to maximize the benefits.

I am all about incorporating small simple steps to equal great lifelong changes. Start with one of the suggestions above and master it. Once you begin to see and feel the difference in yourself and in your body…move onto the next. You will be well on your way to one efficient metabolism!
Be well!