How to fix your metabolism

What is metabolism? If you said it’s how fast you burn calories, you’re partially right. Your metabolic rate does determine the number of calories your body burns. But your metabolism governs more than just your metabolic rate. It also keeps everything in balance – like your blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. 

When metabolism goes wrong

In ideal circumstances, your metabolism works like a well-oiled machine. You eat energy in the form of food. The body breaks the food down into sugar. The sugar is transported out of the blood and into the cells by the hormone insulin. Simple.

But most of us don’t lead ideal lives. We tend to eat diets high in simple carbohydrates (like bread, rice, and pastries), which cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels. In response, the pancreas secretes loads of insulin. That’s okay occasionally, but when we consistently eat simple carbs, so much insulin is flooded into the system that we can eventually become resistant to it. In fact, one in five Americans suffers from insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes and metabolic syndrome – both of which increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. That’s why it’s important to learn how to lower blood sugar.

Balance your blood sugar

There are a number of things you can do to support normal blood sugar levels. Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet top the list. But superfood nutrition can also help. A daily shake loaded with vitamins and minerals that the body craves while reducing craving for sugary snacks will do wonders for balancing your sugar.

When you balance your blood sugar, you’re investing in your long-term health. But you also get short-term benefits, like higher energy levels and an easier time losing weight.

Love your heart

If you’re resistant to insulin, chances are it’s putting a strain on your heart. That’s why any program aimed at supporting optimal metabolism will also address cardiovascular health. 

Give yourself a good foundation

Your body can survive even the most nutritionally deficient diet. But for your metabolism to really thrive, it needs a multitude of vitamins and minerals – in just the right quantities.

For an eating and exercise plan aimed at supporting a healthy metabolism, click here!

Lose Weight While You Sleep

You probably didn't know it, but one of the best times to lose weight is while you sleep. That's because the human body is designed by nature to repair itself during the hours we are sleeping.

Our bodies use sleep to repair and strengthen our muscles, joints and other parts that get tired and damaged through use and exertion during waking hours.

This restorative process uses energy to rebuild lean muscle mass and to help rebuild other kinds of body tissue. That is worth repeating -- this rebuilding process uses energy -- and if the rebuilding process is running smoothly and efficiently, that energy comes from places in our body where energy is stored -- from fat.

In other words, the body rebuilds tissue, organs, bone, and lean muscle by burning fat.

Several things about this process are worth noting. They have an important bearing on how efficiently it works.

Collagen is very important to the body repair process

Collagen is the most common protein found in our bodies. It is the main component of our skin, nails, bones, cartilage, and connective tissue and is found in all of the body organs. Cartilage is the cushion and shock absorber between joints, and the reason we stay flexible and mobile. Healthy cartilage is constantly being regenerated by the body naturally and this process contributes to keeping us youthful and flexible.

As we age, our bodies lose the ability to produce collagen at sufficient levels needed to support the deep restorative sleep processes that our bodies are designed to perform. This can be a major contributor that leads to a premature aged appearance and can definitely affect our flexibility and mobility. It stands to reason that a collagen supplement combined with other natural ingredients can have a dramatic effect in better supporting the deep restorative sleep process. This in turn can allow the body to experience more energy, build more lean muscle, and burn more fat.

Amino acids enhance the regeneration process

The rebuilding process is also influenced by the efficiency of the amino acids normally used for this purpose. As part of the rebuilding process, amino acids help maintain lean muscle mass and allow the body to more readily consume fat for energy. This contributes to weight loss.

Again, as we age, our body's production of efficient amino acids is reduced. A supplement such as L-Carnitine is a special amino acid that enhances the body's normal function and helps your body convert excess fat into readily available fuel. During deep sleep, these special amino acids work like a natural "turbocharger" to help your body repair, preserve and build lean muscle while burning stored fat to supply the needed energy.

Not eating before sleeping is important

Since the body uses deep sleep for the restoration process, it is important when using a collagen supplement not to eat three hours before going asleep. This is because we don't want nutrient competition between undigested food and the collagen supplement special nutrient formula itself. If the body has to concern itself with digestion it will not absorb the collagen formula properly. Therefore, your body will not be performing its natural restorative process while you sleep, but rather will be concerned with undigested foods and will actually be storing fat from the continuing digestive process rather than burning fat as the energy for the deep sleep restorative process.

This tends to put us into a "diet circle of frustration". The less time your body spends in deep restful sleep (without competing digestion), the less time it has to restore its natural health, and the less fat that is burned in support of this natural rebuilding process. Now we understand the key connection between deep restorative sleep and weight loss many times goes hand in hand with our overall health.

Reducing or eliminating the intake of food three hours before bedtime allows the body to use its natural fat reserves for metabolic fuel during the deep restorative sleep cycle.

A well-rounded strength training program helps you burn calories while you sleep

Strength training, also known as resistance training, involves performing exercises that target specific muscle groups against resistance. This resistance can come from free weights, machines, or even your own body weight. When you engage in strength training, you create micro-tears in your muscle fibers. As your body repairs these tears, it expends energy, which in turn burns calories.

However, the calorie-burning effects of strength training don’t stop there. The process of muscle repair and growth requires ongoing energy, even during periods of rest and sleep. This phenomenon is known as the “afterburn effect” or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Essentially, your body’s metabolism remains elevated after a strength training session, causing it to continue burning calories for hours, and even overnight.

As you sleep, your body’s need for energy doesn’t disappear. It requires fuel to support essential functions like breathing, digestion, and repairing tissues. With an increased amount of muscle mass from strength training, your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is higher, resulting in a greater calorie burn while you slumber.

Creating an Effective Strength Training Routine

To maximize the nighttime calorie-burning effects of strength training, it’s essential to design a well-rounded workout routine. Here are some tips to consider:

• Include Compound Exercises: Compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, leading to more muscle activation and a higher overall calorie burn.
• Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the weight you lift over time. This challenges your muscles and promotes continued growth, which contributes to sustained calorie burn.
• Balanced Training: Target different muscle groups on different days to ensure adequate recovery. A balanced approach prevents overtraining and enhances overall muscle development.
• Rest and Recovery: Quality sleep is crucial for muscle repair and growth. Prioritize getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night to support your fitness goals.

Strength training is a formidable ally in your journey toward a healthier body and enhanced metabolism. Beyond its immediate effects on muscle tone and strength, this type of exercise ignites a continuous calorie-burning process that persists while you sleep. By incorporating regular strength training sessions into your fitness routine, you’re not only building a stronger body but also fostering a more efficient metabolism that works for you day and night. So, the next time you hit the weights, remember that you’re not just lifting for the present – you’re investing in a metabolic fire that keeps burning, even in your dreams. For an effective strength training program with all 4 components noted above that you can do from home, check out some options here!

Lose Weight For A Healthier Heart

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of obese Americans continues to rise. In fact, 30 percent of adults over age 20-more than 60 million people-are obese, which means they are 30 pounds overweight and have a BMI, or body mass index (a measure of body fat), of more than 30. 

Obesity Is On The Rise

One of the goals of the National Institutes of Health is to reduce obesity among adults by more than half by the year 2025. However, current data suggests that the situation is getting worse. Due to rising rates of childhood obesity, life expectancy for the average American could decrease by two to five years over the next few decades unless major efforts are made to slow down the rising rates of obesity.

What's more, obesity is a risk factor for heart disease and other serious health complications:

Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Having these disorders at the same time is a condition called metabolic syndrome, which can lead to an increased risk for heart disease and kidney disease. 

High blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease, is twice as common in obese adults than in those who are at a healthy weight. 

Obesity can also lead to arthritis, which is caused by stress on your joints.

A Likely Trigger For Heart Disease

Obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are a common grouping of risk factors for people with heart disease. Managing all these risk factors will help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. 

What You Can Do Today

Overweight and obesity together represent the number-two preventable cause of death in the U.S. after smoking. There are many things you can do to get your weight under control and to help manage your risk for heart disease:

Start a diet and exercise plan that you feel is realistic and that you can maintain.

Talk to your doctor about medicines that may help control your risk factors for heart disease. If you are prescribed medicines, take them exactly as directed and for as long as your doctor recommends.

Resolve to make this year a healthier one-set a weight-loss goal and stick with it.