Learn to be Cardio Wise
Many people suffer with a low metabolism which can be counterproductive in maintaining a healthy body weight and fat content. A higher metabolic rate enables one to maintain a healthier life style. Metabolism is the rate at which our bodies produce and consume energy in order to support life.
There are many factors that influence the metabolism of a person. It can be the amount of muscle tissue, the frequency of the meals one consumes, personal diet, stress levels, genetics and of course, exercise.
One of the reasons for our metabolism to slow down is loss of muscle due to lack of physical exercise, the body then tends to cannibalise its own tissue, because of not enough food energy to sustain it, and then there is a decrease in our metabolic rate due to the ageing process.
Here are some pointers for increasing the metabolic rate:
1. It is only natural that metabolism decreases with age, but it is possible to counter the effects. The amount of muscle one has is a very good determinant in the body’s ability to burn calories and shed fat. So exercise is very important. Build strength and resistance by working out at least twice a week.
Do exercise in between workouts, things like a brisk walk with the dog, using the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk short distances rather than using the car.
The key here is to match the amount of food intake with the amount of exercise one does.
Here are some tips for getting the right exercise:
For strength training
• Using light weights increase the repetitions for a particular exercise, in other words, don’t pick the biggest weight you can find and think that by pushing bigger weights will help you, lighter and more reps is the best way to go.
• Try to utilise advanced exercise techniques if possible
For cardiovascular training
• Intervals between exercises is recommended
• Cross train and try to combine exercises
• Try to maintain at least 65% - 70% of your heart rate
2. Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The amazing truth is the people who eat breakfast are thinner than the ones who do not. The metabolism slows down considerably if you have a mid morning breakfast or wait until the afternoon to eat.
3. Try to avoid sugar or at least cut sugar intake down as much as possible. Consuming food that helps sustain an even level of blood-sugar is recommended. Remember sugar helps the body to store fat.
4. Did you know that spicy food increases metabolism, so eat some nice hot spicy food?
5. Try to get enough sleep, it is a fact that people who do not get enough sleep are at higher risk of gaining weight. Muscles are regenerated during the last few hours of the sleep cycle.
6. Drink lots of water. Water flushes the body of toxins and burnt fuel generated by exercising. The majority of our bodily functions rely heavily on water; lack of water produces lethargy and body system failure as well as extra stress.
7. Eat 4 -6 smaller meals at intervals of 2 to 3 hours apart.
8. Try not to miss meals, some people think that skipping a meal helps the body to lose weight, but in actual effect it slows the metabolism down.
9. Plan the right amount of food to be consumed at the intervals designated. Try not to eat sporadically.
10. Deal with stress, look out for stress elevating exercises or speak to someone you can trust, keep a journal. Whether the stress is physical or emotional it triggers steroid called cortisol which decreases metabolism. People tend to eat much more when stressed.
11. Drink green tea in place of coffee, in fact, six cups of rooibos tea a day, is excellent for helping in preventing heart disease (SA Rooibos Council, 2008)
12. Include more fruit, vegetables, beans and whole grains in your diet - these are great energy foods.
Living a healthy live and protecting your heart is very easy once you formulate and follow good habits, as the ones discussed above. It is never impossible to achieve the desired body weight, if one has the determination and patience to achieve it.
It is so important to understand and realise that eating correctly and exercising regularly is not a passing fad, but a very important and life-saving way of life.
