FROM FLAB TO FAB, FAT TO FIT
I thought that I knew the drill on getting a good and toned body. But I was not after good; I was after great. I learned that it isn’t about eating less; it’s about eating more—more nutrient-based and healthy food keep you full all day. Skipping meals or crash-dieting will eventually lower your metabolism. If your stomach screams, “I’m starving here!”, you get hunger pangs. And your metabolic rate slows down to keep the existing energy stores. The human body is a fabulously machine. It can acclimatize very easily. Even if years and years of neglect have let pounds of fat and oodles of calories to fill out your frame, you can get rid of that blubber at a much faster rate than you got it. Here are some quick and effective tips to get back that slender waistline, washboard abs, toned arms and thighs, help drop some pounds :-
STOCK UP ON GREEN TEA
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Apart from having cancer-fighting capabilities which is proven medically, green tea helps in boosting the metabolism of the body. In fact, people who consumed green tea extract three times a day or more saw their metabolic rate increase by about 4 percent. Green tea contains ‘’catechins’’, which increase metabolism speed level. And what could be better than the fact that you can burn an extra 60 calories a day, which is about six pounds a year! WOAH!
‘NO’ TO LIQUOR, ‘YES’ TO WATER Wash down your meals with water, not wine. Alcohol slows the metabolism. When alcohol is added to high-fat, high-calorie meal, dietary fat gets store as body fat, rather than getting burnt! Study found that two glasses of water within a certain time limit, shoots up the metabolic rate by 30 percent.
TAKE UP A NEW SPORT I was one amongst those who couldn’t stay without morning walks or evening jogs. Until I came to know that more we do an activity, the more our body gets habituated to it, so we burn minimal calories. Then I considered cross-training. For example, instead of walking and jogging, I started cycling. Since, I was not used to working all those different muscles, it became a more intense workout, which translated into a bigger metabolic after-burn as my body started working harder to recover and get oxygen to all my body tissues,”
CALM DOWN, TAKE DEEP BREATHS
When you’re anxious, stressed or worried, some hormones, slow the metabolism down, stimulate your appetite and fats get stored in the abdomen. According to research, stress may contribute greatly to abdominal fat. Don’t have second thoughts and find an activity that works as stress-buster for you – do some yoga, meditate or listen to soothing and calm music.
NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST, NEVER! Those who skip breakfast take more time to knock off that extra fat as you eat after a gap of 7-8 hours straight. Eating breakfast plays a part in successful weight loss —Our metabolism slows as we sleep, and digestion food speeds it up again. Almost 70 percent of people who lose weight successfully don’t miss out on this meal. Aim for a heavy breakfast, such as a high-fiber cereal- cornflakes, oat meal with skimmed milk, nuts and fruits.
HIT THE BED IN TIME Yeah, maybe it’s time for our favorite sitcom, but it’s way more important for us to head to bed if you want a slender waistline. Apparently, people who got only few hours of sleep had much more problems in processing carbohydrates. Who is the scapegoat then? Stress hormone and increased levels of insulin. So the best way to keep our metabolism going smoothly is to get a sound sleep of 7-8 hours because when we’re exhausted, our body lacks the energy to do the routine chores, which includes burning calories properly. So, go help yourself shed those extra, unwanted kilos and in an easy and healthy manner. Go get the body you dreamed of, get back your self confidence and walk with elan- flab to fab, fat to fit!