Many people find it hard to lose weight. Often, the culprit is a slow metabolism. Metabolism is the process through which your body converts the fuel from your food into energy. This it does by burning calories. There are three components of metabolism: your resting metabolism (BMR), your physical activities, and the digestion of food. A high metabolism means that your body is burning more calories. This is why most experts recommend increasing your metabolism to lose weight. Here are a few things that can help you increase your metabolism.

Good Eating Habits and Strength Training Can Increase Your Metabolism

Improve your diet and eating habits to increase your metabolism

We have all heard about how breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is especially true if you are trying to raise your metabolism. This is because you have already gone for about 8 to 10 hours without a meal and when you skip breakfast, your body goes into starvation mode and it begins to store excess energy as fat. In fact, this is the reason why you should not skip any meals.

The best way to boost your metabolism is actually to eat about 5-6 small meals throughout the day. This keeps your blood sugar level stable and a consistent supply of energy helps boost your metabolism.

You can also include foods that boost metabolism in your daily diet. Foods rich in protein, essential fatty acids, fibers, and complex carbohydrates increase your resting metabolic rate by as much as 2-3 times. Your body burns more calories in digesting and breaking down these foods than foods containing simple carbohydrates. This is what is known as the thermic effect on metabolism.

Also, make sure to include enough antioxidant vitamins such vitamins B and C as they are necessary for the smooth running of many functions of your body. Finally, the importance of water cannot be emphasized enough. At least 64 ounces of water each day are necessary for the efficiency of your metabolism. Or else, your body gets dehydrated, the temperature of your body drops, and to raise the temperature your body begins to store fat.

Increase your physical activity to increase your metabolism

Aerobics exercise increases your heart rate which in turn boosts your metabolism. As much as you can and, if possible, early in the morning is the best way to include a regular aerobics program into your schedule since it can help in raising your metabolism all throughout the day.

You also need to do weight training or resistance exercises at least 2-3 times a week to boost your metabolism. These exercises help in building muscles. And it is a known fact that muscles burn more calories than fat. So, a regular muscle-building program will raise your basal metabolism and help you burn more calories.

Also simple physical activities such as taking the stairs rather than the lift, taking a walk in the park, or simple stretching exercises can also increase your metabolism. The idea is to become as physically active as possible.

So, if you are having difficulties in losing weight, it’s possible that you are not doing enough to increase your metabolism. So, build muscles to raise your basal metabolism, increase your physical activities to increase the number of calories expended on them, and improve your diet and eating habits to increase the calories expended on the digestion of food. And believe me, you will surely see the difference.

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Metabolism is a collection of chemical reactions that helps your body get the necessary energy from food. This energy is necessary for your body to sustain its essential functions. The speed at which your body burns calories is your metabolic rate. A fast metabolism or high basal metabolic rate (BMR) helps in weight loss. And that’s not all. A healthy metabolism is necessary for the overall health of your body. There are various factors that can affect how fast or how slow your metabolic rate is. Here are some of them:

Age

Your total lean muscle mass is largely responsible for your BMR. After the age of 30, the body begins to lose its lean muscle mass. This leads to a decline in your metabolism. Expect your metabolic rate to decrease by 2% every decade after the age of 20. You can increase your metabolism by increasing your physical activity after the age of 30.

Gender

Since men have more lean muscle mass, their metabolism is higher than women. This is why women tend to gain weight more rapidly than men and need to work harder to boost their metabolism.

Height

If you are tall, your body has a higher surface area to sustain. This means that your body needs more energy than a short person. As a result, the taller you are, the more active your metabolism and the more calories you need to stay energized.

Genetics

We have all known people who do not gain weight inspite of being heavy eaters. And then there are those who end up gaining weight although they eat normally. This is because of the differences in their genetic makeup. Your BMR is inherited and there is not much you can do to change it. However, knowing your BMR will help you do the needful to raise your metabolism.

Eating Habits

Some foods increase your metabolism and some slow it down. How and when you eat are also factors which may decrease or increase your metabolism. If you eat small meals throughout the day rather than one huge meal a day, your metabolism will be more active.

Stress

If you are under constant stress and pressure, your metabolism will be slow. You can increase your metabolism by managing your stress effectively.

Hormonal balances

Different nutrients are metabolized by different hormones in the body. Correcting a hormonal imbalance can increase a sluggish metabolism.

Physical activity

Increasing your physical activity and exercising is the best way to increase your metabolism. Aerobics and working with weights increases lean muscle mass and increases metabolism. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, your metabolic rate will be slow. Any kind of physical activity requires more energy for your body. This means that your metabolism will speed up to burn more calories to produce more fuel to carry out the bodily movements.

A healthy metabolism is necessary to create new cells and tissues, maintain the body’s temperature, repair injuries, and perform bodily activities. Although there is nothing you can do about factors such as your genetic makeup and your height, a healthy diet and the right fitness routine can help increase your metabolism to the appropriate level and contribute to your overall health.

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1. Body Mass Index Defined
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Anyone who is on a weight loss program cannot afford to ignore his/her metabolism. Metabolism is the process through which food is converted into energy. This process occurs in the cells of our muscles and organs and helps in burning calories. And this is why a good understanding of our metabolism can help us in weight loss. Let’s take a closer look at the relation between weight loss and metabolism.

The process of metabolism

Fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are broken down in our digestive system to be used by the body. They are then transported to the cells of the body through the blood stream, where they are metabolized. During this metabolism process, the calories released are combined with oxygen and released in the form of energy to help your body function. When considering the role of metabolism in weight loss, it is this burning of calories which plays an important role.

Weight loss and metabolism

It is a well known fact that weight gain occurs due to consuming more calories than what your body burns. For maintaining your weight, you need to calculate your daily caloric intake. This can be calculated by calculating the amount of calories expended on the three essential components of metabolism. So, your daily caloric intake should be equal to the calories expended on your basal metabolism (calories required for the basic functioning of your body), your physical activity, and the digestion of food. For weight loss, you need to reduce your caloric intake and/or increase the amount of calories that you expend.

Besides this, an increase in metabolism helps in weight loss. If you increase your physical activity and exercise regularly, your weight loss routine can be a success.

By increasing the frequency, duration, and intensity of your physical activity, you boost your metabolism and burn more calories. Strength training and aerobics activity build muscle tissue. An increase in the lean muscle tissue means increase in metabolism. This will again lead to faster burning of calories.

Your eating habits also play an important role in increasing your metabolism and promoting weight loss. Contrary to popular beliefs, skipping meals actually slows down your metabolism.  If your body doesn’t get its regular calories, it will go into starvation mode and your metabolism will slow down. You will lose muscle tissue and excess energy will actually be stored as fat. Therefore, the right thing to do to increase your metabolism is to eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. Combined with drinking the necessary 8 glasses of water a day, it will help in raising your metabolism and induce weight loss.

As you can see a weight loss routine is aimed at faster burning of calories and your metabolism is the process that is actually responsible for burning them. Calculating your daily caloric intake and taking steps to boost your metabolism can help you in losing weight in a healthy way.

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The word “metabolism” is often used in relation to weight loss. But most of us are not really aware about what it is and how human metabolism works. Learning about this process can help improve your understanding of how your body functions and why different foods and activities have a different effect on your body than on someone else. Here’s a brief look on how human metabolism works.

What is metabolism?

If we want to understand how human metabolism works, the first thing we need to know is that metabolism is actually a collection of chemical reactions that occurs in the cells of the body. These chemical reactions convert the fuel in the food that we consume into the energy that is required to maintain and sustain the basic functions of the body. It is a process that begins when we are conceived and it only ends when we die. It is necessary for our survival and is constantly working, even while we are sleeping.

How does human metabolism work?

When we eat food, enzymes in the digestive system break the proteins into amino acids, fats into fatty acids, and carbohydrates into glucose. Once broken down, these compounds are ready to be used by the body. So, they are absorbed into the bloodstream and taken to the cells of the body. When they enter the cells, other enzymes begin the chemical reactions and these compounds are metabolized.

As these processes take place, the energy generated from these compounds is either released for being used by the body or is stored in the tissues of the body. Anabolism or constructive metabolism is the process of building and storing energy. This process is responsible for growing new cells, maintaining the various tissues of the body, and for storing energy for future use. Catabolism or destructive metabolism has its own importance since it is this process that actually provides the energy required for all cell activities including anabolism. It also provides heat to the body and helps the muscles to contract and move the body.

How is human metabolism related to weight?

Most people want to know about how human metabolism works because they want to learn how it can help in weight loss. This is where calories play a role. Calories are the amount of energy that is provided to the body by different foods. The body either burns these calories to convert it into energy or stores it as fat. And the speed at which your body burns these calories is determined by your level of physical activity, the energy you burn while digesting and metabolizing food (thermic effect of food or TEF), and your basal metabolic rate (BMR). All three of them are important components of human metabolism and have an influence on your weight. The higher the level of these metabolic components, the more likely you are to lose weight.

Disorders such as hyper- or hypo-thyroidism, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and inherited disorders such as phenylketonuria are results of a faulty metabolism. Learning how human metabolism works helps us know how we can increase metabolism to lose weight and to promote the overall health of our body. So, while you are busy reading this article, remember that there are thousands of chemical reactions that are taking place right now in the cells of your body to keep you alive and healthy.

Metabolic Syndrome or insulin resistance syndrome is a cluster of health problems that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in an individual. This group of conditions related to your metabolism increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. Here’s a brief description of this syndrome.

What are the symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome?

Metabolic Syndrome is characterized by excessive fat around the waist, increase in blood pressure, high levels of triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and high blood sugar. Having just one of these conditions is usually not diagnosed as metabolic syndrome. However, it does increase your risk to cardiovascular diseases.

What are the causes of Metabolic Syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is a disorder in the metabolism process, possibly linked to insulin resistance. In this condition, the body is unable to make efficient use of insulin. This is the reason why it is also referred to as insulin resistance syndrome. Here is what happens in insulin resistance.

The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin which controls the amount of blood sugar in the bloodstream. The digestive system breaks down some of the foods into glucose and the bloodstream carries it to the body tissues. Glucose enters the cells in the tissues with the help of insulin, where the process of metabolism turns it into energy. However, in people with insulin resistance, the cells respond abnormally to the insulin and this prevents glucose from entering into the cells. This increases the production of insulin as the body tries to help glucose enter into the cells. The result is an increased level of both insulin and glucose in the blood. An increased insulin level leads to elevated triglyceride levels, problems in your kidney functioning, and high blood pressure.

How is metabolic syndrome diagnosed?

Although there are no well-accepted criteria for the diagnosis of this group of health conditions which affects your metabolism, three or more of the following characteristics is usually used for diagnosis:

• A waist circumference of more than 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men,
• 150 milligrams per deciliter or higher of triglycerides or receiving treatment for this condition,
• Less than 40 mg/dL in men or less than 50 mg/dL in women of HDL or receiving treatment for this condition,
• 130 mm Hg or higher systolic or 85 mm Hg higher diastolic blood pressure or receiving treatment for this condition, and
• 100 mg/dL or higher of fasting blood sugar level or receiving treatment for this condition.

How is metabolic syndrome treated?

Lifestyle changes are the key factors involved in the treatment of this metabolism disorder. Losing about 5-10% of the total body weight, 30-60 minutes of moderate intensity exercising, limiting unhealthy fats and including more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet, and quitting smoking are some of the changes that your physician might recommend. You physician might also recommend certain medications to lower your blood pressure, control your cholesterol, help you lose weight, or help your body use insulin more efficiently.

Aggressive lifestyle changes are the key not just in treating metabolic syndrome, but also in preventing it. If you have any of the components of the metabolic syndrome, eating healthy, exercising regularly, and losing weight will help delay or prevent any of the serious cardiovascular diseases that occur as a result of metabolic syndrome.

A healthy low-calorie diet is a good way to lose weight. However, often people find that despite eating a low-calorie diet, they do not achieve much success and end up feeling constantly exhausted. The reason could be a sluggish metabolism. If you have a slow metabolism and you don’t take the necessary steps to boost it, you will find it difficult to lose weight and maintain your energy levels. Here are a few quick tips that you can use to boost your metabolism.

• Calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and adjust your daily calorie intake accordingly.

• If you have thyroid problems or any other metabolic disorders, get proper treatment. Thyroid disorders slow down your metabolism and make you gain weight.

• Never skip meals, especially breakfast. Contrary to popular beliefs, skipping meals actually slows down your metabolism and your body stores calories as fat rather than burning it.

• Breakfast and lunch can be substantial, but dinner should be the lightest meal of the day and there should be a gap of about 3-4 hours between dinner and bedtime. This way, your body will process the food while you are awake and burn more calories.

• Eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day to provide enough fuel for boosting your metabolism.

• Drink at least 64 ounces of water throughout the day. Your body needs water to boost your metabolism.

• Make sure you are getting enough supply of Vitamins B and C in your diet since they are necessary to give your body enough energy.

• Never consume less than 1000 calories a day. Anything less than that is not enough to support your basic metabolic functions. So, make to sure to consume enough calories to boost your metabolism.

• Include fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and seeds, lean beef and chicken, oatmeal, and milk in your diet. Your body needs more energy to digest these foods and this boosts your metabolism.

• Include aerobics exercises in your daily schedule. Jogging, brisk walking, swimming, and cycling are wonderful ways to keep you physically active and raise your metabolism.

• Include weight training and muscle-building exercises in your weekly schedule. These should be done at least 2-3 times a week to increase your metabolism.

• Try and be as physically active as possible. Take the stairs or walk to the nearest shopping complex. Do whatever you can to stay as active as possible.

• Drink green tea. It’s not only good for giving a boost to your metabolism but lowers cholesterol levels, builds immunity, and prevents cardiovascular disease.

• Always look for natural and healthy ways to lose weight. Pills and powders to lose weight and increase your metabolism can harm the normal functioning of your body.

Your metabolism plays an important part in losing or maintaining weight. Use these tips to give a boost to your metabolism. It will not only help you lose weight but also promote your overall health.

For more tips and more explanations about how to increase your metabolism, please read “How to Increase Your Metabolism”.

Health-conscious individuals need to understand weight-related terms. No other word is as closely associated to weight as the word metabolism. People often refer to themselves as having a slow or fast metabolism.
What exactly is Metabolism?   Metabolism refers to all the chemical processes that are taking place within the body by which the food you eat is converted into the energy your body needs to function.
And there are a lot of influencing factors that can influence the metabolic rhythm such as gender, genetic facts, environmental temperature, stress, and also the quality and quantity of exercise. The measurement that evaluates the relationship between body weight and height and is the recommended method by medical professionals to diagnose overweight and obesity is the Body Mass Index (BMI).
There is no such thing as an ideal body weight but there is what you call a healthy weight range.  The Body Mass Index is the height-weight system that will determine this healthy weight range.

The BMI formula (in pounds/inches) is:
Your Weight (in pounds) x 704.5 divided by Your Height (in inches) x Your Height (in inches)

A handy tool used to calculate BMI index is the Body Mass Index Calculator. This is one of the most accurate ways to determine if extra pounds pose health risks. In general, when people use the word metabolism they used this interchangeably with Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

How Body Mass Index Classifies Weight

Under 20 (19 for women) = Underweight
Between 20 and 24.99 = Normal Weight
Between 25 and 29.99 = Overweight
Between 30 and 34.99 = Obese Class 1
Between 35 and 39.99 = Obese Class 2
40 and above = Morbid Obesity

This is the sum-total of all the energy consuming process going on in the body while it is resting and the release of this energy is only sufficient for the vital functioning of the heart, lungs, nervous system and kidneys. If the Basal Metabolic Rate is the number of calories your body needs when you are resting and multiplied by your activity level, BMR then lets you estimate how many calories you need to lose weight or maintain your current weight.

If you calculations fall outside of the normal range and you are not an athlete, then consult with a licensed medical practitioner to achieve your goals.

Dieting is not an effective weight loss tool.  In fact, dieting will actually make weight loss next to impossible.  The premise behind dieting is that the individual will limit their caloric intake enough to lose one to two pounds a week.  But more often than not, the person who is desperate to lose those pounds today is likely to try to limit the calorie intake even more.

A pound of weight is equal to 3500 calories.  That means in order to lose a pound of fat you have to either burn off another 3500 calories a week and maintain the food intake you are enjoying now or cut the calorie intake or a combination of both.  So if you are a woman who normally eats around 2000 calories a day and she wants to lose a pound to two a week she must cut the calorie intake to 1500 and increase the amount of exercise she does.

The question becomes can she continue to maintain the calorie count on a daily basis for the long-term to maintain her weight loss or will she eventually feel tired, weak, fatigued and deprived of the foods she enjoys?

And to increase the likelihood of failure decreasing calorie intake and feeling tired and weak will also decrease the metabolic rate and slow the anticipated weight loss.  Without weight loss what’s the point of cutting the calories?

The goal is to increase the metabolic rate and burn more calories.  And in order to do that you actually have to eat.

1  Eat six small meals every day.  It may sound like a lot but six small meals will provide your body with as much calories as it needs but spread out over a period of time so there are no gaps in the day when the body is without energy. If you eat only three large meals a day then you are more likely to eat junk food when you’re hungry.  But eating six meals means you won’t feel hungry, your metabolism will stay  high and you’ll never go more than a couple of hours without eating.

Split your three large meals into six smaller ones.   Incorporate less processed foods and more raw material such as fruits and vegetables – both of which you can eat as much as you want.

2 Drink a lot of water.  The added water is now available to help the extra toxins and waste products from the body making metabolism easier for the body.  It also keeps you feeling full, plumps your skin cells so you look younger, keeps the metabolic rate moving and keeps your kidneys healthy.

The standard number of ounces of water that is recommended is 64 or 8 – 8 ounce glasses.  But if you are trying to lose weight and increase your metabolic rate then it’s better to drink 10 -12 glasses per day.  Spread them out over the daytime and begin to cut off the drinking by 7 or 8 pm (depending upon what time you go to bed).  This will save you from getting up all night to go to the bathroom.

You decide it’s time to lose weight. And now, like everything else in life, you want it to happen right NOW. We live in a society that thrives on immediate gratification. There is fast food, fast cars, fast service and buying everything on the Internet so you don’t have to stand in line. We want our weight loss the same way – fast.

But there are some basic tenets of weight loss that must be observed, even when you want to lose the weight fast. You have to forget about dieting and learn to concentrate on healthy eating habits. Cutting back on calories alone doesn’t give your body the nutrition it needs to maintain a fast metabolism and keep your energy high.

On the other hand, by eating food dense in nutrition and low in calories you aren’t hungry, you give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs and you have the energy to walk past the donut table in the middle of the afternoon. And finding these foods isn’t as difficult as you might believe. Did you know you can eat as much raw fruits and vegetables as you want without fear?

Exercise is another important factor in losing weight, getting healthy and having more energy. As much as you may think you hate exercise it doesn’t have to be the workout you dread. Remember that you aren’t aiming to compete in the Olympics. Instead you are just trying to increase your metabolism and burn a few extra calories.

There is no denying the benefits of exercise. Exercise will increase your energy, improve your muscle tone, increase your metabolism and increase the number of calories you burn each day, even when you are at rest! Cardiovascular and weight workouts are best to meet these goals. Change up the exercises you do each month. Don’t do weight workouts more than 3 times a week and allow 48 hours between workouts with weights to allow the muscles to repair and become stronger.

And remember to rest! Many of us are busy from the time we get up until the moment we go to bed. Sometimes finding the time to eat or exercise can be a challenge. But cutting back on sleep will only sabotage your efforts to lose weight.

Shoot for 7-8 hours a night. Some people believe they can make do on less and although you’ll be awake studies have shown that you’ll grab more snacks in an effort to jump start your brain and keep yourself awake. Lack of sleep also adds to your stress level which releases hormones known to pack on the pounds. It is nature’s way of protecting the body.

Drinking Natural Weight Loss Drinks to Maintain a Fast Metabolism

The first natural weight loss drink is apple cider vinegar! It is true that it tastes awful, but Apple Cider Vinegar is one of the most powerful, natural appetite suppressants available. When you are trying to lose weight, hunger is your biggest enemy. In order to defeat this enemy, you need to take the help of some sort of appetite suppressants. Instead of relying on prescription drugs that come with harmful side effects, why not try out Apple Cider Vinegar? It is 100% natural and safe to take!

Just add three tablespoonfuls of Apple Cider Vinegar juice with eight ounces of water, and drink the juice just before having your meal. Apple Cider Vinegar will also boost your metabolic rate and keep you energetic throughout the day!

The second drink that now comes in gum form is Green Tea. You might have already heard about the great health benefits of green tea, especially with regards to weight loss. It is no wonder that most of the weight loss supplements available out there contain green tea. Green tea helps you burn fat by accelerating your metabolic rate. You can drink green tea on its own or mixed with lemon juice and honey.

1. Make a Decision NOW to Start (Re-fresh, Re-new, Re-Start) your daily fitness commitment. Have you achieved your 2009 Fitness goals? If not, today is the perfect time to spring into action.

2. Keep It Simple. Don’t wait and don’t complicate. Simple lifestyle changes will quickly add up to a healthier life. Commit to increasing your daily metabolism with more activity. Make exercise a daily routine. If you have time to watch any hour of TV, commit to being more active during every commercial. Voila, 15-17 minutes of activity by the end of your show.

3. Assess yourself. Be Honest and Realistic. What is the biggest benefit you will receive from committing to a regular fitness lifestyle? What resources do you already possess that will support your goals? Taking time to have this self-talk will guide your next steps.

4. Consult with your doctor before starting a new fitness plan. Especially if you are severely overweight, obese, diabetic, suffer from asthma, heart or lung related illness. Call your doctor’s office today and set an appointment!

5. Start Slow and gradually build up will prevent soreness, burnout and injury. Remember this is a lifestyle change. 10 minutes every day is healthier than any once a week marathon session. The point is to do something every day and build up to longer sessions.

6. Write down your goals for immediate (today, this week), short term 30-60-90 days, and long term 1 year from now. Post these goals. I put them on the inside cabinet with my coffee filter. So every morning, they are the first thing I read.

7. Schedule your exercise on your calendar. I have weekly recurrences on my calendar, so I don’t schedule conflicts. My fitness plan is part of my routine. Set yourself up for success, not failure. Look at each day of the week and schedule the appropriate activity. Do you have more concentrated blocks during the weekend, like to balance your busy Monday with a cardio session, need a yoga session for mid-week.

8. Start a daily log, journal or make notations on your calendar. My gym sends me a monthly progress report. It provides a reality check. When I reviewed my progress report for the month of January, I discovered I had plenty of cardio, yet I hadn’t lifted a single weight. So, I re-introduced myself to the machines in February – 3,000 lbs and created a habit by March – 35,000 lbs during 12 evenly sessions.

9. Select Activities to do at Home; with Buddies; and with Groups. A couple of years ago, I decided to replace many of my “food-centric visits” with my friends with “activity visits”. Since then, I have met friends at parks, done several charity walks (Race for Cure, etc), visited with my dog walking friends and viewed new scenery.

10. Identify the biggest obstacle to exercising. If you are short on time or money, then think creatively. You can fill a water bottle with sand and you don’t need a gym to do pushups. If you can’t afford a personal trainer, read #12. I watch and listen to the trainers with their paid customers and put in to practice their tips.

11. Identify three ways to raise your metabolism while doing daily activities. My computer is on a higher shelf, so I can stand, not sit most of the time. Can you do squats while brushing your teeth? How can you not be a couch potato? Arm exercises during TV time?

12. Locate online support. Make a list of websites that you can visit weekly for tips and information. You Tube has informative videos from trainers about proper forms and exercise routines. Many gyms and yoga studios post their schedule online.

13. Investigate one new activity. Schedule a session with a personal trainer to fine-tune your routine, sign up for a new fitness class, visit a new gym.

14. Select one (or more) exercise buddies – canine or human. I work from home and enjoy the camaraderie and variety of my gym friends. One of my best friends rescued a dog specifically to be her walking companion. (She successfully lost over 100 pounds).

15. Hydrate during the day. You need to drink more water. Find ways to add water to your morning and afternoon.
16. Designate one day a week as Weigh-In Day, then forget about the scale the other six days. Put your weigh in day on your calendar.

17. Choose 3 different activities that you enjoy. What do you enjoy? Variety will prevent boredom and burnout. Also, it is good to have a fall back exercise for days when weather, work, or will power prevent your normal activity.

18. Entertain and Distract Yourself! Load a new playlist, check your voicemail, plug in your earplugs for the treadmill. What will make the time more enjoyable and pass quickly. I read romance novels from the library while I am on the gym bicycle. Many people walk the dog, watch CNN or decorating shows. The point is if you are able to combine exercising with something you enjoy, then you will want to repeat the experience often. (Note- The opposite is also true, don’t combine activities you dislike, you won’t want to repeat the experience.)

19. Gather your gear. Locate your gym bag yoga mat, running/walking shoes and socks, sports bra, exercise videos etc… Give your gear a home. Make it easy to get active.

20. Assemble Your Support Team – Identify those who support your efforts and Minimize time (or at least conversation) with fitness Saboteurs who demean your efforts!

21. Congratulate yourself for your commitment; look at how much progress you have made. Seriously, look in the mirror and tell yourself out loud – CONGRATULATIONS TO ME!!! Don’t beat yourself up for anything not checked off. This is not a competition or race; it is your long term commitment to your health and lifestyle. Your healthy lifestyle is not about perfection, it is about progress.