Benefit from a Speedy Metabolism in Weight Loss

Targeting weight loss doesn't work. You've seen all the television ads for ab crunchers, rockers, belts, balls, and everything else that supposedly "smash away your flabby abs" in minutes a day? If you've ever bought any or know anyone who has, you know they don't work. In fact, working only one area of the body to target weight loss there is actually counter-productive. Why? Because if you exercise just your abdominal muscles, for instance, they'll get bigger. So all that fat you wanted to lose? Yep, it gets replaced with muscle you can't lose and you look big around the middle anyway because the rest of your body hasn't been worked out to keep up.

Most of us, after the age of thirty, start to slow down a little. Maybe not enough to notice, really, but your metabolism does. Like me, you've probably seen that you can't eat whatever you want anymore because fattening foods go straight to your gut or butt. You can no longer melt off anything you eat, it takes work to do it. As a good side benefit, you start to eat healthier knowing that you have to in order to keep from gaining weight. This doesn't always work, though.

Eating healthy is a good start, but it's not always enough. I'll tell you a secret you'll want to know: your metabolism can be restored back to what it was. No matter your age. Really!

All you need to do is a few daily routines to keep your metabolism burning hot, killing those calories. Eating right is step number one. The rest of step one is to eat more often. Yep! Eat more often! I didn't say eat more, just more often. Instead of three meals a day, make it five or six smaller meals a day. This keeps your intake and burn even, so you don't raise your blood sugar, then drop it, then raise it again by eating. It stays steady.

Step two is working out. Not hard core, you don't have to be Arnold Swartzenegger here, just do some moderate cardio workouts like running, swimming, biking, or fast walking to keep your blood pumping and your heart working. If you're into strength workouts, work your muscles in groups, doing upper body one day, lower body the next, and cardio throughout. Doing it first thing in the morning is a great way to get going for the day too.

Step number three is all about diet. No, not eating grapefruit or cardboard-tasting diet meals, but just being aware of your fat and carbohydrate intake. Cut the fat out as much as you can, buying leaner meats and eating more vegetables. If you do this you're on the fast track to building a healthier you. It's OK to have a "fun day" in which you can moderately indulge yourself with fatty foods like ice cream or cheesecake, but don't overdo it and make it a special day and not a daily event.

Finally, make sure you drink right. Put the shot glass down, I didn't mean that, Paddy. I'm talking about water. Most of us are dehydrated and don't even know it. Those sodas, that coffee, and all those "energy drinks" we're so fond of are robbing us of much needed H2O. Drink at least sixty-four ounces of water a day throughout the day. This flushes your system of buildups, reduces your dependency on salt and carbs, and actually causes you to lose water weight gain as your body no longer stores water away like a camel because of the lean times you've been putting it through.

Follow these four steps and you'll see that your metabolism will go up, your energy level will rise, and you'll feel much more like your old self!