Fitness Tips from Fitness 2J2: Why breakfast matters
- Joel Pedersen | July 07, 2015
I often find myself writing this article in my mind as I am out running, or in the summer kayaking or canoeing over the water. I am more grounded when I am with nature, so when in the city with the noise of traffic it is often a challenge. But then it comes, the calmness, it is when you can hear the birds, feel the wind rush past you when your on a bike, or the fragrance of the trees and flowers. That is when I find that balance I am searching for.
Going to talk a bit about nutrition. People often ask me, so here is what has been passed to me. We all remember our moms or Kokums telling us how important breakfast is. Here are three morning mistakes that slow down metabolism.
Metabolic rate is affected by several factors including age, weight, and genetics. Although there's not a whole lot we can do about those things, there are still choices that can cause metabolism to fire up or fizzle. If losing weight is your goal, avoid these metabolism-slowing mistakes in the morning:
First one, If you're eating too late: Skipping breakfast is one of the worst things you can do for weight loss since it causes your metabolism to slow down. When you don't eat, the brain sends a message to the rest of the body to conserve energy, signaling it to hold onto the stored fat that you're trying to get rid of. Eating within an hour of waking sparks the metabolic that turns the food you eat into energy. No - a cup of coffee does not count as breakfast! Make sure to eat throughout the day to maintain blood sugar levels since any drops can cause the body to burn muscle for fuel.
Second one, If you're not exercising: You continue burning calories up to 24 hours after working out, and studies also show that morning exercises burn more calories than those who sweat it out during other times of the day. If you're planning on exercising anyway, for maximum calorie burn, your best bet is to get it done in the a.m. Include high intensity cardio intervals since challenging yourself is proven to activate fat-burning genes which translates to an increased post-workout calorie burn - 100 to 200 more.
Third one, If you're not pumping iron: Lean muscle mass burns calories, and just adding five to 10 pounds of lean muscle to your frame will increase your daily calorie burn by 100 calories. Include strength training in your workout program.
Check out www.fitness2j2.com for lots of workouts posted for you. If you have questions, send an e-mail to fitness2j2@yahoo.com or check us out on the Facebook.
It is with much appreciation to Eagle Feather News and continued support in providing a place where I can share with you, my thoughts on healthy and positive lifestyles.
STRONG; HEALTHY; PROUD.
Check out more from Joel on our Health page.