Always Being Prepared

Remember, we are talking about a lifestyle change!

Train your brain allowing health to become second nature and not just your current diet of the week. Let your body tell you what it needs. This is where we will get to. Exercise doesn't just happen. And let's just get passed the point where I try to tell you it's fun. It stinks, it makes you stink, and it is hard to find the time to do it regularly. What you can do is find your groove. Mix it up to make it less than miserable, and just incorporate it into your day.

In case you didn't know, muscle burns more calories the bigger they are. They also require certain types of foods to build properly. These foods would be high in protein. Fish, soy and lean beef are solid sources of protein. Beans are good too, but save these for the later stages once you have a handle on things because they can also be high in fats so there needs to be a balance.

I also read a rule I have been sticking with which is no beans after 3PM. These are types of little rules you will start to incorporate to make things a bit easier. The reason this rule has stuck and makes sense to me is this - since they are also high in fat, if you have them earlier in the day you are bound to expend the energy therefore burning the fat, after 3PM the body naturally slows down taking the risk of some of the fat intake to be stored.

This brings me to another good point, fat burns more quickly than protein, so take them in appropriately. Remembering the body as a machine, fat such as sugars are okay for quick bursts of energy and will absorb into the body quickly when needed. Protein will take a bit more to burn and is a great source of energy when your body needs to endure.

Incorporating into real life examples, if you are about to go outside and play with the kids, grab a quick snack that is high in glucose (sugar) such as an apple for the short boost. However, if you about to go on a hike, definitely grab something more substantial, like a high protein energy bar or tuna sandwich on multigrain bread. Also, consider packing some nuts, such as almonds, pistachios or unsalted peanuts in a Ziploc bag in case you are short energy during the hike.

These minor preparations are what are key to training your body that you will feed it when it needs it. The machine will adjust and learn it doesn't need to store fat for unexpected bursts of energy. Your body will become accustomed to the schedule, just like it does in other areas such as sleep.

Food is one thing for stabilizing metabolism, but the other half is exercise. Before we get into that realm, consider taking a multi-vitamin daily if you feel you may be short on your recommended levels of nutrients. You don't want your progress to fall short because you have been overlooking a key food source. Plus you may just not like certain foods that are high in these vitamins. Broccoli is a great source of many vitamins, but if you don't like it, you don't like it.

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