Tag Archives: metabolism

Good Sleep and Good Workouts Go Hand in Hand

We all know how important sleep is for losing weight and overall health, but did you know that how well you sleep can affect your time in the gym? Yep, getting quality ZZZs can really improve your workouts, and in return, your workout will improve your sleep! Quite the positive catch-22, huh?

Here’s How Sleep Helps Your Workout

1. Sleep repairs your muscles. When you sleep, your body actually works to repair any stress in your muscles that were caused during your exercise session. Especially if you train hard or are lifting heavy weights, your body needs more sleep and rest to recover. (more…)

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Jennipher

Cortisol’s Risks and Rewards Based on Your Stress Level

Cortisol is a hormone that’s released into the bloodstream by the adrenal glands. It’s released in two ways: in low, steady levels and in high, short bursts. Releasing a short burst of concentrated cortisol is part of your body’s survival mechanism, also know as the fight or flight response.

Steady levels of cortisol provide low doses that help to regulate:

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Theresa

Caffeine Intoxication a Real Risk for Caffeine Addicts

Most of us probably have the regular cup or two of coffee or tea in the morning to wake up and get raring to go for the day. I know each morning I look forward to my cup of hot green tea and sometimes even have a cup in the afternoon as a pick-me-up. On the weekends, I get a nonfat soy latte as a treat.

There’s a lot of research out there on caffeine- some of it good and some of it not so good. For example, caffeine has been shown to have a positive effect on sports performance. Caffeine increases the power output of muscles by releasing calcium, which basically helps you go longer and faster. Caffeine also helps you feel less tired, so, in a race, you just keep going and going. That cup of joe has also been shown to improve mental alertness and may help ward off a number of diseases including Alzheimer’s, cirrhosis and colon cancer. (more…)

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Jennipher

Biggest Loser Workouts Blast Fat and Preserve Muscle Mass

Season 4's Jim Germanakos shows off his muscles

NBC’s Biggest Loser’s weight loss methods have been controversial since the show premiered in 2004. Obese contestants passing out, being rushed to the hospital, throwing up and collapsing happens nearly every episode, having many experts and viewers concerned that the workouts are too intense for the morbidly obese participants. Many contestants, after losing upwards of 100 pounds, gain the weight back after leaving the regimented atmosphere of the ranch, leading many to believe that the results are too much too soon, making it impossible to maintain.

A new study, however, shuts the critics right up. Not only do the four to six hour daily workouts help the contestants drop tons of weight fast, but the quality of their weight remains ideal- making the Biggest Loser ranch one of the fastest and most effective ways to lose weight. (more…)

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Kelly

After 40 Metabolism Boosters on The Dr. Oz Show

UPDATE: This episode will re-air on Thursday, April 28, 2024.

Tune in this Monday, September 27 to The Dr. Oz Show to learn how to prevent the metabolism slowdown that naturally occurs once you reach 40 years of age.

As we age, our metabolism starts to slow down. It is estimated that as you age, your metabolism starts to slow down by about 5 percent for every decade of life past age 40. In fact, most adults ages 40 and older gain 20 to 40 pounds during adulthood while also losing muscle mass. Not only does this contribute to obesity, but it also ups your chance for developing heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. And for women, adult weight gain can also increase risk for thyroid conditions and breast cancer. (more…)

Posted on September 27, 2023 by heather

Breakfast is Key to Boosting Metabolism

Do you find yourself dragging as you head for your first cup of coffee in the morning? Maybe you should reach for breakfast first.

Breakfast is touted as the most important meal of the day.  There’s nothing wrong with some moderate coffee drinking, (in fact, there are some health benefits) but if you are skipping breakfast in favor of drinking coffee in the morning, it can kill your appetite until lunch… and that’s not good if you want your body firing on all cylinders.

A healthy breakfast gets your motor running. Think of it as setting the tone for the rest of the day… not to mention your metabolism. When you sleep, your metabolism slows down to rest and recuperate. When you wake, the only way to wake your metabolism is to fuel it with a healthy breakfast. Otherwise, your metabolism will run the whole day as if you were still asleep in bed. (more…)

Posted on September 21, 2023 by Jason

Power Plate: Fitness with Good Vibrations

The Power Plate has become a huge hit in the fitness industry and is great for all ages. The Power Plate is a vibrating device that was designed to stimulate the body’s natural response to vibration. How does it work? Well, the Power Plate’s vibrations create instability and the human body has to recruit tons of muscles throughout the body to help with stabilization.

These muscles range from large muscle groups to small stabilizer groups that are often never exercised and forgotten about. Simple movements on the Power Plate turn into totally body movements due to the vast scale of muscle contractions and recruitment.

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Posted on June 28, 2023 by Matt

Exercise Benefits Last Long After Workout

The benefits of exercise have been touted in many ways. One of those is that you continue to experience benefits even when you are not in the act of exercising. For example, if you have more lean muscle mass, you burn more calories ’round the clock.

But these benefits may be even more powerful than once thought. A new study has found that 10 minutes of brisk exercise triggers metabolic changes that can last at least an hour after the fact. Dr. Robert Gerszten of Massachusetts General Hospital found that after 10 minutes of using the treadmill, there were metabolic changes 60 minutes later.

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Posted on June 1, 2023 by Jason

Weight Loss Secrets for Swimsuit Season

Summer doesn’t officially start until June 21. But, the weather is starting to warm up, reminding us that it will be swimsuit season soon. Luckily, it’s not too late to lose a little weight before you show off more skin.

No more crash diets, long boring workouts at the gym, or endless fitness class routines. The goal to losing or maintaining weight is to find something that you can stick with and that actually allows you to keep your sanity. Avoid engaging in weekly or monthly diets that you cannot sustain for a long period of time due to the fact that you will probably fall off the bandwagon and eventually be right back where you started.

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Posted on May 4, 2024 by Matt

Jillian Michaels’ Master Your Metabolism Cookbook Releases April 27

This Tuesday, April 27 you’ll be able to take home even more of Jillian Michaels‘ insight on healthy living, as she releases her newest publication – The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook. The book is a follow-up to her 2024 release Master Your Metabolism, which is a health and fitness plan that helps you understand what metabolism is and how you can make it work to your advantage.

The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook includes more than 125 recipes to complement her guidance from the same-named weight loss book. You’ll learn how to eat a more clean diet, incorporate more whole foods and consume properly balanced portions of calories, protein, carbs and fats. Not a chef herself, Jillian enlisted the expertise of a professional recipe developer to help create recipes like the following: (more…)

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Natalie K

A Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training

strength trainingEvery exercise routine needs to have a steady balance between strength training, endurance training, and cardiovascular training. Today’s topic, strength training, plays a huge roll in this equation. Strength training has been proven to increase bone density, increase lean muscle mass, improve posture, and reduce the risk of injury. The increase of bone density refers to the strengthening of the bones which helps prevent injury, pain, and arthritis. The increase of lean muscle mass increases the metabolism which allows the body to burn more calories each day and night.

Common questions related to strength training include “How much weight should I use?” and “How many sets and repetitions should I do?”. Let me first say that every “body” is different and will react differently to the situation. Some people may pack on the muscle while others struggle to gain only a little bit. Strength training is a little more advanced than just simple weight training. Proper form and technique is a must and possible injuries could arise if each and every exercise is not performed correctly. Personal trainers or other fitness enthusiasts are typically available if you have questions about your form. (more…)

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Matt