Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories. Your metabolism rate directly affects your weight loss program b use the higher your metabolism, the faster you will lose weight naturally.  For this reason it makes sense to boost your metabolism any way that you can. By making some simple changes you can boost your metabolism rate - here are three ways how:

1. Eat protein with every meal.  Your body burns calories by just being alive but it also burns calories when you do any type of physical movement (even if it just be stretching or walking around) but you also burn calories digesting food. B use protein takes longer to digest, eating protein with every meal will increase your metabolism and burn more calories.

2. Eat many times throughout the day. Eating more to lose more calories may sound impossible but it actually works. There are many people who swear by eating about six small meals throughout the day instead of eating three big meals. This increases your metabolism b use your body is constantly burning calories digesting food. Your metabolism slows down between meals so never skip meals just to save calories.

3. Eat Breakfast. Your metabolism slows down overnight so it is important to eat within the first hour after getting up in the morning.  When you have been through a period of more than eight hours without eating you need food to get your metabolism going again.

Many people resort to dieting and restricting their calorie intake as a means to lose weight. The reality is that a more effective approach is to eat the right kinds of meals and eat often throughout the day. You will not only lose weight by boosting your metabolism but will do so without feeling deprived.

It is possible to lose weight and keep it off once and for all.  The key to long term weight loss is losing weight the right now - slowly and in a healthy way. This means a permanent change in diet and lifestyle as well as a consistent exercise program. Here are a few tips that will help you with your long term weight loss goals:

1.  Don’t get discouraged. Just b use you broke down and ate that chocolate brownie doesn’t mean that your diet is shot for the rest of the week. Many people have unrealistic goals for themselves and feel disappointed when they don’t meet every single criteria. If you slip up on your diet put in an extra 20 minutes at the gym. Go easy on yourself and don’t let a slip up bring you down.

2. Get strong. If your goal to simply lose weight hasn’t been working you may want to revise your goal. Weight loss is such a broad goal that sometimes it can feel unattainable. Focusing instead of getting fit and strong will not only give you more clarification but it will slim you down and make you feel healthier than if you are just trying to drop a few pounds. Join a kickboxing class or a boot camp class to feel stronger, fitter and leaner.

3. Hide your scale. It is not healthy or necessary to weight yourself daily. Monthly weigh ins are ok b use they can help you stay on track but weighing yourself every day (or three times a day) can make people feel devastated when they don’t see the scale going in the direction they want it to go in. It is important to remember that working out will build muscle which weighs more than fat. Even though the scale may not be moving by much it is possible that you are much more toned and leaner. Instead of living by the numbers on the scale judge your weight loss by the way that your clothes fit and the way that you feel. You know your body better than anyone else and if you feel thinner you probably are.

If you are serious about weight loss you should aim for one pound a week - it may not seem like a lot but in reality you are more likely to keep it off if done slowly.

With the sweltering heat that can come at this time of summer, many resort to cool treats to cool down. Instead of reaching for that ice cream cone when you have to be in your bathing suit, find something else just as cool but lighter on the calories. Here are three ideas for healthy, low calorie summer treats:

Home made popsicles. Some kinds of store bought popsicles are low calorie but they are likely sweetened with aspartame or some other kind of artificial sweetener. Instead of filling up on foods that contain unhealthy preservatives, make your own healthier and tastier version. Use gelatin mix and add fruit of your choice. Freeze and enjoy!

Smoothies. Smoothies can be refreshing as long as you add lots of ice. Make a healthy one with bananas, strawberries, blueberries, low fat milk or soy milk, organic yogurt, a dash of vanilla and lots of ice. If you like it sweet, use some honey instead of sugar. You will get your potassium, calcium, protein and many vitamins and minerals in one refreshing drink.

Frozen fruit. Pick fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, or whatever you want and simply throw them in the freezer for a few hours. You will have an iced treat that is very nutritious, low in calories but satisfying. You can add these frozen fruits to smoothies or eat them on their own.
Fill up and cool down this summer on low calorie treats that keep you thin and don’t leave you feeling deprived.

Many people think that any kind of exercise that involves vigorous movements are aerobic exercises. Contrary to this popular belief, there are a number of exercises which are anaerobic. The difference between the two types of exercise is the effect that they have on the body.

Aerobic exercise requires a large amount of oxygen to give the body energy to work out. The word aerobic means “with oxygen”.  During aerobic exercise, glycogen is transformed into glucose. If all of the glucose gets used up, the fat is then burned. Anaerobic exercise doesn’t require oxygen to power the body b use the cellular tissues produce energy without having to rely on oxygen for their power.  During anerobic exercise, the body metabolizes muscle glycogen to use as energy. This type of exercise occurs in such a short window of time that the body doesn’t have time to rely on oxygen, so strictly glycogen is used.  This information can be very useful when putting together an exercise regime. It is important to use a combination of both aerobic and anaerobic exercises to obtain optimal fitness. Aerobic exercise is important b use it keeps your heart and lungs healthy while burning fat. It also improves circulation, lowers blood pressure, increases your lung capacity, increases your red blood cell count, and lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. Anaerobic exercise is also important b use it builds stronger bones, incresaes your speed, power and agility, and it also increases your muscle mass and strength. Some examples of anaerobic exercises are tennis, weight lifting, springing and jumping rope. Aerobic exercises include running, swimming and cycling. ycling, cross-country skiing and rowing. Fortunately, you can do aerobic exercises at home: riding an exercise bike, walking on a treadmill, or following an exercise video - the choices are virtually endless. This is particularly helpful if it’s rainy or drastically cold outdoors. Also, depending on where you live, going snow-shoeing, hiking or kayaking is possible without ever having to step foot in the car!

The key to a fit and healthy body is a combination of both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Depending on your fitness goals, you may want to use one more often than the other. For example if you goal is to lose weight, you will want to focus on mostly cardio. If you want to tone up and become more agile you will want to focus on specific anaerobic exercises to help you achieve that.

Sometimes working out at home is your only option. Maybe you are a single mother, a busy housewife or just a busy person that doesn’t have the time or money to go to the gym. Just b use you cannot afford to go to a gym or do not have time to get there doesn’t meant you can’t be fit. Here are three of the best exercise ideas that you can do from the comfort of your own home:

1. Home workout DVD’S:  Instead of passing these movies over as being cheesy, give them a try first. There are quite a variety of options available when it comes to guided exercise videos and some of them are quite effective. To make matters better, many libraries carry these DVD’s that you can borrow for free. Movie stores have a good selection of workout videos that you can rent for a week or two at a time – it is a cheap and efficient way to work out by yourself at home. If you decide to buy some of your own try swapping with friends every couple of weeks to keep your workouts from being boring and make sure that you are constantly challenging your body.

2. The plank. The plank is a simple yet very effective exercise that can be done from home to tone your stomach, hips and even shoulders. If you want to have a sexy mid section and still build strength, then this simple exercise is for you. All you have to do is have a flat surface and start out in a push up position. Keep your elbows under your shoulders with your shoulder blades back and your abs tights. Hold yourself in a push up position with your back straight for at least 30 seconds and then lower down slowly. Do at least 10 sets five times a week to see maximum results.

3. Dips. Dips work your triceps while toning other areas of the body. Using a chair extend your body in front, with your arms bent behind you and your hands holding the edges of the chair. Your heels are touching the floor in front of you and your hands are the only part supporting your torso. You can now extend your arms to an almost straight position.

Being fit and in shape doesn’t mean that you need a lot of time, energy or money to spend at an expensive gym. All you need is your own body weight, about half an hour a day and some motivation. Start your own at home workout routine today and start to feel fitter and healthier in no time.

There’s nothing worse than putting on a tank top and noticing that your arms are less than toned.  Toned arms are essential to pull of a dress, tank top or really anything that shows off your upper body. Here are a few ways to get rid of that unwanted arm jiggle:

1. Mix Cardio and Strength Training.  Cardio is important to burn fat and strength training is essential to build lean muscle and tone up. Using weights will not make your arms big (unless of course that is your goal) if you use them properly. You can get rid of that arm jiggle through intense activities that combine both cardio and strength training such as kickboxing or boot camps.

2. Use the Elliptical Machine. This machine is not only good for toning your butt and legs as well as getting that heart rate up, but if used properly it can be an effective arm toner as well. Make sure to pump the arm handles the whole time you are on the machine. Alternate two minutes forward with two minutes backward for a minimum of 30 minutes 5 days a week to see noticeable results.

3. Do some push-ups. Sometimes it is necessary to do some good old fashioned floor exercises such as push ups. Push ups do a fabulous job at toning your upper body including your arms and back in a short period of time. You can even work different areas of the arm by changing the position of your hands or add more resistance by using one hand to do the push ups.

4. Do Yoga. Yoga is the perfect exercise - it gives you a cardio workout while toning, stretching and strengthening the whole body all in the midst of meditation. If you do yoga at home, focus on sequences that involve muscles on the triceps, shoulder and core area.

Doing these arm toning exercises five times a week while following a balanced diet should produce noticeable results in as little as three weeks.

If you put your efforts into working out, it is smart to do all that you can to maximize your calorie burn. You’re there so you might as well put in 110% effort right? Here are four ways to maximize your workouts and lose weight in no time:

1.Drink cold water while you work out. It is important to keep hydranted before, during and after a workout and studies have found that the colder the H2O the more stamina it gives you. In one British study it was found that exercisers who drank cold water water worked out about 25% longer than those who drank the same amount of warm water. Exercisers also reported feeling that their workout was easier.

2.Swing your arms. Any kind of extra movement burns excess calories. Even if you are just walking, swinging your arms can do wonders to tone and maximize calorie burn. Pump your elbows at a 90% angle as you stride and you will burn up to 15% more calories.

3.Bring your IPOD. Music does so much for a workout. It can pump you up, keep you motivated and stop you from getting bored. Make a playlist of your favorite and most inspirational songs and make sure that it is at least half an hour long. Jump on your favorite cardio machine and vow not to get off until your playlist is over.

4.Add some weights.  Weights should be a part of your workout routine regularly to tone up and maintain bone mass. It isn’t about the number of reps you do but about the size of the weights. It has been found that exercisers that use heavier dumbbells burn about 25% more calories than those who use lighter ones, even when they do reps that are identical. For example someone lifting a 10 pound dumbell 10 times burns less calories than someone who lifts a 20 pound weight five times.

The next time you hit the gym try these fitness tips to amp up your calorie burn and you will see results much faster which will motivate you to work out even more.

If you desperately want to lose weight but aren’t keen on exercise, there is still hope for you. Some people absolutely loathe exercise which is understandable.  Ultimately, a combination of diet, healthy living and exercise is the key for long term weight loss and overall health BUT it is possible to lose a good amount of weight without ever hitting the gym.

The first thing to do if you are on a weight loss journey sans exercise you need to be extra diligent when it comes to the little details. If you are exercising you can easily zap off that chocolate bar that you just couldn’t resist but if you aren’t exercising then you will find your weight loss going nowhere if you stray from your diet plan. Start by making a detailed list of the meals that you will eat during the week and do one big shop so that you have all of the groceries to make it happen. You should aim for about 1500 calories a day and do not exceed 2000 unless you have a job that requires you to be on your feet all day. Those that are active can afford to consume more but if you aren’t you should keep calories around 1500. Keep a detailed food diary of what you eat and how  many calories you eat daily. If you find yourself cheating or eating more than your allotted amount of calories it is important to get back on track right away. Fill up on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, lean protein and low fat dairy products and completely cut out any processed food, drinks with sugar (pop, juice, starbucks) and anything considered junk food. If you aren’t exercising you should try to find some other ways to burn calories. Clean your house for a few hours, take your kids to the park, find a parking spot farther away from work or take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Last but not least you need a minimum of 7 hours of sleep each night. Studies have found that people who sleep between 7-8 hours a night have an easier time losing weight than those who don’t get enough sleep.

If you follow these simple steps and are disciplined you will lose weight. Losing weight doesn’t have to be that hard – if you burn more calories in a day than you eat you will lose and it is possible to do that without exercising.

It is easy to get off track when it comes to your health.  Many people go through phases of feeling really great and then one slip will have them back on the path of not doing so great again. It usually doesn’t take much to knock you off the health bandwagon – it may be a night out with a few too many drinks that leads you to eat greasy food the next day and get stuck in a take-out rut. It could also be a stressful situation that leaves you feeling like you have no time to hit the gym. Whatever the deal is and no matter how long you have been feeling out of shape or unhealthy, getting back to being your healthiest and happiest shouldn’t wait any longer.

Start by taking your health one day at a time. Many people get discouraged with themselves if they aren’t feeling good about their daily habits. If you know that you are eating fatty foods or not getting the amount of exercise you need you may feel overwhelmed at even thinking about adopting healthy habits again. It is best to just start slowly and take it one day at a time. Instead of telling yourself that you need to hit the gym 5 days a week, tell yourself that you will do one active thing tomorrow. Taking smaller steps will pay off and you will ease back into healthy habits once again. The next step is to take a closer look at yourself and stop being in denial. What are you doing that is making you feel poorly? Is it that donut you eat for breakfast in the morning or the fact that you come home from work and laze around watching TV? You need to be committed to putting your health and your best interests first so it is important to be honest with yourself.

Surrounding yourself with friends and loved ones who are able to motivate you to make healthy choices is important if you are trying to get healthy again. Your partner or best friends can make a big difference in helping you feel your best and change your life for the better.

It seems almost everyone has trouble sleeping to some degree.  With our busy lives and an overload of information, our stress levels are high and our minds are over-active.  So when it comes time to rest, we lay in bed and instead of sleeping run through what we did that day, too often with regret and worry about tomorrow.  Sometime times we are even happy about the days events and are looking forward to tomorrow with excitement - and yet we lay there with busy minds minute after minute.  Many people with sleeping problems will lay in bed worry about their sleeping problem.  They will think about why they can’t sleep.  And it will drive them crazy.  Going to bed for a non-sleeper can be frightening.

Sleepless night after sleepless night, your mind and body do not get a chance to recharge.  You can imagine how all these nights add up.  Some of the complications of insomnia are obesity, slowed reaction time, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and poor immune. Even if you don’t have insomnia, poor sleeping patterns can break down your health and performance.  At the very least is can be very annoying.

So what can we do? There is a lot you can in your waking hours that will increase your chances of a better sleep.  You need to make lifetsyle changes.  As lifetsyle changes aren’t easy, take it slow and make incremental changes in all areas.  Eating healthier and exercising more are two major changes that will dramatically help your chances for a good nights rest.  IF you exercise for an hour at night, your body will take over your mind and shut you down.  But the exercise needs to be the right one.  Sometimes people exercise and get their energy levels up and again have a hard time sleeping. If this is the case for you, try yoga.  Yoga is an exercise that is not only good for your body, but helps quiet the mind.  If you run at night and still find it hard to sleep, try weight lifting or swimming.  Change it up.  You may find an exercise that works great.  Obviously poor eating can lead to sleep problems, too much sugar or processed food that doesn’t fuel your body and mind is a big problem.  Eat more green foods, try eating more raw foods.  Lots of vegetables and fruit.  Drink lots of water.  Flushing out toxins with healthy eating and exercise will make your body feel better and more realxed.

The ultimate answer to better sleeping, is to turn off the mind.  Learn how to meditate.  Practice deep breathing exrcises.  Many may read this and say “I have tried and it doesn’t work”.  The reality is that they haven;t mastered it.  As soon as you try to meditate, the mind will say “this isn’t working” and will go right back to being busy.  One of the best exercises you can do is to put all your attention on feeling the enery within every cell of your body.  Start with your hands, then your feet and then the rest of your body, part by part until you are feeling your whole body.  This may be difficult to sustain, but keep coming back to it.  This will quit your mind and if your body is tired, which it probably is - then you will find sleeping comes naturally.