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Burn Fat and Increase Your Metabolism

New Life Ministries

CBN.com Here are eight ways you can keep your system running optimally and keep the pounds off.

1. Keep those calories burning! Eat small amounts of fruits, vegetables, rice cakes, or other healthy snacks throughout the day. Eating several small meals keeps your metabolism moving at an even pace and your blood sugar level constant.

2. Eat carbohydrates to keep your metabolic rate up. Eating fruits, whole grains, and vegetables before your main meal signals your brain that you're less hungry. The result is more likely that you'll eat less. Studies have indicated that during digestion, 25 percent of the calories from carbohydrates are burned, whereas only 3 percent of fat calories are burned. Remaining calories are stored as fat.

3. Avoid eating large meals. Eating big meals causes your blood sugar level to rise. Less fat is burned, and fat storage is triggered.

4. Drink at least eight eight-ounce containers of water daily. Sipping water throughout the day is important to develop as a lifelong habit. When you drink sufficient amounts of water: body fat is burned, stored water is released, and toxins and waste materials are flushed from your body.

5. Eat foods rich in iodine. Fish is high in iodine and aids the body's production of thyroxine. Thyroxine is produced by the thyroid gland and is essential in the regulation of metabolism.

6. Keep on the move. Physical activity that elevates your heart rate increases your metabolism and burns fat. Engage in an exercise you enjoy for about 40 minutes daily at least four days a week. It is generally believed that after twenty minutes, your heart rate is sufficiently high to burn fat.

7. Lift (moderate size) weights. Adopt a gentle, consistent weight-lifting program to build muscles and expend energy. For women, lifting weights can give a leaner body mass without the muscle bulk. Do not overdo!

8. Eat spices. Jalapeno peppers, chilies, and cinnamon, among other spices, speed up your metabolism. Add spices to your daily meals for improved taste and health benefits. For additional help, take advantage of the many resources and helpful guides that will help you in your effort to gain life while losing weight.


Copyright © Used with permission of New Life Ministries.

New Life Ministries, founded by Stephen Arterburn, is America's largest national faith-based broadcasting and counseling organization, specializing in treating relational and marriage difficulties, depression, eating disorders, addictions, anxiety, sexual problems, and more. For counseling on these topics, call New Life Ministries toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-NEW-LIFE or visit their Web site, www.newlife.com.



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