Energy level: Boost your energy

If you are feeling tired and sluggish lately (go to bed tired and struggle to get up in the morning), your energy level is low metabolism needs a boost. The National Institutes of Health defines metabolism as “all the physical and chemical processes in the body that convert or use energy.” To improve your stamina and general health, avoid trendy supplements and energy drinks that claim to perform metabolism miracles. Instead opt for these time-tested tips to keep your body’s engine humming:

Exercise:
Exercise is the best way to speed up your metabolism and raise your energy level. The best time to exercise is first thing in the morning, so that you kick your metabolism into high gear and it stays high all day. Strength training 2 or 3 times a week will build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than fat. Add 30–60 minutes of regular cardiovascular exercise — such as jogging, elliptical, or fast walking — to see results.

Don’t starve yourself:
Research indicates that skipping meals, especially breakfast, can actually slow down your metabolism. Breakfast gets you started and gets your digestive system into gear. You need energy to perform at your peak level. Most people do their best work in the morning, hence you need your energy level to be sustained till afternoon.

Eat more often:
Many dieters are finding success by spreading out their calories and eating several smaller meals about every 3–4 hours, rather a couple of huge meals. A lot of folks skip breakfast and take a heavy lunch. This slows you down and saps your afternoon energy. You may find yourself dozing in the afternoon, finding it difficult to focus mentally to the task at hand.

Stay hydrated:
Keep that water flowing and avoid dehydration, which produces the same unwanted metabolic effect as starvation. Water aids digestion and facilitates disposal of body wastes. When your body is at its peak state, you feel energetic and ready to face any task.

Try green tea:
It can raise your metabolism while providing an antioxidant and caffeine infusion.

Avoid sugar:
Soft drinks, alcohol, and processed foods can all contribute to weight gain. Aim for healthier calories from produce, whole grains, lean protein, and low–fat dairy. Snack on fruits like apple, cucumber etc rather than pastries etc.

Your body is an engine. Feed it the right foods and it will perform at its peak. Load it with junk, and like an engine with contaminated fuel, your energy level will drop and you will struggle to accelerate when you need it most.



 Culled from healthandfitness.com