| Do you know people who consistently watch their | | | | However, as the experts tell us, getting enough sleep |
| diet by carefully choosing low-fat, low-calorie foods, | | | | actually improves metabolism. On the other hand, |
| are very disciplined when it comes to not ordering | | | | people who are constantly sleep deprived typically |
| the desert, yet order a glass or two of wine with | | | | find that they have less energy to do regular, daily |
| their meal? Well, unfortunately, these people are | | | | activities; including digestion. Don't you feel drained |
| really undermining their efforts to boost metabolism. | | | | when you have a restless night? |
| Studies show that drinking alcohol with meals actually | | | | As a result, sleep-starved people often lower their |
| encourages over eating; which means more calories | | | | own metabolism. They simply don't have the strength |
| that need to be burned away (or transformed into | | | | to break down food efficiently, carbohydrates. This is |
| fat!). Furthermore, many people are simply unaware | | | | a very difficult issue, because many people can only |
| that many alcoholic drinks are laden with calories; | | | | find time to exercise by borrowing from their rest |
| almost as much as sugary-rich soft drinks. | | | | time. For example, after a long day of work and |
| A bottle of beer can deliver a few hundred calories, | | | | dealing with family and home commitments, a person |
| and most cocktails are in the same range. Wine is | | | | may find that the only time they have to exercise |
| generally considered to deliver the least amount of | | | | (and thus boost their metabolism) is late at night; say |
| calories; but even this is a bit of a slippery slope. | | | | around 9:00 pm, or even later. So what should one |
| Three glasses of wine can be worth 300 calories that | | | | do? |
| the body simply has to deal with in one form or | | | | Ultimately, it's a question of balance. Naturally, if |
| another. | | | | you're willing to exercise, and your doctor agrees |
| The tip here isn't to stop drinking alcohol altogether. | | | | that it's healthy for you to do that, then you're not |
| If you enjoy a alcoholic drink once in awhile, there's | | | | going to get fit by sleeping instead of exercising. Yet |
| no reason why you have to quit drinking altogether. | | | | with that being said, if you steal time away from |
| You just need to be aware that it influences your | | | | your sleep/rest in order to exercise, over time, you |
| metabolism. If you consume excess alcohol (even | | | | can actually do more harm than good; because the |
| without becoming inebriated), you force your system | | | | following day, you won't have enough energy to |
| to deal with more calories. And unless you're | | | | digest what you eat. The answer to this catch-22 lies |
| compensating for these added calories through | | | | in balance. |
| exercise or muscle building, catabolism (Catabolism is | | | | You don't have to work out every night. Or perhaps |
| the set of metabolic pathways which break down | | | | you can integrate a workout into your life during the |
| molecules into smaller units and release energy) | | | | day; maybe at lunchtime or right after work. Even if |
| cannot occur. Instead, anabolism (Anabolism is the set | | | | you snatch 10 minutes of exercise three times a day |
| of metabolic pathways that construct molecules from | | | | is the same as working out for thirty minutes all at |
| smaller units) will inevitably occur, and new cells will be | | | | once. That help to not exercise at 10:00 pm. This will |
| created from those calories (mostly fat cells). | | | | help your metabolism boosting because your trick |
| Sleep is a key factor in boosting the metabolism. | | | | your metabolism into having to call up that extra |
| Most of us don't have as much control over the | | | | energy when it least expects it and you don't feel so |
| amount that we sleep as we should. Work, family, | | | | bad about not exercising. So when you get home at |
| education, and so many other tasks can literally | | | | night take a quick ten minute walk around the block |
| prevent us from getting the correct amount of sleep | | | | and it might not even feel like exercise, you might |
| that we need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. | | | | enjoy it. |
