Walk With Intention To Rev Your Metabolism!

Walking to shed pounds is not about ambling or taking a stroll, although even a fifteen minute stroll is better than nothing if there is something in your lifestyle that is preventing you from getting the exercise you need on a daily basis.

Walking to lose weight is most successful if you can try walking with a bit of purpose. Make sure yoyo achieve a rolling gait and a steady pace.  You can walk slowly but make sure you are taking deep breaths. A good pace to walk at is one that is fast, but not so fast that you cannot hold a conversation with the person next to you.

Walking Is Inexpensive

One of the greatest fallacies about weight loss in general is that you need to join a gym, get a trainer or buy some expensive equipment in order to accomplish your goals. Although having gimmicks and glamorous place to go to work out can give you a bit of a boost in terms of enthusiasm for exercise, it is actually not necessary.  The best way to lose a great deal of weight in a very natural way is to simply walk at an “almost brisk” pace for one hour every day.  The idea is to get your heart rate going, without making you so uncomfortable that you have to sit down and take a break.

Take heart if you feel that you can never be a fast-paced walker. It is possible to lose weight by walking very slowly, it will just take you a lot longer to lose it.

Walking is Possible for Most

Computer Simulation of a Human Walking

Taking a walk is possible for most people. If you have a mechanical problem or problems with your feet then it is important for you to see a chiropractor or podiatrist who can help correct the imbalance that is causing you to have limited walking ability.

Sometimes, the issue is the shoes that you are wearing.  Make sure that you are wearing footwear meant for walking and not for other purposes.  If you must make an investment in your future health, invest in a good pair of walking shoes.

The secret is -- the more you walk the more lean muscle you will develop. Lean muscle burns more calories as you use it. This means that you burn more calories because you have more muscular mass in general.

A Healthy & Active Way to Lose Weight

You can lose a lot of weight just y taking a walk every day. To lose one pound a week you must burn off 3,500 calories. A good goal to strive for is to expend 500 calories a day just by walking five days a week. For most people this means walking a half-hour to an hour every day.

Not only is walking good for shedding pounds but it can rev up your metabolism and have you burning fat even while you are resting. Other benefits include the prevention of diabetes, stroke, heart disease and breast cancer.

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.

Too Much Salt Equals Bloat and Weight Gain!

If you are experiencing bloating, puffiness and high blood pressure then it might be time for you to reduce your salt intake. This is difficult for some people, who crave salty snacks so badly that you could describe them as having a “salt tooth.”  Salt can be as bad as sugar when it comes to preventing you from shedding the pounds.  That is because if you consume too much salt your cells with overdose on sodium. Foods high in sodium have a way of expanding fat cells and making them impervious to the release of fat or water content.

Balancing the Body’s Electrolytes

Consuming too much sodium can have a terrible effect on your body’s electrolytes. The two most significant electrolytes that our bodies use are sodium and potassium. They “spark” off of each other to create energy and if we have too much of one element or then we short-circuit our systems and feel lousy. It is easy to consume too much sodium on a daily basis and a lot harder to overdose on potassium. The body become acid and without sufficient potassium levels, it becomes harder for the body to pump fluids through the tissues.

Symptoms of Sodium Overload

One of the main symptoms of sodium overload is belly bloating along with fatigue and a general feeling of malaise. In serious cases, you might also experience ringing in the ears.

Most people become puffy looking. Their hands and fingers swell and there may be enhanced bags under the eyes. This is because the when water cannot be moved easily through out tissues, it builds up just below the skin causing all kinds of swelling. This condition can become so severe over time that women cannot pull their wedding rings off or fit into their jeans or their shoes.

Yet another symptom of a sodium/potassium imbalance is “feeling hot” all of the time. That is because too much salt in the body might actually cause a real rise in body temperature.

Hidden Sources of Sodium in Our Diets

Sodium hides in many different forms and is often present in high amounts in the following foods

• Anchovies
• Artificial creamers in liquid and powdered form
• Asian food including Chinese, Thai and Korean
• Breads
• Cheeses, especially blue cheese, cheddar, feta, Parmesan and cottage cheese
• Commercial breakfast cereals and instant hot breakfast cereals
• Canned Fish like tuna, salmon, kippers or sardineCanned soups and chillies
• Cola
• Fish sauce
• Frozen diet entrees                                      
• Hot sauces
• Olives
• Powdered drink mixes
• Pickles of any kind!
• Ramen noodles
• Soya Sauce

Needless to say is that all junk foods tend to have high sodium contents and so do many low-fat foods.  In low-fat foods sodium is added to compensate for the absence of sugar and fats.

The best way to avoid salt is to carefully read ingredient labels before you buy a product to make sure that it is not a hidden source of salt.

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41)440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Micheal Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.