Boosting Your Metabolism Through Exercises

Did you know that you could boost your metabolism by moving your body? Your metabolism plays a critical role in weight loss so boosting your metabolism is desirable when trying to lose weight.

Anytime we exercise we are doing something good for our bodies but not all exercises are equal. Certain exercises can actually help us to boost our metabolism rate so that we can lose weight faster.

Exercises that give you both a cardio workout and a resistance workout will help you to burn calories and maintain or build your muscle mass, which speeds up your metabolism.

There are many exercises that can burn calories and also maintain strong muscles at the same time.

The exercises that burn calories and help build muscle mass are bodyweight squats, Y-squat, squat jumps, lunges, reverse lunges, push-ups, push-up/stick-up, step-ups, and something called bridge.

Bodyweight squats are done by standing with your feet shoulder width apart and while squatting down like you are going to sit back into a chair, you drive your heels into the floor and then return to your starting position. Do 10 reps of bodyweight squats to start with. When you are comfortable increase your reps to 20 and then when comfortable at that level increase the reps to 30.

Squat jumps are done in the same starting position but with your arms up and out to your sides. You make your arms and body look like a “Y” shape. Do 10 reps to start out with and then work up to 20, and when comfortable do 30 reps.

Squat jumps are done in the same starting position as the other two exercises, and then squat down as if you will be sitting back into a chair, and then you jump back up from your squat position. Once up on your feet, sit right back down into your squatting position again. Do 8 reps to start out with, and then when comfortable increase to 12 reps, then 15 reps and finally increase to 20 reps.

Lunges are started in a standing position with feet shoulder width apart. You then take a long step forward with your right foot lunge down touching your left knee to the ground. You will then drive your right heel into the ground and push yourself back so that you end up in your starting position and then switch legs and do it again. Start out with 10 reps per leg, and then work up to 15 reps and when comfortable do 20 reps.

Reverse lunges are done standing with feet shoulder width apart and take a step backwards with your right foot. Touch your right toes to the ground and lunge backward so that you are touching your right knee to the ground. Now, drive your left heel into the ground and step back forward with your right foot. Now, switch legs and repeat. To start out with do 8 reps, and work up to 15 reps and then up to 20 reps when you are comfortable doing so.

Push-ups are when you start out lying face down, flat on the ground or other level surface. Your toes and hands push yourself off the surface. If using your toes and your hands is too hard for you to do than use your knees and hands. Start using 8 reps to begin and then increase to 12. When comfortable go to 12 reps, then 15 and if you can do them go to 20. If you are using knees and hands try to go for toes and hands once you become stronger and more confident.

Push-Up/Stick-up is a push up and then in between each push up you stand up and raise your arms above your head. Then you get back down into the starting position and do it all again. Start out with 8 reps, and work your way to 12 and then 15 if you can do that many.

Step-ups require a set of stairs to do. You go up to the second stair with your right food, step back down and then switch feet. You continue in this pattern alternating which foot you use until you reach 20 reps on each foot.

A bridge is a traditional push up position on your hands and feet with your body rigid and you hold this position for 30 seconds. You can increase your holding time to 45 seconds and then 60 seconds as you improve your strength.

When you first start this exercise program work through each of the above exercises once. Then as time goes by you can add more sets but be sure that you rest for 30 to 60 seconds in-between each set of exercises.

Most of us who are at least 50 years old can remember doing these exercises in gym classes where the gym teacher blew a whistle at the start of each exercise. Those of us who didn’t have the strength to do sit-ups or push-ups were embarrassed to have our peers watch our feeble attempts.

Now in the privacy of your own home you can again do these exercises taking your time to build up your strength and your endurance. The secret is in not giving up. You must be motivated to exercise by having an attainable goal to work towards. These exercises will boost your metabolism if you do them on a regular basis.

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