Creatures of Habit

We’ve been told that once we reach a certain age, our metabolism will work against us. After that it’s all downhill. And for those of us who have tried virtually every diet trend over the past decade (or three) we can attest to that downhill part. But, to have a true effect on controlling our weight by supercharging our metabolism, we need to be let on a few secrets. Here they are:

1. Stick to Your Schedule. Our bodies are truly creatures of habit. If you haven’t been exercising, you get on the elliptical machine it thinks, “OK, wise guy. Let’s just see what you’ve got.” Five minutes go by and your body’s saying, “OH! You’re a surprise here. You’ll drop in a minute.” And boy, oh boy, do you want to. But you don’t. You keep going. You don’t know how, but your body is really panicking now. “If you don’t stop soon, I’m going to have to tap into the reserves!” Yeah! That’s exactly what you want. Those reserves are those spots on your abdomen, your hips, your thighs. You have plenty of reserve there, so you have something to work toward. That schedule we talked about…keep it, but surprise your body by asking just a little more every day because tapping into the reserves is what makes you slim.

2. Hello Sun! People who are serious about their weight loss efforts open their blinds before going to bed at night. Why? Because they want the sun to wake them. Our bodies are designed to wake with the morning light. Our ancestors and their ancestors before them rose with the sun and got to work. If you can get your body to do the same thing, you will jump start your metabolism in a way you’ve never done before. Rising with the sun means you don’t need any kind of artificial stimulation to get you going every day. You don’t need caffeine. You don’t need that doughnut. The sun will be your guide, and if you listen to your body, it will wake you at the right time. The secret here is that serotonin, a “feel good” hormone secretes at that time. Getting up at the right time just feels good.

3. Hydrate. A woman in the UK reported to her doctor that she felt tired, no exhausted. She believed that she was suffering from something more serious than just being overwhelmed with her life. Her doctor recommended that for the next two weeks she drink at least three liters of water a day. The change in the woman when she reported back to her doctor was shocking. No longer exhausted, drawn, fatigued, the woman now looked to be ten years younger and full of energy. “I don’t know what you did, but I’ll take more of it!” The doctor didn’t know how to break it to the woman that she had cured herself by hydrating told her that she needed to report back every two weeks, but to to continue her hydration efforts. Within six months the woman was off all medication for high blood pressure, her cholesterol had returned to normal and requested that she discontinue her antidepressants. Her doctor was happy to comply.

Many people believe that there is something wrong with them when they have no energy and cannot seem to make any progress in losing weight. Sometimes the answers are so simple that we deny that they could possibly work. Try these for a couple of weeks and see how well you feel afterward.

Water Bottle by Darren Lewis