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7 Ways to Defy Your Age

February 4, 2013 by

Sure, no one wants to be 21 again—some misadventures and irresponsibility are better left in the past. But to feelyoung again? Now that’s a different story!

Rediscover the zest and optimism you felt when you were younger for a happier life now. Just follow these simple stepsto reclaim the energy, zeal, and sense of well-being you enjoyed in your youth:

Hit the hay early. Getting your beauty sleep is the simplest way to feel younger right now. Resting up gives your brain and body the chance to fully recharge. But in all likelihood, you’re not getting as much as you need. Make the effort to turn in early and get 8 hours of sleep for 6 weeks straight. After 6 weeks, you’ll have a healthy sleep schedule formed, and feel the difference.

Eat healthy food. You are what you eat—so fuel your body with age-proof meals. Start every meal with a fruit or vegetable and a tall glass of water. Loading up on the vitamins and antioxidants in fruits and veggies will make you feel refreshed, recharged, and reenergized.

Build up your strength. The right kind of strength-training can help you feel decades younger. When done properly, weight-training makes microtears in the muscles, which leads your body to generate thicker, stronger muscle fiber. Strengthening your muscles in this way leaves you less vulnerable to injuries and builds your stamina.

Indulge your vanity. Forget the nips and tucks—there’s no such thing as eternal youth. But don’t underestimate the power of taking care of your looks. There’s a vast difference between trying too hard to look 10 years younger and trying to look your best at whatever age you are. So schedule that salon date and invest in a good face cream, guilt-free. It’s good for you.

Throw in a little spontaneity. Doing the same thing in the same order everyday is a surefire way to make you feel run down. Give your brain the stimulation you did in your youth by keeping your day fresh and trying new things. Just make little, out-of-the-ordinary changes like stopping at a different café for your morning latte or trying a new workout routine.

Get nostalgic. Load your iPod with your favorite tunes from your youth, and have a nice long stroll down memory land. Harvard University found that people who were placed in an environment that resembled their youth—with movies, music, and memorabilia from the past—experienced marked improvements in their memory, vision, happiness level, and overall health.

Play up the positive. Age has a way of making you clearly see the gloom in the world, from natural disasters to divorce and lost jobs.That’s why the final step to feeling younger is to shift your focus from what makes you unhappy to the things that make you happy. This isn’t an exercise in denying what is unpleasant—rather, it’s a way to tap into your gratitude. In turn, your optimism will motivate you to live your life fully and meaningfully.

What are some ways you cultivate your youthful vigor?

 

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How to Get Your Metabolism Moving

January 21, 2013 by

Did you know that you’re burning calories as you read this post? In fact, your body burns calories even when you’re not moving a single muscle. Every single thing you do—from breathing to eating to sleeping—uses energy. The number of calories it would take just to lie in bed all day is called your resting metabolic rate, which is unique to every person.

Although you can’t exchange your genetics or turn back the clock, there’s still plenty you can do to be a fast calorie burner. All you need to do is remember these four metabolism truths:

1. Cardio charges your metabolism for hours afterward. A pound of muscle at rest does burn three times as many calories as a pound of fat, but that doesn’t mean you should only focus on weight training if you want to blast calories. Cardio is every bit as crucial for keeping your metabolism cranked up. Do just two to three vigorous bouts of exercise per week for 45 minutes, and you could lose a pound of fat every two weeks from the combination of calories expended during exercise plus what you burn afterward.

Pro-tip: Any sweat-inducing activity you can sustain for 45 minutes will do the trick.

2. Beauty rest is the new calorie-burning boost. Though contrary to expectations, more sleep makes for a quicker metabolism. In fact, a single sleepless night reduces your resting metabolic rate by about 5% several hours into the next day, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. So put away the laptop, and be sure you aim to give yourself nine hours of sleep  each night.

3. Age doesn’t mean you can’t have a healthy metabolism.Sure, it’s hardly a myth that women tend to gain weight after the age of 40. But according to a new study in Cell Metabolism, estrogen levels may be the cause. Less estrogen, it turns out, equals a sluggish metabolism—you burn 50 fewer calories a day. Compensate by hitting the weight room three times a week. In 12 weeks, you’ll add enough muscle  mass to burn an extra 45 calories per day.

4. Timing is everything when it comes to blasting calories. Drops in blood sugar can make your metabolism stall during the day. That’s because the primary food for your brain is blood sugar, and when you let it drop, your brain has to set up defenses to sustain its fuel. In other words, low blood sugar leaves you with less muscle, which makes your metabolism sluggish. To keep your blood-sugar levels even throughout the day, eat smaller meals with 100- to 200-calorie snacks in between.

What are some ways you keep your metabolism fired up? Share your tips in the comments section below!

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