What is 'The Maximum Metabolism™ Plan'?

The Maximum Metabolism plan is designed for you to safely and permanently:

• Increase your Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR)

• Lose excess body fat

• Build and tone muscles

• Create a positive change in your appearance

• Develop healthy lifestyle habits

• Achieve a greater feeling of personal well-being

The Maximum Metabolism plan allows you to eat healthy, delicious and filling food -- while reducing fat and calories. You'll increase your basal metabolic rate (BMR...metabolism when you're resting) to burn fat more efficiently on a daily basis. You'll develop a simple daily exercise regimen to maintain muscle tone -- while still burning more fat. You'll acquire the good habits so all-important in maintaining a leaner, healthy body.

What we 'do' is what we 'get.'

The key to weight-loss is multi-faceted. It embodies more than simply "going on a diet" if you hope to make it permanent. The long-term answer lies in changing our eating habits and exercising properly. (Most of us know how to eat right...we just don't do it.)
There are generally deep emotional issues around our being overweight. So a strong "will" and determination is necessary to make the required changes in our lifestyle. That's why it's important for you to decide just how much weight you should lose -- not somebody else. It's good to ask for support from those significant others in your life. (Though sometimes those nearest and dearest to you can inadvertently sabotage your earnest efforts to achieve well-being.) So learn to feel good about the steps you are taking towards your goal. Acknowledge yourself every day.

Ten Steps to changing your life

• 1. Supplement each day at the proper time to increase your energy, BMR and determination.

• 2. Exercise for 20 to 60 minutes, preferably in the morning, 5 to 7 times a week.

• 3. Eat a low-fat, balanced diet of three meals and two snacks every day.

• 4. Take a complex multi-vitamin daily , such as Source Naturals Life Force™.

• 5. Eat at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables every day.

• 6. Drink six to eight glasses of water every day.

• 7. Limit or stop drinking alcohol.

• 8. Stop eating two to three hours before bedtime.

• 9. Reach for your walking shoes before reaching for the fridge.

• 10. Acknowledge yourself and the steps you took towards your goal each day.

What kind of 'exercise' is required?

A combination of a regular walking program with appropriate aerobic and weight exercise is essential for best results. The Maximum Metabolism exercise plan takes only a short time each day, and is designed to help you reduce stress, increase energy levels, burn calories, lose unwanted fat and gain muscle tone. And remember, the more muscle tissue you have...the higher your basal metabolic rate (BMR)...and the more calories you'll burn.
It's best to exercise in the morning so that you get the higher BMR benefit all day long. Another important, though less known, benefit of daily exercise is that it causes the release of endorphins, or 'feel good' hormones in the brain.

Walking & Aerobics

Walking has become a very popular aerobic exercise simply because it works. One only needs good shoes, comfortable clothes and several minutes a day. It will improve both leg strength and toning, preserve lean muscle mass, and help you lose fat.
The average optimum walking distance and pace ranges from 1-4 miles a day at about 3-6 miles per hour. This translates to between 10 and 20 minutes to walk one mile. After stretching your leg muscles for a few minutes, start with a short distance and gradually work your way up to longer and more swiftly-paced walks. The object is to walk at a brisk pace, so that you'll start burning calories immediately, and after approximately 18 minutes, begin to burn fat.

Beginner's walking program

• Total exercise time: 45 minutes.

• Warm-up: 3-4 minutes of stretching.

• Total walk time: 35-40 minutes.

• Aerobic workout: Mileage - 1.5 miles.

• Pace: 2.5 miles per hour.

• Cool-down: 3-4 minutes of after-walk stretches.

• Frequency: 5 times a week.

• Weekly mileage: 7.5 miles.

Advanced walking program

• Total exercise time: 60 minutes.

• Warm-up: 5 minutes of stretching.

• Total walk time: 45-50 minutes.

• Aerobic workout: Mileage - 3 miles.

• Pace: 4 miles per hour.

• Cool-down: 3-4 minutes of after-walk stretches.

• Frequency: 5 times a week. (You can walk 3 miles a day for 5 days - or 2 miles every day.)

• Weekly mileage: 15 miles.

For a change, you can switch certain days of your walking plan with other aerobic exercises such as jogging, biking or dance aerobic workouts. You can use an exercise bike, rower, treadmill, stepper or swim laps. You could join a health club, or do it with a friend. The point is to exercise regularly on an established, weekly basis.

Weight Training

Another very important aspect to regaining a healthy new you is getting involved in some form of appropriate weight training. Whether you decide to join a club, or check out some of the excellent books on the subject for in-home use, weight training can be a significant part of your attaining a healthy body. We simply need to understand that as we get older and less physically active in our daily lives, it's increasingly necessary to reverse the sedentary process that got us here in the first place.

A good weight training program can rebuild, reshape and continually increase the size of your muscles. Muscle makes you look and feel thinner, as muscles take up 20% less space than fat. Adding muscle will:

• Raise your metabolism further to melt more fat away.

• Tighten flabby body areas.

• Allow you to eat more calories of favorite foods.

So get out there and enjoy your surroundings, the weathre, the new day, and a newly emerging healthy you.