Increase Your Energy
Exercise has been proven to increase overall energy. When someone has been sedentary for a long period of time, it takes a bit of work to get rid of the inertia that accompanies this lifestyle. Getting started on a regular exercise regime can seem daunting at first. The only way to generate energy is to begin to MOVE your body. The more sedentary and lazy we are, the more tired we become.
Exercise is something a lot of people dread, but everyone loves the results. Getting started is truly a case of mind over matter. The mind must be motivated to move the body to dislodge the matter that is clogging up our bloodstream and our cells. The cells must be freed to produce energy. Once we begin moving, our bodies begin to work the way they were created to work.
ATP
A quick physiology lesson: The body creates energy a variety of ways. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) relies on glucose (i.e. carbohydrates) as its energy source. When you do things like sprint quickly, you are using the ATP, which is produced from the anaerobic system. ATP is basically to your body what gasoline is to your car. There is a limited supply. When you run out of ATP the system moves over to the aerobic system. The aerobic system produces more ATP than the anaerobic system. The aerobic system relies mainly on fatty acids, glucose and glycogen as its source for energy.
Fat produces 9 calories of energy per gram, while glucose only yields 4 calories per gram. You can see why you get more energy and burn more fat with aerobic training. The more you exercise, the better your body is at producing more ATP and, therefore, you have more energy. The more fit a person becomes, the greater the ability to burn fat. When you are exercising consistently, your heart can pump more blood and it can also extract more oxygen from the blood pumping through your body. So get moving. Start slow and remember, in time, you will feel energized!
A few simple tips to get you going:
Drink Up. Even a little dehydration can sap your energy, so keep a water bottle handy and sip it throughout the day, drinking more when you exercise.
Eat Up. Isn’t it nice to be told to eat? Your body needs fuel and fuel is food. Many people respond well to eating 5-6 small meals (around 200-400 calories, depending on your size) throughout the day to stimulate the metabolism. Skipping meals or not eating all day long can make you sleepy.
Sleep Up. You need at least eight hours of sleep a night. Am I telling you anything you don’t know? Hit the sack!
Exercise. It’s a dirty word, isn’t it? But, working out doesn’t have to be a miserable experience. Try to be more active every day; walk the dog, cut the grass, park far away and take the stairs. Or start an exercise program. You’ll feel better and have much more energy.
Have Some Fun. Whatever happened to fun? Fun is something you used to have back when you were a kid, remember? It’s time to re-visit your childhood and spend some time doing something utterly pointless.
http://exercise.about.com/cs/exercisehealth/a/couchpotatoes.htm
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