Guilty

It’s a Sunday morning and I’m about to ‘endure’ my once-a-week cycle ride.

It got me thinking – Why do I put myself through the next 20 minutes of ‘Pain’

Well, the usual answers come to mind:
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It makes me feel good (eventually).
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And it keeps me toned.

But then I really ‘drilled down’ to the reason WHY!

The answer – I knew what was to come – PIG Day. Sunday is my day of ‘Eat anything.’

What’s that got to do with my cycle ride?

Well, it can be explained in two words – Deficit & Guilt.

Here’s what appears in my logical thinking:

“Steve, blast yourself for 20 minutes and you’ll create a Deficit.”

In other words- I will breakdown muscle fibres in my body if I train at the right intensity. The very action itself raises my metabolic rate (the rate in which I burn calories).

Unfortunately, I don’t burn any fat during the cycle ride. However, I will raise my metabolic rate between 2 and 15 hours after training. That’s where I create a deficit. So, after completing my Sunday morning chores and cycle ride, I’m ready to enjoy my Pig Day and not feel guilty.

Here’s the science bit:
Muscle burns calories at rest; fat does not. So, muscle is eight times more metabolically demanding than fat cells. This is why lean but well-muscled people seem to be able to eat anything without putting on weight.

Tips to increase your metabolism

If you don’t think you have time to hit the gym circuit? You can get great results with only two 15-minute lifting sessions a week.

Include interval training — bursts of high-intensity moves — to your workout. It’s a great metabolism booster. You can easily incorporate interval training into your workout by inserting a 30-second sprint into your jog every five minutes or by adding a one-minute incline walk to your treadmill workout. Since your body is working harder, it’s a more intense workout — and you therefore burn more calories.

Or simply choose 2 exercises that you can group together:

Watch this brief video – no equipment required

So, there it is…… Raise your metabolism. Word of warning though. Take it easy if you haven’t exercised for a while. And most importantly, enjoy yourself.

You’re now ready to experience a guilt-free day.