BOOT BYTE #1 – Eat a good breakfast! If you don’t, your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism slows to a crawl to conserve your energy. You should eat 30 to 35% of your total daily calories in the morning. Try to eat a mix of lean protein with complex carbs and healthy fats-this slow to digest combo will keep you feeling full longer.
BOOT BYTE #2 – Add a little POWER to your morning walk (while you dream of the first day of school…)! Just like everyday walking, POWER walking will give you numerous benefits, including improved heart health and a lower risk of disease. The main idea of POWER walking is a bent elbow. With elbows bent at 90 degree angles, pump your arms forward and back without going higher than chest level on the forward motion. Your arms dictate how fast your feet move, so by pumping your arms, you’ll naturally walk faster. Keep those shoulders relaxed, energize your abs, and roll from heel to toe with each fat-burning step!!!
BOOT BYTE #3 – GUZZLE your water! Not only do you need more H2O on these hot and humid days, but also research from the University of Utah has shown that people who drink 8-12 eight ounce glasses per day have a higher metabolic rate than those who drink four glasses per day.
BOOT BYTE #4 – Hit the sack-EARLY! When you sleep less than you should, you throw off the amount of leptin and ghrelin (hormones that regulate energy use and appetite) that your body produces. Researchers at Stanford University found that people who snoozed fewer than 7.5 hours per night experienced an increase in their body mass index (BMI).
BOOT BYTE #5 – The average American drinks more than 450 calories every day. Cutting that amount in half can save you about 25 pounds in a year!
