Week 9: Keep on moving!

We are over halfway now.  We have dedicated over eight weeks to this and have seen some good success, but it is not over yet!

It’s quite easy to lose the steam and dedication you may have had in the first few weeks when you were gung-ho and devoted.

The results were good; you were rocking the classes and feeling great. Now, results may have slowed down, life may be feeling over-whelming and the time required to keep up to the fitness challenge may seem unmanageable.

Photo: Carmen Weld

You may also really, really want take-out pizza and feel like, "I deserve it damn it!"

To keep motivated, it helps when you keep seeing results on the scale; but when you feel like you’re on a plateau and are no longer seeing results, a new approach might be key!

With that in mind I am sharing a health tip from Global Fitness trainer Angelique on how to boost that metabolism.

Everyone wants a fast metabolism. When you have a fast metabolism, you can eat more and stay lean in the process. Staying lean requires not only effort from working out, it takes major effort on the way you eat as well.

When you nourish your body with nutrient dense foods, your metabolism ratchets up significantly. That’s why eating healthy is such a great lifestyle to maintain.

Below are simple and effective ways to speed up your metabolism:

1. Eat 4-6 smaller meals throughout the day. Eat every 2-4 hours starting when you get up in the morning. Make time for breakfast!
2. Eat well balanced meals with healthy fats, complex carbs and protein.
3. Train hard with weights at least 3 times per week, hitting major muscle groups like legs, chest and back.
4. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, at least 8 cups!
5. Get plenty of sleep. Your metabolism can get sluggish from lack of sleep. Get 7-8 hours per night, and go to bed on time!

Some of these tips are already known by most people - it’s whether you want to apply them or not. Apply these ideas to your daily routine, it’s easier than you think!

Walking, hiking and dog lovers don’t forget this weekend is the SPCA Charity Dog Walk.

All ‘Get it Back 2014’ participants and the public are invited to enjoy the quickly disappearing fall weather.

This is the Get it Back participant's chance to Give it Back in November to the rescue society.

Bring your friends and family (fur family as well) as we all hike Paul’s Tomb and support the Kelowna SPCA!

On your way please grab some much needed donations for the Kelowna branch of the SPCA. They are in need and every little bit helps! Click here to view the SPCA Wish List.

Meet Mike, pup Arya and I, along with all the participants, at the base of Knox Mountain, Sunday Nov. 23 at noon. The hike is expected to take approximately two hours.

Here is this week's health tip and inspirational quote!

Substitute butter for margarine. Margarine is made from chemically produced hydrogenated oils, also known as trans fat, and has been linked with weight gain, slow metabolism, and an increased risk of heart disease and cancer. An even better option is to use olive oil. Vegetable oils, especially olive oil, have health benefits such as lowering cholesterol that butter doesn’t have.

It may be when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey - Wendell Berry

Photo: Carmen Weld

The view walking to Paul's Tomb, I think you'll like it!

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.