Jump Your Way to Healthiness

Before I begin this post, I’d like to give credit to Women’s Health magazine’s Editorial Assistant, Caitlin Carlson for the information regarding this great tip on how to boost your metabolism.

One of the most common complaints I hear from my friends about working out (right next to working out at all) is that working out isn’t fun. I’m here to tell you that this isn’t true, working out can be fun, even to the point where you don’t mind doing it, and yes…even look FORWARD to doing it.

I read an article regarding ways to boost your metabolism–and for those who don’t know what “metabolism” means/is, according to Dictionary.com:

“Metabolism: the sum of the physical and chemical processes in an organism by which its material substance is produced, maintained, and destroyed, and by which energy is made available.”

Basically it means, the ability to burn calories–the faster your body is able to, the better!

Jumping rope is a GREAT way to boost your metabolism.  The fact that it is a high-energy exercise helps you to burn many calories.  So how do you increase your metabolism you ask?  Simple.

Get a jump rope (be aware of the length, you want it to be long enough for you according to your height), make sure you’re in a place where you have room to jump rope, and keep in mind that you must use your WRISTS (not your hands) to twirl the rope.

Here are the exercises Women’s Health magazine recommend doing:

1. Singles: Jump rope with two feet.
2. One-foot alternating singles: Hop from foot to foot.
3. Multiples: Do two left-foot single jumps, then two right. To make it harder, increase
the number on each foot before alternating.
4. Wide-outs: Start with your feet together, then spread them wide on every other jump.
Increase the difficulty by crossing your feet when you jump in.
5. Cross Country Skiers : jump forward with one foot and back with the other, then switch.
6. High knees: Lift one knee toward your chest, then the other.
7. Butt kickers: Kick one heel toward your butt, then the other.

Do each exercise for a minute and move onto the next one without resting.  I recommend not doing what you aren’t fully comfortable with at first.  Of course, eventually it’s important to overcome the exercise to keep your body guessing with the different techniques you throw at it—so start off doing what you know/know what your body will allow you to do, then gradually make challenge it.  By doing this exercise, you increase your metabolism which in turn will allow you to burn calories faster, which helps lead to weight-loss! Give it a try and see what you think, you owe it to yourself and your body!

I’m a firm believer in making working out as much fun as possible so I hope this tip inspired y’all to try this out or even find another fun way to work out.

-Chanel T.