Boost Your Metabolism -- and Your Spirits -- This Holiday Season

Welcome to the holiday season, a time for family, friends, and FEASTS. The secret to weight maintenance is moderation and exercise. Which activity is best to boost metabolism?

• Stair climbing
• Swimming
• Weight training
• Walking

All these activities improve fitness and burn calories, but weight training can give you an edge.

It builds muscle, which increases lean body mass, thereby improving your metabolism. And of course it also helps you look trimmer and more toned.

The optimal goal to achieve successful weight-loss or maintenance results is to combine both aerobic and weight-training exercises. Moderate strength training has benefits for all ages, but this aspect of fitness maintenance is often neglected. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends combining 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (like those listed above) daily, with strength training two or three days a week.

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.