If you’re on a mission to slim down and tone up then it’s really important to hone your fat loss rather than simply weight loss. Losing kilos feels good, but if those kilos are precious muscle, then you’re actually hurting your overall ability for fat loss. In order to ensure that the weight you’re losing is FAT and not MUSCLE take the following 15 Essential Fat Loss Tips to heart:
Fat Loss Tip #1: Keep Track
Your willingness to track your food intake is equal to your desire to lose fat. Being serious about losing fat means taking note of the daily calories you consume, making sure these calories contain enough protein, and stopping when you meet your daily allowance. Also make sure your calories are coming from the right Macronutrients - that you're not getting all your energy from carbs, for example. 1000 calories from carbohydrates (250g of carbs) will have a totally different effect on your body than 1000 calories from protein (250g protein). Use an app like My Fitness Pal to give you fairly accurate estimates of your daily calorie and macronutrient intake.
Fat Loss Tip #2: Have the right Breakfast foods
A healthy breakfast with a good protein source will help your body have good calories to burn throughout the a.m. hours, letting you get to lunch without being tempted by that mid-morning doughnut. Avoid the cereals, bananas, and toast - not only do these types of foods have a high carbohydrate/sugar content (which you most likely won't burn off unless you have an active job), they don't keep you full for very long either!
Fat Loss Tip #3: Avoid Getting Too Hungry
Dieters often fast until they can’t take it any longer. Unfortunately, many poor choices are made in the heat of the hunger moment. Keep healthy (high protein and low carb) snacks nearby to stave off hunger and drink plenty of water to avoid eating when you should be drinking.
Fat Loss Tip #4: Underestimate Your Routine
Yes, you just pumped iron for an hour and ran five kilometres. But you probably didn’t burn as many calories as you think. To keep from overeating after a workout, grab a bite immediately after, but make it a small bite. And drink plenty of water. Then wait. Your brain needs time to tell your body it’s full.
Fat Loss Tip #5: Stay Home
Your favorite restaurant may be calling your name, but don’t listen! By cooking your own dinner at home, you’ll sidestep a variety of pitfalls that occur while eating out.
Fat Loss Tip #6: Reduce Alcohol Intake
It helps you relax and—if you drink red wine—can offer health benefits. But alcohol also comes with a lot of useless calories. To avoid having more calories to burn than necessary, skip the bar and grab another glass of water.
Fat Loss Tip #7: Redirect
Sticking with a fat loss plan gets hard. The next time it gets unbearable, grab your phone and walk out of the danger zone (your kitchen) and call a friend or loved one. Ask how life is going or plan a movie night—just talk about whatever will take your mind off the temptation that will ruin your efforts.
Fat Loss Tip #8: Hit the Hay
Remember when your parents gave you a curfew because “Nothing good happens after midnight”? This is particularly true when fat loss is your goal. Get to bed to avoid late-night snacking and help your body function its best!
Fat Loss Tip #9: Go Green (First)
There are lots of good foods out there that you need—lean meats, dairy, etc. But don’t let these be the bulk of your diet. Start your meals with something healthy and green to keep your carb count low.
Fat Loss Tip #10: Weigh & Measure Yourself
You might not like the idea of jumping on the scale, but if you don’t weigh yourself or take your waist measurement, you may not recognize your progress. Just as you should count your calories, you should also track your bodyweight and make adjustments to your eating and exercise routines as needed.
Fat Loss Tip #11: Disconnect Diet from Life
Life comes with ups and downs. Your diet should not. When stressed, don’t go to the vending machine. Put on your walking shoes and get going.
Fat Loss Tip #12: Keep the Burn Going
Working out is not supposed to be a walk in the park. To push your body to its potential and to burn more calories, don’t take long breaks between exercises. Rest no more than 30 seconds after an exercise to keep your body shedding calories and stored fat.
Fat Loss Tip #13: Goodbye Sugary Sweet
Everyone needs a quick sweet on occasion. Make sure yours is natural, whole fruit rather than regular old sugar. Every day, it seems more research is showing that refined sugars and high-fructose corn syrup increase your likelihood of weight gain more than anything else.
Have a look at the 2 pictures below, which were taken 3 weeks apart. Apart from cutting sugar out of my diet completely, I literally made no other changes to my nutrition or training….I was still having other ‘cheat’ food like pizza, popcorn, burgers etc almost every single day, yet within a few short weeks with no sugar you can see the difference is night and day. Try ZERO sugar for 3 weeks – I promise you will see a drastic change!
Fat Loss Tip #14: Move Now!
Maintaining a consistent, challenging exercise program is essential for your fat loss, but don’t let that be your only exercise. Build 15-minute windows throughout your day during which you can take a brisk walk. You’ll be more alert at work and the kilos will keep dropping.
Fat Loss Tip #15: Don’t Give Up
You may think it’s too easy a tip to list, but very few people have the will power necessary to keep with a program long enough to see the desired results. Commit yourself today to being one of those few. If you need help with finding your Motivation and getting into the right Mindset to change your body, check out my book I wrote specifically to help you in that area:
http://www.athleticedgefitness.com.au/index.php/the-courageous-life
