When it comes to burning body fat and getting lean, the overall process can be a very slippery slope. There are so many different ways with programs, diets and gadgets and not all of them work for everyone because we all respond differently. There are some people who can naturally drop body fat by making small changes to their diet and exercise plan. If you’re not one of these people, then this article is for you! Below are 5 fat loss tips that include diet and exercise recommendations to help you drop pounds of adipose tissue as quickly and safely as possible!
Fat Loss Tip #1 – The Right Way To Use Portion Control
I personally don’t believe in using portion control to the extreme by limiting the amount of food so low that you are always hungry. However, I do agree that you do need to limit calories and obviously can’t eat whatever you want and stuff yourself with food! There needs to be a happy medium with portion control. Taste might be a bit compromised due to the way you need to prepare food (no butter, oil or heavy marinades) so it’s important to add spices, herbs and other natural flavor enhancers to your meals. Control your portions by having reasonable helpings of healthy foods which are not threatening to your goals. Focus on eating 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. This is a great way to control your portion sizes. Try to include a lean protein source at each meal and do not limit yourself to less than 3 meals per day or drop your calorie intake too low.
Your metabolism needs to be fired up to burn fat. By eating every 2-3 hours you are stoking the fire and giving your body nutrients at even intervals throughout the day. It’s just like starting a camp fire. Add small amounts of wood slowly to the fire to get it raging. If you dump a massive log onto the fire, it will go out, so don’t do the same thing with your diet! Feel free to go big on dark leafy greens and having larger portions of these foods is a great way to fill up since all of the additional fiber will help you stay full for a long time.
Your protein sources should all be lean items (egg whites, chicken breast, fish) and will aid in appetite control. Your starchy carbohydrate intake should be small to medium portions so keep these foods very controlled and in moderation at all times. It’s important to eat healthy fats like avocados, nuts and olive oil. Going too low on fat will probably make you even hungrier so add a little bit with each meal.
Fat Loss Tip #2 – Dark Green Veggies are Key
As I mentioned in tip #1, focus on dark greens like broccoli, green beans, and collard or mustard greens for half of your carb intake. You also have options like orange veggies, legumes, and some higher protein grains such as oats and quinoa. All of these foods are considered whole foods which are easy to prepare, fast to cook and perfect for burning fat.
Fat Loss Tip #3 – Do Cardio After Weight Training
Your body doesn’t tap into fat stores until about 15-20 minutes into a workout so if you weight train before doing cardio you will get into the fat burning mode quicker which makes your cardio session more efficient and effective. Another great tip for cardio is to try different forms of exercise like intervals and HIIT training which are much better forms of cardio for burning lots of calories and fat when compared to steady state cardio exercises like walking on the treadmill or riding the bike at a slow pace for an hour.
Fat Loss Tip #4 – Avoid Starchy Carbs at Night
Your body works better assimilating proteins at the end of day and during sleep, so focus on lean protein foods and leafy green veggies later in the evening. Casein is a slow releasing protein source that works best at night so focus on cottage cheese or pick up your favorite casein protein powder at your local supplement store.
Fat Loss Tip #5 – Resistance Training is The Key
Cardio and diet alone are not enough. In order to burn more calories naturally, you want to build lean muscle tissue. Muscle needs fuel (calories) so by increasing lean muscle mass you will be able to increase your metabolic rate and burn even more calories every day by just sitting around. Focus on compound multi-joint exercises like bench press, deadlifts, squats, lunges, shoulder press and bent-over rows. If you don’t have access to gym equipment or machines then choose excellent bodyweight exercises like pullups, pushups and burpees.
