5 Best Ways to Lose Body Fat and Keep It Off

Reducing your body fat can provide many health benefits. Not only will you improve your physical appearance and energy levels, but also decrease your chance of developing chronic inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. As you read this article, remember that positive lifestyle changes take time to implement, so take it one step at a time and soon you’ll be on your way to a healthier, lighter you!  

 

 

 

Increase Lean Muscle

Tackle weight loss head on by incorporating both cardio and resistance training into your daily fitness routine. Many people overlook the fact that you can increase your metabolism and burn more calories all day long by simply increasing your lean body mass with regular resistance training. According to the American Council on Exercise, muscle tissue will burn nearly 10 calories daily per pound, but fat only burns about 3 calories daily per pound. Staying consistent with both cardio and strength training along with a healthy eating plan will definitely help you reach fat loss goals for the long-term.

Make Your Cardio Sessions More Intense

Another common mistake people make when trying to burn body fat is taking the time to exercise but not using that time wisely. They decide to do 60 to 90 minutes of cardio every day, but then they spend the whole time cycling on an exercise bike or walking at an easy pace on the treadmill without putting any real effort in. This results in very limited weight loss and very unproductive cardio workouts.

So if you’ve made the commitment to cardio, make sure you’re giving it your all during every session and working out to the best of your ability. If you’re not sweating and not feeling physically tired, then you’re not trying hard enough and need to increase the intensity. Remember: the harder you push yourself, the more calories you’ll burn for greater fat loss results, and you won’t have to increase your workout times. 

Spice Up Your Meals

Adding a little spice to your meals will help to increase the amount of body fat you burn because spices contain thermogenic properties, which will raise your body’s temperature and require the body to burn additional calories to regulate. So if spices aren’t currently part of your diet, start adding them to some of your meals today and give your fat loss efforts a small but notable boost.

Decrease Processed Food Intake

Processed foods are not only bad for your health but they generally contain a lot more calories than nutrient-dense whole foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lean meat, fish, nuts and seeds. Another reason to avoid processed food is they contain harmful chemicals, preservatives and fats, such as food coloring agents, trans-fats, nitrites, excess sodium and sodium compounds that preserve and enhance flavor. Therefore, by reducing your processed food intake and consuming natural foods the majority of the time, you’ll cut down substantially on your total caloric intake and improve your health without having to decrease the amount of food you’re eating.

Reduce the Calories You Drink

Many people unknowingly sabotage their weight loss efforts by drinking too many liquid calories. Therefore, if you’re serious about losing weight, make an effort to stick to natural low-calorie drinks such as water, black tea, green tea, yerba mate tea or vegetable juice. In fact, many studies have shown that green tea and yerba mate tea are very beneficial for weight loss. Sticking to low or zero calorie beverages can instantly cut hundreds or even thousands of calories from your daily intake and have a hugely positive effect on your overall fat loss.

These five fat loss tips may seem simple but they’re highly effective. So if you’ve been struggling to lose weight for some time, make sure you start implementing them today and watch the pounds melt away.

 

Further reading:

American Council on Exercise: One of the more common perceptions in some fitness circles is that strength training individuals lose weight because one pound of muscle can burn approximately 30-50 calories per day. Is this claim valid?

http://www.acefitness.org/fitnessqanda/fitnessqanda_display.aspx?itemid=358