Burn Fat
Burning fat is all about using up more calories than you
take in. If you eat more calories than your body uses throughout
the day, these additional calories will be stored as body
fat. To prevent a build up of body fat you need to either
reduce your calorie intake or increase your daily activity
levels - doing both will have the best effect on reducing
body fat. The more fat you want to lose then the greater the
amount of calories you have to burn off. This means exercise!.
Regular workouts, tied with a healthy
balanced diet is the best way to work off that fat, and
get a new slim shape.
Once you have trained your body to be an efficient fat-burner,
you can have your cake and eat it, too. To be an efficient
fat burner you need to increase your muscle density. The muscles
are where all the calories are burned during exercise - the
more efficient the muscles at burning fat - the quicker weight
loss will be achieved.
And believe it or not, you actually have to eat more to be
a good fat burner. If you deprive yourself of food or fat,
your body will go into survival mode and slow itself down
to prepare for a possible famine. Basal
Metabolic Rate will decrease, and your body will not want
to burn off any excess calories in a hurry just in case you're
not going to feed yourself for a while. Then, over time, your
metabolism will slow down dramatically, making it harder and
harder to burn fat, lose weight and keep it off.
Here are some tips to help you burn more fat.
Become a Weight Lifter
We are not talking Arnie here!. The more lean muscle tissue
you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you
burn during your workout and at rest. To maintain or build muscle
mass you need to do resistance training. This means using your
muscles in a repetitive manner with exercises such as bicep
curl or shoulder press. However, you can also build muscle using
your own body weight (e.g. press-ups), resistance bands, medicine
balls, or training in water, sand or up hills for resistance.
Compound Training
Compound training is all about growth, and will give you rapid
gains in strength. The idea is not to rest between sets of
repetitions during your workout. For example, during your
resistance training complete one set of bicep curls followed
immediately by on set of leg curls followed by another set
of bicep curls and on throughout the rest of your workout,
completing two sets for each of your muscle groups. You should
keep your heart rate up throughout your workout, and a session
of weights should only take approx. 20 mins.
Go Cardio!
To burn fat, your body needs oxygen - this is why cardiovascular
exercise (which relies on oxygen for energy) is essential
for fat burning. Include 40 minutes of varied aerobic activity
at least three times a week. You may find it easier to accumulate
the exercise time throughout the week by breaking up exercise
into smaller sessions.
Undertake High Intensity Workouts
The best way to burn fat is to undertake highly intensive
aerobic exercise. A high-intensity aerobic workout will burn
more calories than a more gentle, lower intensity workout.
Going for a run uses more energy than walking the same distance.
High-intensity training has also been shown to produce greater
energy expenditure and fat utilisation following a workout.
Mix It Up With Interval Training
Interval training is a technique that can optimise fat loss
during exercise. In the same exercise session alternate between
short periods of low-intensity and high-intensity. For example,
if your session is 30 mins on the treadmill, do 2 mins running
followed by two minutes fast walking and repeat this throughout
the session.
Be More Active In Your Daily Routine
No matter what you do during the day you use up calories -
even sitting on the sofa watching television. By changing
your routine you can increase your energy expenditure and
lose weight without having to undertake a diet or join the
gym. Simple. Walk instead of drive, take the stairs instead
of the lift, and meet a friend in the park for a walk instead
of a at a cafe or bar.
Be Sensible
If you eat an increased amount of calories and do not increase
your energy output with additional exercise, the surplus calories
will be stored as body fat. There is no reason why you should
not be able to enjoy good food, but think about what you are
going to do about additional calories.
Eat Smaller Amounts More Often
Eat More Often - sounds good eh!. Eating produces heat and
energy and revs up your metabolism. A faster metabolism will
eat through the calories quicker. That's why eating small
meals regularly is the best way to keep your metabolism firing.
Drink Green Tea
Also, having a cup of green tea before you head off for a
jog also helps to burn more fat by increasing the uptake of
free fatty acids.
Everything In Moderation
Yes, you can eat what you like, but only as part of a healthy
diet, having a nice fry up once in a while is not a problem,
but eating a fry up every day is not healthy.
Eat Carbs
Yes, you heard right! Carbohydrates have acquired a bad name
in these protein-obsessed days, but did you know that your
body actually needs carbs to burn fat? Think of carbs as the
match needed to ignite the fat-burning flame. Just be sensible
about the type of carbs you're eating - go for complex carbohydrates
and whole grains. Carbs are part of a healthy diet.
Be Strong Mentally
Try not to be obsessed by your weight or every piece of food
that you eat. Do not think in terms of 'naughty' foods. Try
to lose any guilt and obsession around food. Next time you
contemplate a treat, ask yourself if you really need it. If
the answer is "yes", then have it and say "I
deserve it and I know my body is an efficient machine that
will burn it off". Again, everything in moderation .
Eat it and move on.
Check out the diets
available to reduce your calorie intake.
The exercise
program page has information on how you should be exercising,
and what this exercise does for you.
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