There’s no way around it, if you want to lose weight and get in shape then it’s going to take some time. You didn’t gain the weight overnight and you’re not going to lose it overnight either.
That being said, there are things you can do to speed up the process and kick your fat burning potential into high gear. Simple things. Things you can do today to start getting thinner tomorrow.
What are they?
Drink Lots of Water
Your body relies on water for a number of functions. Not only is your blood made up primarily of water, but your organs and tissues need it work as effectively and efficiently as they can. So, if you’re not drinking enough of this essential beverage, you won’t get results as quickly as possible because your system will likely be sluggish.
Plus, the only way to reduce bloat is to drink more water. It seems counterproductive, but the reason your body holds onto water is because it isn’t getting enough. Once you drink more water, your body knows that its okay to release it, thereby making your tummy, hands and legs feel and look smaller.
Also, it’s often easy to confuse hunger and thirst as they have very similar cues. By making sure you stay hydrated, you can eliminate thirst from the equation which means you’re not eating useless calories when you’re really thirsty instead.
Try to drink at least six to eight glasses a day to keep your body running at its optimal level. If you don’t care for plain water, add slices of orange, lemon, lime or cucumber for a refreshing drink that is flavorful and calorie free.
Eat a Lot of Fruits and Vegetables
If you’re looking for low calorie foods, it doesn’t get much easier than fruits and vegetables. In fact, some are so low calorie that they’re referred to as “negative calorie” foods because it takes more calories to digest them than they contain to begin with. The result? You lose weight, and fat, easily and effectively.
Not only are fruits and veggies some of the healthiest foods you can eat, they’re also more filling. So, eat more of them and you’ll eat less of the not-so-good foods that take up a large portion of the average person’s diet. Plus, if you crave something crunchy, they help satisfy that desire.
One thing to keep in mind is that although fruit are relatively low calorie, they still are higher than most veggies. Also, if you choose fruits that contain high natural sugar contents, such as bananas and grapes, you may unknowingly put your blood sugar on a roller coaster that gives you hard to fight cravings. Your best fruit options, for this reason, are berries and melons.
Consume Lean Proteins
One of the best ways to get your body to start dropping fat stores is to increase your consumption of lean proteins. Lean proteins are lower in fat, have several amino acids that help protect your body from diseases such as cancer and heart disease, and they give your body what it needs to keep your muscles big and strong.
What are some quality protein options? Opt for foods such as chicken, turkey, eggs, lean beef and pork and low-fat Greek yogurt.
A great benefit of eating enough lean proteins is that they keep you fuller longer. If you’ve ever dieted at all (who hasn’t?), then you know how important it is to weight loss to keep your hunger under control.
Do Interval Training
Cardiovascular exercise is extremely important to weight loss and maintenance. Not only does it help your body let go of fat faster, it also keeps your heart and lungs in prime shape.
Although you definitely get great endurance benefits from engaging in aerobic activities that are longer in duration and involve a steady intensity level, you’ll supercharge your fat burn if you do interval training instead. You’ll get results much quicker and your workouts are generally shorter.
How do you interval train? Pick your cardio activity of choice and keep switching up the intensity levels during the course of the workout. For instance, if you use the treadmill, you may do a workout like this:
- 5 minute warm-up at light intensity
- 2 minutes moderate intensity
- 1 minute high intensity
- 2 minutes moderate intensity
- 1 minute high intensity
- 2 minutes low intensity
- 2 minutes high intensity
- 5 minute cool down at low intensity
This will give you a great 20 minute workout that will leave your body burning fat for hours. No more spending all day at the gym just to see results.
Lift Weights
In addition to cardio, you’ll also want to lift weights. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body burns even when it’s at rest. That means that you’ll lose fat at a higher rate even when you’re just watching television and sleeping. Does it really get any better than that?
A lot of women are afraid to lift weights because they are concerned about getting muscles that are huge and manly looking. However, you don’t have enough testosterone in your body to achieve that result without supplements, so there’s no need to worry. You can lift weights and still look fit and trim.
Ideally, you want to work your muscles 2-4 times a week. And, you never want to work the same muscle group two days in a row as your muscles need time to heal and repair before you stress them again. If you don’t honor that time frame, you won’t get the results you want and you risk injury.
Choose exercises that work your upper body (arms, back, shoulders and chest), lower body (thighs, hamstrings, hip flexors and calves) and core (abdominal region) for the best fat burning results. There are many workout plans available on the internet, or invest in a personal trainer for a session or two and get a program designed specifically for you.
Stay Active Throughout the Day
Although you definitely want to have a structured exercise program to melt fat off your body, that doesn’t mean that you can spend the rest of your day on the couch doing nothing. If you truly want to kick start your fat burning results, you’ll achieve that goal by making every day, ordinary activities into calorie burning opportunities.
For example, if you have a desk job, stop every hour and do stretches or get up and walk around. When you’re on the phone, instead of sitting and talking, get up and pace. Walk to a coworker’s desk to deliver a message instead of emailing it.
And, if you’re cleaning house, you can add some more activity in there as well. Do squats when you have to pick something up off the floor and perform lunges as you mop.
There’s always ways to turn normal activities into high intensity fat burners. See how creative you can get!
Reduce Your Stress Levels
The final thing you can do to lower your levels of body fat at a quicker pace is to reduce the amount of stress in your life. When your body is under stress, it produces a hormone called cortisol. The more cortisol you make, the more fat your body retains – specifically in your belly region, which is the most dangerous place for it to be. So, by reducing the amount of anxiety and tension in your life, not only will you feel better but you’ll drop excess fat quicker too.
De-stressing yourself should be a priority just like eating right and exercising. Make sure you do something every day or every week to give your body time to rejuvenate itself and not be in a constant state of stress.
Although options to reduce stress vary by individual interests, you could do things such as read a book, go for a walk, talk to a friend or meditate. And, the activities don’t have to be quiet and serene to reduce stress. Some people find that the best activities are more intense, such as rock climbing or skiing.
Just find something that you enjoy doing that will take your mind off things. Not only will you have a good time, but you’ll be thinner too!
Losing body fat doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out process. Sure, your body has a mind of its own and does things at its own pace, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give it a little kick. Try these ideas and you’ll be thinner in no time.
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