Quick Fat Loss Strategies

Here are the top easy ways to improve fat loss outcomes

Exercise, nutrition, and other lifestyle choices determine whether or not we lose fat when we go on a diet. Nutrition plans that incorporate high fiber, lean protein, and a negative energy balance will contribute to fat loss.

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Now that the holiday season is coming to a close, New Year’s resolutions are around the corner. One of the most common of such resolutions is to lose fat and in particular, stubborn body fat. We all know that regular exercise is a required aspect of such a goal, but on the dietary side of things, it often gets extremely confusing. Whenever someone with the goal of fat loss looks into how to go about adjusting their nutrition in order to meet their goals, most of the time they come across a plethora of conflicting information. Here are a few evidence-based strategies to help you lose your belly fat. These are all strategies to eat less, as the fundamental means by which we lose weight is by eating fewer calories than we burn (energy balance):

Intermittent Fasting:

Intermittent fasting is the form of dieting whereby an individual cycles between periods of eating and fasting. Typically, this consists of fasting for the first 4–8 hours of the day upon waking, while squeezing in

Ordinarily one would read articles about intermittent fasting saying that it has magical fat loss properties and hormonal benefits. On these fronts, the data is not clear enough yet to make these claims sound. However, what can be said that is unequivocal about intermittent fasting is that it is a viable option for those looking to eat fewer calories. Given that weight loss is all a matter of calories in versus calories out, intermittent fasting makes it so you have less time in the day to eat, thereby making it more difficult to overeat and in turn, more difficult to put on extra fat. Furthermore, it makes it easier to lose fat, as you can have larger, more enjoyable meals despite eating at lower calorie intake.

Control for Calories

This is the most important tip here. If you do not control for calories, it is extremely difficult to lose body fat. This is due to the fact that the primary driver of fat loss is energy balance. You need to be in a negative energy balance, which basically means that you need to be burning more calories than you are consuming.

In order to determine how many calories you should be eating, here is a calculator you can use. After determining how many calories you should be consuming, track your food intake by using apps such as Myfitness pal, or by simply counting calories yourself by using a calculator and looking at food labels.

Eat a high protein diet:

Of the three macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and protein), it is the case that protein is the most satiating of the three. In turn, consuming a diet that is high in protein will create a diet that is more satiating. Such a diet makes it much more difficult to overconsume calories and in turn, makes it much easier to lose weight. Furthermore, protein has a higher thermic effect of food than any other macronutrient, meaning that it requires that the body burns more energy in order to process it, which allows one to get away with eating slightly more calories while losing weight; this, in turn, increases diet satisfaction, which is a crucial aspect of ensuring long-term weight loss sustainability.

Drink a gallon or more of water per day

One of the easiest ways to create a more satiating diet without adding any calories into it is to drink a gallon or more of water per day. This is something most of us fail to do, yet it is an incredibly easy thing to start doing. If you’re currently not doing this, aside from the nutritional satiation that will come along with starting, it might even help alleviate some physiological and psychological uncomfortablities you are experiencing. This is due to the fact that water is involved in so many of the body’s vital processes that a deficiency in this regard is bound to cause some discomforts.

Eat a high-fiber diet

According to various studies, high-fiber dieting is associated with weight loss and the prevention of weight gain. This is, generally speaking, due to the fact that foods that are high in fiber are low in calories but are intrinsically filling (like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains). Consuming a higher amount of fibrous foods as opposed to non-fibrous foods, in turn, is a good way to make controlling for calories much easier and more satisfying.

To sum this all up, in order to lose fat one has to consume a diet that makes it difficult to overconsume calories on, while still being satisfying. There is no magic diet or food. Ensuring that you are in a moderate calorie deficit and that you are exercising regularly is the best way to ensure that you will lose body fat.

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