So many people talk about how they want to lose weight. The only problem is, weight isn’t the thing they need to lose. You see, weight refers to not only fat, but muscle and water too. This means that although your weight might go down according to the scales, your body may not have actually got any slimmer! Your goal should be to lose fat and only fat, that way you’ll begin to look more defined and healthy, as well as slim down your body. It’s much healthier than focusing on losing ‘weight’ too. Losing fat is all about getting your diet and exercise regime spot on. You can’t have one without the other if you want to say goodbye to your fat for good. Here’s what to do:
What to Eat
You can’t out-train a bad diet, so don’t think that you can eat chocolates and biscuits just because you’re going to the gym. Even if you control your calories, eating rubbish will only get you a skinny fat body in the long run. You want a fit body, so you need to eat foods to support that. Here are the kinds of foods you should be incorporating into your diet:
-
Leafy greens such as spinach and kale.
-
Plenty of other vegetables.
-
Lean protein.
-
Healthy fat.
-
Carbs in moderation, such as sweet potato and whole grain rice. Avoid white carbs if you want the best results. It’s always best to earn your carbs, so have them on days where you’ve done a challenging workout. You can also get carbohydrates from vegetables and fruits.
-
Fruit. Eat this in moderation as it’s full of sugar. 2 portions per day is best.
What not to Eat:
-
Pre packaged meals.
-
Sweets and chocolates.
-
‘Low fat’ and ‘diet’ foods.
-
Foods that contain many ingredients. The most natural foods contain only one ingredient!
Calorie counting is a surefire way to lose weight, but you need to have your macronutrients in check too. Try to stick to a plan by using an app such as MyFitnessPal.
How to Move
Exercising to lose fat is fairly simple. You need to do a mixture of weighted exercises and HIIT cardio. The great thing about this type of exercise is that you don’t need to do it for too long providing you are working out intensely. It’s always better to work out at an intense level rather than at a slow steady state for a longer period of time. Try this:
-
HIIT cardio on the treadmill and cross trainer. Sprint for 30 seconds, rest for 1 minute, repeat 8-15 times. Do this 2-3 times per week.
-
All over body weights workouts 2-3 times per week.
-
Include body weight plyometrics too. Your fat won’t know what hit it!
By making sure you’re consistent with the above advice, there’s no way your fat can stick around. Mix things up every few weeks so you don’t hit a plateau, and you’ll continue to make amazing progress. Good luck!