Losing body fat can be tricky. Not only does it require dedication and perseverance, but there are thousands of websites and blogs dedicated to helping people burn fat. As you wade through this mire of information, you’ll probably find a lot of fads and crash diets that likely won’t work. But don’t fret — there are bonafide methods for decreasing your body fat percentage, no matter your body type.
Maybe you’re just starting, or perhaps you’ve been at it for a while and just can’t seem to lose those last 10 pounds. Whatever your goal, we want to give you some tips on how to lose body fat fast. It’s achievable — just don’t give up. There are several basic tips anyone can apply to their workout routine, no matter what stage of weight loss you’re in. So, whether you’re a beginner, moderately overweight or just trying to shed that last little bit of fat, you can reduce your body fat percentage and get the body you’ve always wanted.
Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss
There is a difference between decreasing your body fat percentage and losing weight. When most of us say we want to “lose weight,” we mean we want to lose fat. If you go on a crash diet, you’ll lose weight, alright. But it may not be the fat you were hoping to target — it may be your lean muscle mass. To lose body fat, your goal must be to improve your fat to muscle ratio, so your body chooses fat when it comes time to burn some energy, not muscle.
Where to Start?
An initial fat burning plan is the first and most important step, especially if you’re initiating a workout routine from scratch. Here are some basic tips to keep in mind that will help you start your losing body fat:
- Get a Routine: Setting a workout schedule and meal plan will help you immensely with your fat loss journey. Get a calendar and write out what exercises you’ll be doing each day. And when you meal prep, you’re less likely to splurge on fast food or a bag of chips from the convenience store down the street.
- Work With a Personal Trainer: It’s not only celebrities who can afford personal trainers nowadays. Many gyms offer private sessions with their in-house trainers at reasonable prices. Take advantage of this so you can have a vocal advocate motivating you to lose fat and giving you tips on the best workout routines for you.
- Drink Water, Not Alcohol: Water is essential to any fat loss plan. If you’re not drinking enough, your body won’t shed fat as efficiently. The recommended amount is eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day for a total of 64 ounces. But if you’re overweight, you may need more than that. Coupled with more water should be less alcohol. Although it may provide a fun way for you to relax, alcohol is just empty calories. It also reduces the amount of fat burned for energy.
Eating Right: Tips for a Healthy Diet
We’ve all heard healthy eating is essential to losing fat, and it’s true. But if you’re just starting this adventure, you might be tempted to starve or deprive yourself on a fad diet. Although they may glean immediate results, these diets not the best plan for the long-term reduction of body fat. As we said earlier, your body may just end up using essential muscle to provide it with energy. Here are some basic eating tips that will help you burn body fat while keeping lean muscle:
- Eat Better, Not Less: Don’t just cut out all carbs and go completely low-fat. Your body needs both to have the energy for a full workout. Instead, substitute empty carbs and fats for ones that will give you essential nutrients. This means staying away from processed foods, snacks, baked goods, and sweets and replacing them with better choices. Try to eat healthy fats like avocado, almonds, and foods cooked in olive oil. Also, look for complex carbs like whole grains, brown rice, and oats.
- Stagger Your Meals: Three square meals a day is not necessarily the best. Those hours between breakfast, lunch, and dinner can leave you famished. Instead, find healthy snacks to eat throughout your day, so you’re not starving by meal time.
- Use Fat-Burning Supplements: Supplements are not miracle pills that magically zap fat away. However, when used in conjunction with healthy eating and exercise habits, fat-burning supplements can help you burn fat at a faster rate.
Keys to a Great Workout: Activities That Help You Lose Body Fat
With diet comes a word that brings dread to some — exercise. Staying active is an essential aspect of living a healthy lifestyle, especially if you’re attempting to lower your body fat percentage. If you have a personal trainer, they can work with you to find a workout routine you enjoy. Until then, let’s go over some basic methods for burning fat:
- Ease Into It, Then Ramp It Up: If you’re just starting out, you may be a bit out of shape. Starting out with an intense workout routine could be dangerous and put undue stress on your body. Beginners should pair a half-hour of low-intensity cardio with weight training, preferably lower weights with higher repetitions. As your body gets used to it and you start losing weight, ramp up the intensity level.
- Mix Up Your Cardio: Working out can be boring. Some people give up because they’re tired of doing the same-old-thing every day. Don’t let the doldrums sneak in. Find a variety of physical activities you enjoy doing and mix up your cardio routine. Swimming, cycling, dancing — the possibilities are only as limited as your imagination.
- HIIT It Up: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is advanced cardio that allows you to burn fat at a faster weight. It may not be suitable for beginners, but once you get the hang of a routine, HIIT is a great way to ramp it up. The workout has you alternate high-intensity aerobic exercise and periods of low intensity or active rests. An example of this would be running full out for 30 seconds then walking for two minutes, and alternating this for 20 minutes.
- Be Sure to Practice Weight Training: Although weight training will not directly burn fat, it’s still essential to the process of lowering your body fat percentage. You build muscle when you weight train, but you also generate a primary hormone responsible for burning fat.
Eliminate Unwanted Fat With SculpSure
If you’re on the road to lowering your body fat percentage, you may need a little extra help. Sometimes it seems like no matter what we do, pesky problem areas remain. Whether it’s your abdomen, back, love handles, or another part of your body, SculpSure is a non-invasive procedure that can eliminate pockets of unwanted fat. The process uses laser light technology to heat fat cells and painlessly destroy their structural integrity. The process takes about 30 minutes per session, and you’re free to leave and go about your day immediately after. There is no downtime and no recovery necessary.
After six weeks, you’ll begin to see exciting results. The full effects take about 12 weeks to appear. By then, your body will have flushed up to 24 percent of the fat cells from the treated area.
Get on the Road to Fat Reduction
If you’re ready to start eliminating body fat, schedule a consultation with Dr. Joy Liu at Healthy Living Primary Care. She can provide you with accurate, practical weight loss advice and answer any questions you have about the SculpSure procedure. It’s time to get healthy.
