Today’s society is all about speed. We no longer have to wait for the oven to heat our food because we have microwaves ready to get the job done in less time. Breaking news does not travel by telegraph across great oceans; they are instantly broadcast with live video over the Internet or bounced from the array of satellites floating in a constant geosynchronous orbit. It’s no surprise that supplement sales are on the rise as we continue to search for quick and convenient ways to lose fat, fast!
Losing fat is not difficult. I have been training clients to break plateaus and send their fat cells racing for cover for years. So why is it still such an elusive goal for so many people who “struggle” just to lose a few inches?
We can address this by creating a practical guide to losing fat. Is this a special diet that will make the pounds melt away? No. Is it a secret training program that makes you burn fat while you sleep? No, not that either, your body already does it. So what the hell can we share?
There is a secret, over 2000 years old, that was leaked to the general public by the father of medicine, Hippocrates. Somewhere along the way, he got lost again. Let’s bring it back to the light. He says like this:
“If we could give each individual the right amount of nutrition and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest path to health.”
Sounds almost too good to be true, right?
The problem is that in our efforts to find something, fast, we tend to fall back on equations and formulas that should magically spit out the right amount of calories, or cut out entire food groups like sugars or carbs in our quest to make our fat cells cry. . (what some people call “sweat”). The triathlete will benefit from reducing fat and increasing muscle mass. It’s not so much the weight of him that can slow him down, it’s the percentage of that weight that comes from fat! So how do you target love handles and saddlebags without losing your guns or wheels, as biceps and thigh muscles are affectionately called in the bodybuilding world?
1. Move more, eat more.
Whoa, wait a second! We all understand the idea behind moving more. That means burning more calories. But eat more? You thought it was eating less, right?
The truth is that you should eat more, more intelligently. You should eat more nutrient-dense foods. In turn, you will consume fewer calories. Fewer calories does not mean less nutrition, when done correctly.
Even modified foods (shakes, bars, and sports drinks) contain little nutritional value for the accompanying calories. There is nothing better than nature’s own package: fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, etc. If you want to stay satisfied and full, try to get more than 50% of your calories from fresh fruits and vegetables. Your calories automatically go down, while your intake of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients goes up. The idea is to consume food as close to its natural state as possible. This means you’ll do most of your shopping on the outer edge, or perimeter, of the grocery store, where the meats, eggs, and produce are, rather in the middle, where everything comes in boxes, bags, and cans.
Want some nutrition-packed snacks? Try dates or figs with raw cashews. Roasting nuts can damage some of the healthy fats. You will notice that roasted or cooked nuts are addictive, while raw nuts are not. Can’t stand blandness? Buy roasted, lightly salted, and raw nuts, then mix the two together for a compromise. Fear of fat? don’t be. These come loaded with fiber, protein, and carbs, along with a healthy dose of fatty acids. My personal favorite is the all natural peanut butter celery sticks.
2. Make your muscles resist!
As your calories decrease, there is a chance that you will lose muscle mass. Avoid this by making your muscles resist. Your muscles don’t know the difference between gravity or any other form of resistance. The way to keep them active and toned is to participate in weight-bearing activities. While the majority of your training will be focused on endurance, don’t neglect the power of strength training. Strength training will improve your bone density, build or preserve lean muscle mass while you trim fat, and give you explosive power when you need that kick during your competition. It also helps maintain joint integrity and strength, which is necessary to combat the repetitive-use syndrome that many runners develop in their ankles, knees, and hips.
Since your goal is not to stand on stage in a bodybuilding competition, but rather an endurance goal, keep your workouts to two or three short, intense training sessions, 20 or 30 minutes each, each week. Go in there, give 100% and then recover and focus on the rest of your training. Stretch well.
There’s also an added benefit: Resistance training burns calories for hours after you’re done, and studies show that the combination of resistance training and aerobics burns more fat than aerobics alone.
3. Slow and steady
Do you want a recipe for disaster? Try to do too much too soon. Most people grasp this concept with training, so why do they fall short when it comes to nutrition? Think “better,” not “perfect,” when changing your nutrition habits. Do you want to crash? go on a diet Do you want to change? Transform your lifestyle. Small changes over time tend to last longer than quick fixes like fad diets or magic pills and supplements.
For example, if you currently drink soda, don’t be discouraged and jump straight into the water. Most will bite their nails for something cold and fizzy! Instead, make a gradual transition. First, switch to diet soda. Once you’ve gotten used to the change, try sparkling mineral water with lemon or lime. Finally, transition to the water. Make small changes, get used to them, and you’ll be well on your way to a lean, fit body.
conclusion
If you’re like most people, you didn’t suddenly gain weight overnight. It was a gradual transition. So why should you expect faster weight loss? Take it easy. One pound of weight per week is a good rule of thumb for permanent fat loss. Anything faster can be too restrictive and could be lean mass (even muscle) rather than just fat weight. After all, perhaps the most useful tool for fat loss isn’t a nutrition guide or an exercise program—it’s a trait. Patience is by far the most powerful tool for losing fat and keeping it off.