For many people, losing weight is a difficult task.
Because this can be such a hard thing to accomplish, many people look for quick fixes or a way to speed up the process to drop weight quick!
Anything to improve the metabolism or make the process easier. This is why “fad diets” become so popular. The problem is they don’t work.
If fad diets worked, there would not be a new one coming out every other month.
Fad diets pray on those unhappy with their current situation and lacking self-confidence and direction.
They target those struggling to lose weight. It’s sad instead of truly trying to help people.
Losing weight doesn't take some crazy, super restrictive, or complex plan. It doesn’t take some crazy fad diet.
At the very base level is takes proper nutritional intake, intentional movement, drinking water and being consistent with it.
However, if you're like me ... you want more than that. You want to know more specific things you can do to help improve your metabolism and your results. How can you stop the yo-yo dieting and make a permanent change.
Have you ever wandered how much water to drink when someone says “Drink your water”.
How about when someone says get movement in… “How much, how often and what kind”
Yep, I get it!
I put together a list of 6 great ways to improve fat loss!
1. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
Water is extremely important regarding your overall metabolism.
Your body’s cells have metabolic processes that need water and nutrients in order to function normally - water is what helps these nutrients arrive at the cells.
Water is so important to our health for many reasons!!
flushing out waste from your body
regulating body temperature
helping your brain function
performing everyday tasks more efficiently
Moistens tissues in the eyes, nose and mouth
Protects body organs and tissues
Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells
Lubricates joints
It is so important to get in at least 100mL if water daily. This is absolute minimum recommended amount for daily living without including exercise (because then that number increases).
2. HIGH-INTENSITY WORKOUTS
HIIT can be an effective way to get in a great workout in a short amount of time. HIIT training refers to any workout that contains short intervals of intense exercise alternated with lower intensity recovery periods.
This can be very beneficial for those who are short on time or have a busy schedule and doing it consistently can help improve fat loss.
Activities such as EMOMs (every minute on the minute), cross-training, sprints, burpees, and high-intensity aerobics classes are great way to get an effective workout in a time crunch.
3. BUILD MUSCLE
Weightlifting and resistance training can help increase the number of calories you burn in a day, because it helps stimulate and create lean body mass or muscle tissue.
Muscle tissue is metabolically active, while fatty tissue is not. This is why it is so important to build lean muscle tissue because the more you have on your frame the more your body will prioritize fat loss. 1 pound of muscle will burn roughly 8-10 calories per day while at rest, which is about 3x as much as fatty tissue.
Weightlifting has other health benefits such as increasing bone density as we age and can improve insulin sensitivity. Plus, it helps our overall mood!
4. EAT YOUR PROTEIN
To help rebuild and repair the damage done from high-intensity workouts and resistance training, you want to eat protein. Protein is also essential for so many other functions, including the building/growth of all tissue inside the body (hair, skin, nails, etc.)
It helps provide the nutrients needed for the body to have energy and rebuild itself.
As a bonus, your body breaks down foods that are rich in protein, such as chicken, beef, protein powders, fish, etc. ... more slowly so you will feel full longer.
It also has a high thermic effect, meaning it takes more energy to break down proteins, so you will burn more calories while digesting proteins compared to other foods.
5. WALK
Getting in a daily walk/movement on top of my workout routine has been great for my health AND results.
From a fat loss standpoint, walking is very beneficial. Fat is the main fuel source being burned while walking, because it isn't quite intense enough for our body to start using significant amounts of our carbohydrate stores or burn any muscle protein for energy!
Not only does walking help you burn more calories, and more body fat in general, but it can also help with natural energy levels. When your energy is up, you will feel more like working out, it's easier to say no to temptations, and you're more likely to stick to your plan.
6. SLEEP
Sleep is very important in regulating your metabolism, hormones, and appetite.
When we sleep our ghrelin levels and cortisol levels remain elevated.
Ghrelin is our hunger hormone. When these levels do not decrease at night from lack of sleep, it causes our craving to be worse throughout the day. We want to eat more and more.
When it comes to cortisol levels (stress hormone), if we are not sleeping, they are not decreasing. Unfortunately, this is where the “spare tire” people talk about around their mid-section comes from. Also known as the hormonal belly. This plays a roles in gaining excess body fat and intervenes with muscle breakdown for energy.
This can contribute to muscle loss over time, which causes less calories to be burned every single day, and that certainly won't help with our fat loss efforts in the future either!
IN CONCLUSION
Losing weight can be difficult and hard. If it was easy more people would do it. But that does not mean it has to be complicated or crazy.
Applying some, or all, of the steps above... can help you improve your fat loss, lose weight and stop yo-yo dieting by teaching you through a lifestyle journey.
NEED MORE HELP?
Have questions ...PITYFitness is here for you!
If you need help with your workouts, nutrition, or any aspect of your plan always feel free to reach out to us!
Let’s face it, I had no real idea where to start or what to do when I started my journey I just knew I needed to start! That's why I am here to help and hopefully give you enough tips and tricks to skip the mistakes I have made along the way!
If you need help, please reach email me at pityfitnessco@gmail.com. Also, this is when tools like the 1st Phorm App can make a huge difference.
Stay Connected with PITYFitness
Join the PITYFitness community on social media to stay updated on the latest events, fitness information, workouts, etc.. Follow us on Instagram @pitfitness_ or join the PITYFitness Macros, Fitness and More Private Facebook group for insightful content, education, mini challenges and a community of support!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new health regimen or treatment.
Comments