Nutrition

How to Lose Body Fat

how-to-lose-body-fat-percentage

Losing body fat is a challenge that many people face. There isn’t really any instant, magical cure for this. There are, however, many little things you can do on a daily basis to help you lose fat. That’s why it’s so important to be very conscious of what you’re doing –and not doing– every day!

Watch Your Snacking Habits

Snacking is an area where many people cheat on their diets. If you munch on high calorie snacks in between meals, it will undermine any diet you’re trying to follow. Stay away from vending machine snacks like candy bars and chips.

Instead, bring some healthy snacks with you. Nuts and dried fruit are a good choice. While nuts such as almonds, cashews and walnuts contain fat, it’s the healthy kind. Still, you should only eat a few at a time, as they are fairly high in calories. Another healthy snack is a whey shake, which provides you with plenty of muscle-building protein.

Be Active in Between Workouts

Assuming that you work out regularly, you can also get in some extra activity throughout the day. Use your breaks at work, as well as lunchtime, to get in a few power walks. Whenever possible, walk or ride a bicycle instead of driving. Use stairs rather than elevators or escalators. These types of habits will mean burning off more calories every day.

What to Eat Before the Main Course

You can curb your appetite by eating some healthier, low calorie foods before you start biting into that pasta or steak and potatoes. A good way to start a meal is with a healthy soup and salad. You should, however, make sure that these are truly low calorie. With salads, stick to oil and vinegar for dressing. If you insist on using more flavorful dressings, keep the quantity to a minimum.

Do Interval Training Rather Than Conventional Cardio

Research shows that doing long stretches of cardio, such as on an exercise bike, isn’t the best way to lose fat. It’s more effective and less time consuming to do some type of interval training. You can do this on an exercise bike or elliptical machine, but you vary the intensity. Alternate short periods of intense activity with rest periods.

Don’t Neglect Strength Training

Aside from cardio or interval training, you should also consistently do strength training if you want to lose fat. Building muscle and losing fat go hand in hand. That’s why it’s essential to work all of your major muscle groups at least a couple of times per week. To give you some extra power when lifting weights, make sure you add creatine to your diet regimen. Click here for more info about this powerful supplement.