We all know fad diets never work longterm, in fact diets in general turn out to be major disappointments. All the impatient Minnies out there know if you don’t experience the results you want quick enough, it’s a wrap. If you really want to get to your target weight/look then it’s really about changing your lifestyle; the results aren’t always going to be fast but that’s how it is. To make this happen faster, implement the tips below.
1. Run Regularly
Running/jogging more than 4 hours a week enables your body to burn fat; it also boosts your metabolism, ensuring your body continues to burn fat and calories throughout the day.
2. Make It Intense
A short high intensity workout is better for you than a slow-paced drawn out workout (heard of Insanity, I’m sure you have!). Get to 75-80% of your maximum heart rate and stay there for at lease 40 minutes while you work out, keeping your metabolism running higher for longer. Sounds tough, it is, but it works!
3. Early Bird Burns the Most
An early morning workout before breakfast gives you a great start to the day, boosting your metabolism to keep fat burning off throughout the rest of the day.
4. Get Lifting
Building muscle has shown to help burn fat, medium intensity weight training whilst maintaining a healthy balanced diet is one of the best ways to burn fat.
5. Weigh Yourself Down
If you’re not the running type (for now) then walk with weights. You can either throw on a weighted vest, add velcro weights to your ankles and wrists while you power walk round the block, or you can hold some dumbbells while you strut on the treadmill.
6. Alternate Your Intensity
Working out at opposite ends of the spectrum is not going to help you; a snails pace will do next to nothing and going all out at all times is not sustainable. However implementing both in one workout can be very beneficial; alternating your intensity during a workout has shown to be one of the best fat-burning tools you can use.
7. Get In The Habit
Working out every once in a while is not enough, you have to stay active and keep your workouts regular. Try parking a little further away from your destination, or getting off the bus a stop or two earlier and walking the rest of the way.
8. Increase in Intervals
Push yourself further every two weeks or so, increase the amount of weights you’re lifting buy 10-20lbs in order to increase the intensity and increase the fat-burning.
9. Work To The Limit
If you want to experience really quick results try working to your limits once a week. While weight lifting, do an entire set lifting to your maximum. Fat will literally be dripping off you.
10. Have The Right Tools
Put together a kick ass work out playlist full of songs that you can go all out to, press play and crank it up. Get yourself a kettlebell (TK Maxx have some at the mo), a great inexpensive work out tool that you can do a variety of exercises with to quickly burn inches off your waist.
11.Go Green
Try drinking two cups of green tea a day, the natural caffeine will boost your metabolism and help you to burn fat.
12. Lean Protein
Protein helps you stay fuller longer, meaning those carb cravings will be out the window. Keep the protein lean though, fish, chicken, and switch bacon for turkey rashers. Eggs are also a great source of protein and are great for snacking throughout the day.
13. No Drastic Diets
Don’t just start cutting things out of your diet on the first day, leaving you longing for certain things; and don’t go starving yourself either! Cut down gradually and make sure you go no lower than 1300 calories a day.
14. Snack Smart
No one said you can’t snack, just make sure you avoid the bad stuff. Go for nuts, seeds, and fruit; the healthy stuff.
15. No Alcohol
We all now that as fun as having a drink can be, it packs on the pounds. As well as that, as little as 90 calories digested from alcohol can reduce your metabolism by 70%. 70%!!! Think about it.
16. Healthy Fats
Keeping.adding good fats to your diet can aid fat burning in a hurry. Foods such as olives and avocados foods with monounsaturated fats will also help you lower bad cholesterol levels.
17. Eat Little & Often
Eating little and often or ‘grazing’ as it’s often called is a great way to eat healthy and loose weight. You should be aiming for 4-6 small meals a day. Eating more than 600 calories for any one meal wil slow your metabolism right down, so be sure to keep you meals in small portions.
18. Take Your Vitamins
Be sure to take your vitamins, vitamins C and D are shown to be effective in weight loss. Have you ever noticed when the winter comes around you tend to pack on a few extra pounds, aside from the obvious this is also down to the lack of vitamin D. You should be taking in at least 40mg of vitamin C and 800mg of vitamin D per day.
19. Big Lunch, Small Dinner
It’s so easy to eat small throughout the day (with bad snacks in between) then an big meal at night. Flipping it around and eating a larger lunch, will keep you fuller longer which eliminates the snacks. Eating the smaller dinner means your body can burn enough fat while you sleep.
20. Let Your Target Be Your Motivation
Keep an image of the you, you want to become close by at all times. Seeing this will keep your mind straight, keeping you focussed and motivated to reach your desired weight.
21. Sleep
For most people this is one of the most difficult things to do, but it’s proven that getting your regular 8 hours sleep per night will aid in weight loss; it’s said to be one of the fastest ways to burn fat fast. Your body works hard while you’re in REM sleep, proper sleep leaves you energised and feeling great.
Put these tips to good use, please bear in mind the fat isn’t going to instantly disappear (this isn’t lipo), however with hard work and determination, you will most definitely get there.