You also have to take into account all three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Eat more protein
When it comes to protein, opt for lean options over fatty meats, opt for fish a few meals a week, and focus on plant-based protein whenever possible.
When cooking, use heart-healthy oils and limit saturated animal fats such as butter or lard. Choose dietary fats from fatty fish, avocados, nuts and seeds rather than fried foods and animal fat sources.
Try to cut out the added sugars from sweetened drinks and desserts.
During a weight-loss journey, if we specifically want to burn fat, it is essential to take in adequate amounts of protein to protect our muscle mass. Research shows that higher protein levels during weight loss make it more likely to keep the weight off and help tackle fat loss.
Depending on your training level, you may need to consume extra protein (such as Impact Whey Protein) to maintain muscle mass while burning fat.
Get enough fibre
Another helpful weight loss consideration is fibre. Getting enough soluble fibre from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will help you feel fuller and improve digestion.
If you think you’re not getting enough soluble fibre from your diet, you may want to consider a supplement. Research has shown links between soluble fibre and successful fat loss.
It sounds like a lot to think about, but following a healthy, balanced diet doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re trying to lose weight, you want to make sure you feel complete (enough) – being hungry all the time isn’t essential for burning fat. Choosing satisfying “whole” foods and taking supplements when you need them can be easy and sustainable to help you meet your fat loss goals.
training
Looking back at the basic equation for fat loss, you need to burn calories – that’s where exercise comes in. We all burn a different number of calories even when we’re not exercising (known as our resting metabolism) based on our body size and composition.
While it’s difficult to measure this number, even in a lab setting accurately, some calculations can help you estimate how many calories you’ll burn at rest.
If you’re interested, check out the Harris-Benedict equation.
Do Anaerobic Exercises
People with more lean body mass (muscle) burn more calories at rest than people with more fat mass. Think of power as active, calorie-burning tissue, while fat hangs out there for storage purposes without burning much energy.
This is one of the reasons why many people exercise – to optimize the ratio of muscle mass to fat mass, thus burning more calories in the long run. We can increase this lean muscle mass through weight lifting or anaerobic exercise.
One weightlifting strategy is called “drop sets.” This means lifting the heaviest weights for a set number of sets and reps and then doing the same exercise with lighter weights until your muscles get tired. It trains your muscles to work harder and see optimal results. Another strategy is to use “supersets,” where you perform two opposing muscle groups quickly without taking a break to recover.
Talk to a personal trainer if you want to incorporate any of these strategies into your workouts.
Improve your cardio (aerobic exercise)
The other important part of the exercise for fat loss is an aerobic activity. “Aerobic” doesn’t have to mean the stereotypical ’90s step aerobics class with leg warmers and sweatbands (unless you want to), but it can be any activity, from speed walking to intense interval training (HIIT).
Both types of cardio or aerobic exercise have significant benefits and should be included in your weekly routine.
A diet is not enough.
The idea is often that you lose weight quickly with a simple diet or nutrition plan and then maintain this new weight. But it doesn’t work that way… More than 90% of people who have followed a diet fall back on their old weight and are confronted with the so-called yo-yo effect. Again, this shows again: if you want to continue the desired behaviour in the long term, motivation, perseverance, and a good plan are essential. It’s about being able to stick with it, so it’s best to make it as easy on yourself as possible, even if that means losing weight a little slower than you’d like.
Motivation and perseverance
Motivation and perseverance are the starting point to achieve your goal to reach. If you’re not motivated to lose weight, you won’t last. Think for yourself why you want to lose those few pounds of fat. What is your motivation? Write this down for yourself.
