Thanks to Diamond Mike Ferro for sharing these helpful tips.
People often look for the easy way out. Whether its a matter of not wanting to deal with something that makes them uncomfortable, or really trying to avoid a genuinely tough situation, most people opt for the road most traveled. I’m not going to get into whether or not this is a desirable situation. But, for those of you who like things simple and straight forward, I’ll throw a few tips your way. When you are trying to lose weight and focusing on burning fat, there are a few pretty easy things you can do. While basic, these things are ultra effective. Let’s take a look:
1.) Drink more water - People hear this all the time, but do they ever really listen? Water is good for you. You need it. While some people use the tried and true “eight glasses a day” bit, there are others who swear by more. An easy approach is to drink about a half gallon more than you normally do now. If you aren’t focusing on drinking water already, this will get to a more hydrated state. If you are drinking regularly already, a little bit more won’t hurt. Although there are some people who say about water the same thing they say about food, “drink as much as you think you need”, this can be tricky. Because humans can’t rely on our feeling of thirst to tell us when we need to rehydrate, (by the time we are thirsty, we are already dehydrated) we should be consciously drinking water, even when we don’t feel thirsty.
(Spark and Rehydrate)
2.) Start drinking green tea – Aside from green tea’s more well known health benefits such as providing antioxidants and polyphenols for the body, it has another hidden talent. Burning fat. Although most people don’t know much about this, the evidence is there. In studies done on healthy young men, fat oxidation (fat burning) levels were higher following ingestion of green tea extract. Not only will this increase fat burning during moderately intense exercise, but it improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Both of these things are key to burning more fat.
(ThermoPlus, MNS, Spark, Amp AT all have same effect)
3.) Get your EFAs – Essential Fatty Acids are fatty acids that cannot be produced by the body and need to obtained from outside sources. There are two types of EFAs, Omega-3s and Omega-6s. Although Omega-6s are important, they are found abundantly in many of the foods we eat. Most often we actually get more of these then we need. Omega-3s are the ones to really focus on. They are found in fish and flax seed, eggs, and meat. While they provide a number of health benefits, they are preferentially used for energy and to aid metabolic processes which makes them different from other fats. Basically, they’re really damn good for you.
(OmegaPlex....LOTS!!!)
4.) Eat Breakfast – This is a great one. It’s one of those things that people often avoid doing because they think it is counterproductive. They couldn’t be any farther from the truth. The cliche “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” couldn’t be more true. If you skip breakfast, your body begins to go into a pre-catobolic state meaning fat and muscle protein are used for energy and deficits are seen in performance due to lower muscle and liver glycogen levels. It’s not pretty. Eat breakfast
(Meal Replacement Shakes, Meal Replacement Bars)
5.) Take a multi-vitamin - Although many supplement companies would have you believe that their special brand-spanking-new ergogenic aid is absolutely vital to your health, most times it isn’t. Most times it’s actually a waste of money. A high quality multi vitamin is different. It can be beneficial for people who don’t eat enough leafy greens, get proper amounts of fiber, have food allergies, or otherwise don’t have an absolutely perfect diet. Most of us fall into that category.
(MNS, Coreplex)
6.) Get more sleep - How many people do you know actually get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night? Do you? Chances are, you don’t. Sleep is important for everything from muscle building to hormone balance. It is incredibly important. Sleep deprivaton wreaks absolute havoc on the body. If you want your metabolism to function almost exactly like that of an individual with diabetes, then stay up all night. Otherwise, hit the hay. Your body will thank you.
(Zzz's and NightTime Recovery)
7.) Get more fiber – This is kind of a two part bit because getting fiber often involves eating vegetables. (which are also important in burning fat) Fiber will make you feel more full, and it will aid in digestion. Fat will make you feel full, but it will also make you fat. Which would you prefer?
(Meal Replacement Shakes, Fiber Drinks, Herbal Cleanse, Fruit and Fiber Bars)
8.) Increase you protein intake – This is huge. Although a lot of people were worried that while increasing protein intake would provide benefits but also have potential harms, the jury is out. Protein will not damage your kidneys or liver. Studies up to this point have demonstrated this fact, often using ludicrously high levels of protein. So while protein won’t cause you any harm, it will increase your metabolism, make you feel fuller longer, and help you get tight and toned or big and jacked — whichever you prefer.
(Muscle Gain Shakes, Meal Replacement Shakes and Bars, Catalyst)
9.) Decrease your carbs – People have heard this one before. It seems like there are people on two sides of the fence. On the one side you have the over zealous Adkins people who avoid carbs at all costs, at least for a period. On the other side you have the people who say they’re “cutting carbs” but don’t really cut anything. An easy approach that is a compromise for both of these groups (and anyone else who falls outside) is to consume less carbs than you do protein. So if you consume one hundred grams of protein per day, consume fifty to ninety grams in carbohydrates.
10.) Lift weights - While there are many different workout possibilities out there, not all of them are effective. Study after study has shown that lifting weights in some form, whether it be in a weight class or with a body part split (i.e. working only your back muscles together) not only builds muscle, but burns fat. This is just as true for the ladies as it is for guys. Hit the weights!
These are all things that you can start doing today. Make it happen!
