Fat loss at the end of the day comes down to one thing and that is your how many calories you consume in a day (caloric intake). If you have eaten less calories required for your body to function you will lose weight, if you eat more calories in said day you will put on weight. Very easy to understand. The hardest part of it all is working out your caloric intake for the day. Thankfully at vision we do the hard part for you with an app that helps you count your calories to make it even easier. All you have to do is track your food CONSISTENTLY and ACCURATELY to achieve great results.
There are a few other factors that do play a part in your fat loss journey. If you search fat loss tips on the internet you will find that there are thousands upon thousands of tips, crazy fad diets and quick tricks to go by, some of which can get you results but are overall not sustainable for everyday living and long term weight loss. My goal is to try and condense it all down for you into 5 simple and easy tips to follow to achieve and sustain your fat loss goals.
1. Staying Hydrated
Our body's composition is about 70% water so it's a no brainer that being hydrated is key for fat loss. It plays an important role in flushing metabolic waste, increasing energy expenditure during exercise, and satiety (feeling of fullness).
2. Rest
Sleep is often treated like an enemy; the less we sleep the more time we have to do the things we enjoy. This way of thinking can sabotage our weight loss efforts as sleep is critical for regulating much of the body's metabolism. Things like cortisol can inhibit fat loss and increase muscle breakdown. Sleeping moderates cortisol levels and in turn helps you in maintaining long term fat loss.
3. Exercise
If a caloric deficit is the goal, exercise is the method to achieve it. The more calories burnt in a day, the easier it is to remain in the caloric negative and the more fat you will find is being lost in the long term. Beyond this, resistance training increases lean body mass which has a high energy requirement. This increases the base metabolic rate, the amount of calories burnt in a day, and your overall fat loss as a result.
4. Nutrition
Nutrition is the most vital part of weight loss, contributing to about 70% of the actual weight loss (the other 30% being exercise). It is important that we fuel our body with the right nutrients to get the most out of it. If you only had to drive one car for the rest of your life what fuel would you put in it? It's the same with our bodies. A balanced diet consisting of complex carbohydrates (wholegrains, beans and legumes) good sources of proteins (red and white meats and fish) and the right fats (nuts seeds and oils) is a sure-fire way to get the results you're after.
5. Stress Less
Easier said than done I know, but stress plays a big part in fat loss. Stress triggers the release of hormones such as cortisol and betatrophin that increase abdominal fat and slow the metabolism. Another issue is that cortisol is also a significant appetite stimulant therefore so many people respond to stress by going for comfort foods. In addition to the hormonal changes related to stress, stress can also drive you to engage in the following unhealthy behaviours. Exercising less, skipping meals and sleeping less as said previously these all play significant part in fat loss.
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
