Posted on March 26, 2015 by Jenny Cromack

The key to successful fat loss is a well oiled training programme and nutritional intake. Ensuring you are doing the right training and eating the correct food will result in fat loss, and remember if you’re looking for a change in your physique fat loss, not weight loss, is what you are looking for.

Here are some top tips to get you on your way!

1) High Volume Total Body Weight Training

Sprints are a fantastic way to burn body fat – however it is better to focus on weight training first and see sprints as the icing on the cake (but don’t eat cake, you won’t lose body fat!)

Lifting weight with loads of 65-85% of maximum range with short rest periods of 60s or less will help with fat loss. It helps by building muscle which raises your basal metabolic rate so you can burn more calories everyday and by producing a lot of metabolic stress makes your body burn more calories post workout during the 24 hour recovery period

2) Be In Control of Your Food

PLAN
Planning is key to ensure that you know what you are eating and when. It allows you to predict if you need to take extra food to work to cover a late meeting or if you need to cook a double portion of your evening meal to have for your lunch the next day. Planning also saves time and money as you only buy what you need from the shops, rather than piling up the trolley with what you think you need.

SHOPOne of the main reason people fall off the bandwagon is because they run out of food and opt for the nearest convenient thing, which nine times out of ten isn’t always the healthiest so ensure that you have a regular food shop each week. Even if you live a busy life there really is no excuse not to get your shopping in take a look at Market Delivered in leeds which delivers fresh market produce straight to your door, and is much cheaper and better quality than much of what you will buy from the supermarket.

COOK

Cooking from scratch ensures you definitely know what is in your food. Bulk making will ensure you are eating healthy food options that will help drop body fat. Take a look at the recipes on the motive8 North site, from simple meal options for all cooking abilities to some healthy dinner party recipes, there is something for everyone.

3) Sleep More and Stress Less

Sleeping well is really important for fat loss because without it, you won’t get the fat burning hormone – Growth Hormone  – released, which occurs when we sleep. Lack of sleep is stressful, it leads to an increase in the hormone cortisol and a decrease in your body’s sensitivity to the hormone insulin.

Lack of sleep and increased stress leads to problems with blood sugar which in turn results in a cascade of changes in other hormones, such as testosterone (important for body composition in both men AND women), melatonin (needed for sleep), and leptin (HANGRY = hungry and angry).

4) Eat protein

If your goal is fat loss planning meals around protein has many benefits as
whole protein foods like meat, fish, eggs, and beans increase satiety after eating so that you are less hungry later.

Protein also has a higher thermic effect than fats or carbs, which means the body burns more calories than it digests . A meal of pure protein requires the body to burn 25 percent of the energy provided in the food just to break down and use the nutrients.

High-quality protein helps manage blood sugar and insulin, decreasing cravings for carbs.

Eating protein also dramatically improves brain function and will power, helping keep you steady and on point.

Protein triggers protein synthesis, preserving lean mass, which is essential when trying to lose fat because lean tissue elevates the amount of calories you burn daily.

5) Ensure you have a healthy digestive system

Poorly functioning digestion is sure to inhibit fat loss by leading to an increase in cortisol and a decrease in overall neurotransmitter production. Plus, it makes you feel sluggish, lowering mood, motivation, and energy levels.

The two biggest culprits to look for in troubleshooting a bad gut are as follows:
•  Poor Bacteria—eat probiotic foods.
•  Chronic Inflammation in the gut—avoid foods that you’re sensitive to and get indigestible fiber from plants, NOT processed foods.

6) Sharpen your diet to improve insulin sensitivity.

One of the best-kept secrets of the fitness world is that insulin health is one the most underrated factors in fat loss and getting an awesome physique.

Insulin is a very anabolic hormone and it will drive nutrients into muscle cells. In an insulin sensitive state, the body is more tuned to store energy as muscle glycogen, the energy source for your muscles during exercise. However if your body is in an insulin resistant state, you are much more likely to store the food you eat as fat.

So how can you control this ? There are some simple habits you can use to improve insulin sensitivity. First, vigorous exercise such as lifting weights or sprinting is a great method because it requires cells all over your body to become more responsive to insulin. The key is to use as many muscle groups as possible because there’s a wide variation in sensitivity of different tissues in the body to insulin and only muscles that are trained will improve.

Second, a lower glycemic index diet of protein, healthy fats, veggies, and lower carbs fruits will allow you to experience steady blood sugar instead of spikes and valleys.

Third, certain foods such as vinegar, citrus, and spices like cinnamon and turmeric will significantly increase the cell’s sensitivity to insulin. Try eating these foods when you eat higher carb foods like grains and starches.

Now you have some top tips together don’t hold back implement them all and you will soon see fantastic results and reap the rewards of some dedication to achieving your goals.

LH