There are three key things you should know about losing body fat. If you’ve tried every diet, workout routine, and fat-fighting fad and still have stubborn jiggle that just doesn’t seem to budge, you’re not alone. Fighting body fat isn’t as hard as it may seem, all it takes is the correct information about diet and fitness – both are necessary to beat the fat and find the firm – for good.
1) Spot reducing does not work
First things first: you can’t spot reduce. In order to lose fat, you need to be in a caloric deficit, period. And that means counting your calories. Yes, really. And don’t use an app like MyFitnessPal or Livestrong. While virtual logging tools and apps can seem helpful, they’re also unreliable, thanks to user uploaded data that often contains incorrect information.
All too often other members upload incorrect serving size or calorie data, meaning that you may be eating more calories than what you’re actually logging. Use a reputable resource (such as calorieking.com) along with product packaging to determine caloric intake at each meal and snack, and log in an old-fashioned journal.
In order to determine how many calories you need, multiply your goal weight by 10 if you’re sedentary, or 12 if you’re active. For example, a sedentary woman with a goal weight of 140 pounds would require 1400 calories, while an active woman with a goal weight of 140 pounds would require 1680 calories.
Don’t want to lose weight, just fat? Reduce your current weight by 5 pounds. Doing so will help you burn fat, and then you can put the weight back on through muscle later by putting in time and effort at the gym.
2) You need cardio and strength training – not just one or the other
If your primary goal is weight loss (the first step in losing fat), a combination of cardio and weights is your best bet. And no, lifting two-pound dumbbells vigorously doesn’t count. Hop on a treadmill, join a spin class, or use a stair climber.
While you’re still in the weight-loss process, devote 50% of your workout time to moderate to vigorous intensity cardio and the other 50% to strength training. Later on, once you’re in a place of weight maintenance, alternate days for cardio and strength training, or split your workouts 60-40 in favour of weights.
3) Caloric beverages make it hard to lose fat
Whether you’re sipping a latte, fresh-pressed green juice, or beer, caloric beverages make it difficult to lose weight, period. The carbohydrate in calorie-containing beverages is broken down into sugar very quickly in the bloodstream, where it is picked up by insulin and stored in the midsection as fat. Avoid any and all caloric beverages during the fat reduction process, and stick to noncaloric beverages like black coffee, unsweetened tea, and of course water.
