Burning fat is the key to slimming down, getting healthy and achieving fitness goals. It’s important not only to ensure that our bodies carry less fat externally, but also to minimise the visceral fat. This is the fat that builds up around key organs in the body, such as the heart, and can cause life-threatening conditions.
For many people, burning of fat is a challenge. It takes time, commitment, and discipline. But there are a number of things you can do to burn fat faster and stay healthy and safe. It’s important not to crash diet or
7 ways to burn fat fast while staying healthy
1. Take up strength training
Strength training builds lean muscle mass quicker than any other kind of exercise. This is because it requires your muscles to contract against varying degrees of resistance, which builds up their strength. Strength training usually consists of weightlifting on a regular basis to increase the strength of muscles over time.
This kind of exercise has myriad health benefits and is particularly effective in burning fat. One study shows that strength training combined with aerobic exercise over a three-month training period reduces body fat much faster than just aerobic exercise.
You don’t have to immediately lift weights to get benefits from resistance training. There are various pieces of gym equipment that also work to build lean muscle, or you can do bodyweight exercises.
2. Eat a diet rich in protein
Diets with more protein in them make it easier to burn fat. This is partly because they help to supress the appetite. High-quality protein should be incorporated into your diet, and carbs cut right down. Studies show that this kind of diet can help to build lean muscle mass and boost your metabolism while you’re losing weight.
The kinds of protein-rich foods you should include in your diet are eggs, seafood, dairy products, legumes and lean meat. Stay away from too much red meat as this can adversely affect your cholesterol levels. Instead get more protein from supplements or from vegetables and dairy.
3. Get enough sleep on a regular basis
If you’re not sleeping consistently well, this can impede weight loss. There are various scientific studies linking weight loss and sleep patterns. One that monitored around 70,000 women found that those show sleep for five hours or less on a regular basis are far more likely to gain weight. The optimum amount of sleep is at least seven hours every night.
Poor sleep can contribute to the hormones in our body that regulate appetite, which mean people eat more and are at a higher risk of being overweight or obese. To improve your chances of getting a decent amount of sleep, cut down on caffeine and try leaving your phone or tablet in another room. Cutting down on electrical devices can help the quality and quantity of your sleep.
4. Include healthy fats into your diet
Many people still find this a sticking point as it seems counterintuitive but eating more of the right kinds of fats can help you to lose weight. This is because fats take longer to digest and therefore increase feelings of fullness.
Research shows that a Mediterranean style diet is good for curbing the appetite and helping people lose weight. This diet is rich in olive oil, oily fish and nuts, all of which help people to eat less and maintain a lower weight.
You do need to cut out trans fats, however. These are the ‘bad fats’, and demonstrably add to belly fat and waistline. Healthy fats include nuts, seeds, avocados and coconut oil. However, all fats are still high in calories so you must moderate the amount you consume even of the healthy fats.
5. Take high-quality fat burning supplements
Fat burning supplements can help to lose weight faster, but you must always make sure you consume high-quality fat burners made with natural ingredients. They should be taken as part of a healthy, balanced diet that is higher in quality protein and lower in carbs. They should also be taken by people who are exercising regularly to have the greatest impact.
Supplements should not be seen as the solution to losing weight, but as part of a consistent plan that includes exercise and a balanced diet.
6. Swap your drink choices
Drinks that contain sugar are easy to ingest without thinking. Fruit juice, squashes and carbonated drinks are generally loaded with sugar and give very little nutritional benefit. Similarly, alcohol is full of sugar and can encourage you to ditch the diet and overeat.
Limiting sugary drinks and alcoholic drinks will help to minimise body fat. Swap them for plenty of water or unsweetened tea. Studies show that there can be a weight loss benefit to drinking half a litre of water before meals, so that could be worth including in your daily routine too.
7. Do more cardio
Aerobic or cardiac exercise covers any activity that specifically targets the lungs and heart. Building in regular cardio to your daily life is one of the best ways to increase weight loss and fat burning.
As stipulated earlier, it should be combined with resistance exercises for maximum effect. Studies show that cardio can decrease belly fat and overall body fat while helping to increase muscle mass. Most research supports up to 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous cardio every week, which breaks down to between 20 and 40 minutes every day. Examples of ideal cardio activities include cycling, walking, running, and swimming.
These are just some steps can take to help you burn fat, lose weight and build lean muscle mass. All of these things will help you along your way and increase the chances of reaching your goals, and they will also improve your overall physical and mental health.
If you’re just starting out on your fat burning journey, take it slowly and incorporate more steps as time goes by. This should be about incorporating good habits for life, so it pays to do so gradually and thoroughly. We should all be aiming for a long-term healthy lifestyle rather than just a quick fix.
Every minor change you make to your everyday lifestyle can really add up and benefit you overall. Above all, ensure your diet is nutritious and balanced and that you are including appropriate supplements to get everything you need to feel and look as healthy as possible.
