ASK just about anyone what their fitness goal is, and most will say that it would be to lose body fat. Most of us, especially those approaching middle age, would want to be trimmer, leaner versions of ourselves.
While losing body fat essentially entails consistently achieving a daily caloric deficit for a prescribed time period, here are four fat loss tips that will set us on the right track.
Utilizing cardio as a tool—Cardiovascular exercises, such as running, cycling, swimming, walking and the like are not the end-all and be-all of fat loss. We must view and use cardio as a tool to get us to our goal. Sure, it does burn a lot of calories but over-doing it may lead to muscle loss and have us looking gaunt and unhealthy. It would be difficult to cardio away an over-indulgent diet. Cardio is great. But remember it is just one of the tools we use to shed fat.
Consume adequate protein—As a rule of thumb, when working to build muscle and burn fat, we must consume 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight on a daily basis. If for instance you weigh 150 lbs, make sure to take in between 130 to 150 grams of protein a day. Lean meats, fish, eggs and soy are excellent sources of protein.
Macronutrient consistency—Sometimes eating food that are healthy are no assurance that one would successfully lose fat. It is important to have the proper ratio of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat) to support fat loss or any fitness goal for that matter. All three macronutrients in their proper proportions are essential in determining our future body composition. Protein is needed to build muscle, carbs to fuel our workouts, and dietary fat helps the body absorb nutrients. Count your macros with consistency.
Inclusion of resistance training/lifting weights—When attempting to shed body fat, it is always a good idea to include resistance training or lifting weights as part of the total program. Lifting helps burn calories, and if done with the proper intensity using medium to heavy loads, builds lean muscle mass. When we want to lose weight, we don’t just want to shed fat, we should also work toward firming up our muscles to achieve a tight, toned physique.
With summer just around the corner, now is a good time as any to start counting macros, pumping iron and pounding pavement. Happy shedding!
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