Posts Tagged ‘burn fat’

People are always asking about ways to burn fat and, in fact, I have written quite a few posts about that topic.  However, there are lots of tools and tricks you can use so here are 4 more ways to burn fat.

1. Lower your calorie intake gradually.  If you decide to reduce the number of calories you eat in a day, don’t suddenly cut your intake in half.  If you drastically decrease your eating from one day to the next, your body will believe it’s starving and, rather than burning fat, it will hang on to it.  Lower your calorie intake little by little over the course of a couple of weeks.
2. Use interval training. Interval training involves alternating short bursts of very intense activity with periods of less intense recovery activity.  For example, you might ride your bike (or stationary bike in the gym) as fast as you can for 20 to 30 seconds, then slow to a moderate pace for a minute.  You could also alternate running and walking.  Not only is interval training good aerobic exercise, but you can exercise for a shorter amount of time while getting up to 3 times the fat burning benefit.
3. Eat 5 or 6 small meals a day. This keeps your metabolism constantly fueled so it is continuously burning fat. It also keeps your blood sugar on an even keel so you don’t experience energy level crashes.
4. Do strength training. Strength training is the number one most efficient way to burn fat.  Of course you are burning fat during your strength training workout but muscle tissue continues to burn calories even when you’re at rest.  This means that the more muscle you can build, the easier it will be to burn calories, thus burning fat.  If you’re looking for a good explanation of using strength training to burn fat, I recommend the Fat Burning Furnace.

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Did you know that water can help you lose weight?  That’s right – good old H2O!

We all know that water is essential to life.  Our bodies are 70% water and water makes up a huge 85% of our brains!  Becoming even slightly dehydrated can lead to fatigue, weakness, headaches, and even disorientation at extreme levels.

So how does water help you lose weight?  When you are properly hydrated, your energy level is higher so you burn more calories.

Water makes you feel full so you aren’t as tempted to pop a quick snack into your mouth.  Try drinking a whole glass of water 30 minutes before a meal and it could help keep you from overeating.

According to Rob Poulos  (The Fat Burning Furnace) drinking cold water helps you burn more fat because your body has to use about 1 calorie per ounce of cold water to warm the water to body temperature.  That’s an extra 448 calories per week just from drinking the minimum  8 cups of (cold) water per day.  Imagine if you drank more than that!

Mireille Guiliano, author of one of my favorite books, French Women Don’t Get Fat, points out that, because most Americans don’t drink enough water, our bodies must depend on water from the food we consume.  For this reason, our brains sometimes think that we’re hungry when we’re actually thirsty!  Try drinking a glass of water the next time you think you need a snack.

She also recommends drinking a whole glass of water before going to bed so you won’t become so dehydrated during sleep, and another first thing in the morning – even before your 1^st cup of coffee!

Remember that caffeine stimulates your body to eliminate water more quickly so, even though coffee, tea, and soda are largely water, you won’t get as much benefit from them as you will from straight water.  If your water needs a flavor boost, try adding lemon or lime juice.

Are you getting bored with your aerobic/cardio workout?  Does it seem less challenging than when you first started?  You might be ready to add an aerobic step bench to your routine.

An aerobic step bench is simply a portable step which measures about 3 feet by 1 foot.  It’s best to start with about a 6 inch height, then increase the height as needed.  You’ll want to choose a stable, well-balanced bench with a textured, non-slippery surface.

In addition to really ramping up the cardio benefits of your workout, adding a step strengthens and tones your thighs and butt.  Using these large muscles requires more energy so you burn more calories.

For my routine I like to create a circuit where I alternate step moves with other aerobic activities.  This is much more fun and less boring when I put on some lively music!  If you have trouble coming up with a variety of routines involving aerobic steps, there are plenty of DVD’s to get you going.

Do you have a Nintendo Wii?  There are several step aerobic activities available to go with it.  Using a variety of approaches will motivate you to keep doing your workouts regularly.

An aerobic step bench should not be used by beginners.  When just starting out, you should let your body become accustomed to less stressful activities, then kick up the intensity level gradually by adding a step.  Increasing the height of your step will increase your workout intensity but be less stressful on your body than jumping rope.

People who have knee or balance problems, and those who are obese, should use extreme caution when attempting to use an aerobic step.  If you feel  discomfort in any part of your body, or if you feel at all unstable, this is your body’s way of saying, “Don’t do that!”

Related link:  Nintendo Wii

Are you like me?  Do you love to eat but hate to gain weight?  Of course you know to avoid fatty foods but did you know there are certain foods you can eat that actually help you burn fat?  Here is a list of foods I include in my diet that help me burn fat while I’m just sitting around!

Green Tea A cup of green tea after dinner is so relaxing!  You already know that green tea has antioxidant properties and that it has no calories or fat.  But it also contains a chemical which speeds up your metabolism, causing you to burn more calories, without speeding up your heart rate.

Milk Milk and other dairy products contain calcium which revs up your metabolism causing you to burn more fat. It’s best to use non-fat so you’re not adding fat that will have to be burned!

Peppers Spicy peppers increase metabolism by increasing your heart rate and can actually keep you burning fat more quickly for several hours after eating them!

Protein When you consume protein, your body uses 20% – 30% of those protein calories to digest it, compared to 5% of fat calories.  I try to include a little lean protein in every meal.

Caffeine We all know people who drink 6 sodas or 12 cups of coffee per day.  They are usually jittery and grouchy, not fit and healthy!  But moderate use of caffeine, 2 or 3 servings a day, will keep your metabolism (and your fat burning rate) humming right along.

I love knowing that I am giving myself an advantage in the fat burning fight simply by including these foods in my daily diet!