Losing weight requires a combination of proper nutrition and regular exercise. In some cases, however, doing the American College of Sports Medicine's recommended one hour of exercise, five days a week can yield little change in weight. Losing fat stored by the body can sometimes be a bit more complicated than simply burning more calories than you consume.
Step 1
Take a multivitamin with chromium. Insulin resistance and diabetes are common among animals and humans. Supplementing with chromium has been shown to increase the body's sensitivity to insulin and decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome, according to a 2005 publication by the United States Department of Agriculture. Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that place you at higher risk for stroke, heart disease and cardiac death and is associated with having too much body fat.
Step 2
Strengthen your muscles. Strengthening your muscles will cause your body to burn more calories without doing any additional work. Strengthen your muscles three times a week by performing full-body exercises for three sets of eight to 12 repetitions. An example of a strength training routine might begin with abdominal crunches, rotational crunches and dead-lifts and continue with bench presses, standing rows, shoulder presses, hamstring curls, squats and biceps curls.
Step 3
Get eight hours of sleep a night. Inadequate sleep was associated with an increase in body mass, according to a 2004 study published by Stanford University Medical Center. The study related the changes to a decrease in leptin and an increase in ghrelin. These are hormones produced by the body that make you feel full and hungry, respectively.
Step 4
Use kettlebells. Kettlebell workouts involve explosive full-body exercises that push your body to its limits. According to a study done by the American Counsel on Exercise, a single kettlebell session can burn calories equivalent to running at a six minute per mile pace. Begin your kettlebell session by performing single and double-arm hip swings, windmills, figure eights and finishing with Turkish get-ups.
Tips and Warnings
- Consult your doctor about getting your blood drawn to check for underlying medical problems.
References
- ARS Publication Request: Chromium in Syndrome X and Obesity
- National Academy of Sports Medicine: Program Design Concepts
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity Guidelines
- PubMed Central: Short Sleep Duration Is Associated with Reduced Leptin, Elevated Ghrelin, and Increased Body Mass Index
- ACE: Kettlebells
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