Fat can take its toll on your body, both mentally and physically. When you have excess pounds, you can become self-conscious, and your risk for chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis becomes elevated. The way to reverse this is by burning your body fat through dietary adjustments and exercise.
Eat the Right Carbs
People desperate for weight loss often resort to a low-carb or no-carb diet to burn body fat. This plan might be effective at first, but it is hard to stick with for the long haul and it can also be too intensive. A smarter way to burn body fat is to eat the right kind of carbs and avoid the wrong kind. Complex carbs that are high in fiber can give you energy and keep you feeling full when you eat them. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans are examples of complex carbohydrates. Avoid processed and refined carbs like white bread, cakes, cookies, candy and doughnuts.
Eat Quality Protein
Protein is a necessary nutrient when it comes to muscle preservation and weight loss. It gets digested slowly and it can also contribute to a higher metabolism. You should choose quality sources of protein like eggs, chicken breasts, lean beef, venison and fish. Avoid processed meats such as bacon, cold cuts, sausage and ham.
Eat Breakfast
Skipping breakfast is one of the worst things you can do when you want to burn body fat. Not only can you become hungry later on in the day and fall to the temptation of junk food, but your metabolism can also remain slow. To break this cycle, eat a meal as soon as you get up. According to the Mayo Clinic, breakfast gives you energy, gets you on track to make healthy choices and makes it easier to avoid overeating. Have something as simple as a bowl of high-fiber cereal with low-fat milk and berries.
Eat Frequent Small Meals
After you eat breakfast, you can keep your metabolism elevated for the rest of the day by eating a small meal every two to three hours. This in turn can lead you to burn more body fat. Compose these meals out of protein and complex carbs to make them balanced. A baked chicken breast with steamed cauliflower and brown rice is a nighttime meal example.
Aerobic Exercise
Whether you call it aerobic training or cardiovascular training, the end result is still the same: you burn fat when you do it. To increase your caloric expenditure even more, you can perform cardio in an interval fashion. This is characterized by alternating from low-intensity to high-intensity exercise for 20 to 30 minutes and finishing with a light five-minute cool-down. If you choose to go with longer-duration cardio, keep your intensity moderate and exercise for 45 to 60 minutes. Aim for four to five days a week and do anything that you enjoy such as running, group indoor cycling, elliptical training, rowing, stair climbing or jumping rope.
Muscle Building
Muscle is metabolically active, and building it can help contribute to fat burning. Do exercises that target as much of your body as possible like chest presses, upright rows, lat pull-downs, triceps extensions, incline curls, ab crunches and lunges. Aim for 10 to 12 reps, three to four sets and use the heaviest weights possible. Work out two to three times a week with at least one day off in between sessions.
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