Looking for a good way to lose weight? Dieting can be so confusing because you hear so much conflicting advice. While it is true that there are many ways to achieve the same result, it is important to use diet and training strategies that have been verified by scientific scrutiny. Weight loss is neither as complicated nor as simple as many make it out to be. Many will tell you that losing weight is all about caloric restriction, yet all calories are not created equally. Even among the macro-nutrients, protein, carbohydrates and fats, there are allies and enemies. While not the only way to lose weight, these guidelines are certainly a good way to achieve your fitness goals.
Step 1
Do 30 to 60 minutes of resistance training sessions three to five days per week. Weight-training burns fat while you do it, but it also burns extra calories for up to 72 hours, according to "Xtreme Lean," by Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman. Not to mention that building muscle forces your body to burn more calories at rest every moment of your life.
Step 2
Do 30 to 60 minutes of cardio immediately after your weight-training program. Low-intensity cardio after resistance training burns fat almost exclusively, according to best-selling fitness author Jeff Anderson. Add extra cardio days on non-workout days in the morning upon waking to accelerate weight loss. Cardio is cumulative, so you can do several shorter-duration sessions and still achieve great results.
Step 3
Eat five or six smaller meals throughout the day to control blood sugar, suppress hunger, minimize the production of the stress hormone cortisol and keep metabolism elevated all day long. According to "The Fat Burning Bible," this strategy can be implemented easily by following a meal plan of three main meals with two or three snacks in between them.
Step 4
Choose "clean" foods to encourage fat-burning rather than fat-storage. For example, good protein sources include lean beef and pork, chicken, turkey and fish. Choose low-glycemic carbohydrates, which digest slowly, such as oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain, fibrous vegetables and berries. Healthy fats include olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds and natural peanut butter.
Step 5
Have one cheat meal one day per week. Simply eat whatever you want or have been craving all week long. The only rule is to limit your cheat to one meal, without letting it become an all-out binge. According to "Combat the Fat," this technique keeps your body from downshifting metabolism in response to a lower calorie diet. In short, you can continue burning fat at a higher rate without hitting dieting plateaus or sticking points.
References
- "Xtreme Lean"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2006
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; 2004
- "The Fat Burning Bible"; Mackie Shilstone; 2005
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