You have come across hundreds of exercise plans, products, and diets that claim to burn calories and reduce fat. Most of these product claims are false, and the diets are too restrictive to follow for a long term. Often the exercise routines for rapid fat burnout ask for exercise bingeing while giving you fewer options in your diet. Experts believe that the fastest way to burn fat is also the oldest. You need to get moving more. There is no better way to up your metabolism than to move more. But there are undoubtedly other ways to reduce fat, according to research.
13 Ways to Burn More Fat
You need to keep in mind that losing fat and keeping it off is a long-term game. Do not expect to lose 6 pounds a week and then hope to keep it off for the rest of your life. This article aims to bring forward 13 research proved ways to burn more fat and get in shape. It will help you make smart adjustments in your routine rather than the hard ones.
1. Be a mindful eater
A failure to maintain the optimal weight and a protruding belly questioning your sincerity to your body is often the result of overwhelming love for food. Most calorie and fat burning diets put you on a plate of green leaves. This you cannot tolerate for long. A better way to keep calories in check is to be a mindful eater. Eating slowly, intentionally, and mindfully is a part of a healthy food culture. A growing body of research shows the benefits of mindful eating.
A research study conducted on 1400 mindful eaters showed that these individuals have a body weight close to recommended, fewer symptoms of eating disorders, and a greater sense of well-being. Mindful eating can be your first step in reducing unhealthy fat and caloric intake.
2. Choose a high-protein diet
A protein-rich diet is an effective way to burn more fat. It also makes you feel full longer after meals and reduces appetite. Research shows that taking the right amounts of protein in the diet can reduce belly fat and preserve muscle mass at the same time.
The American Journal of Psychology published a research study in which the fat-burning effects of a high-protein diet were confirmed. The participants were divided into two groups; group one was fed protein-rich diet, and group two was given less protein in their diet, an amount closer to the lower recommended protein intake as per recommended dietary allowance. Results concluded that the group eating protein-rich diet burned more fat than the other group.
Dr. Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., coauthor of getting Stronger, Feel Younger, says that women lose about five pounds of muscle mass every ten years and gain an average of 15 pounds of fat. Protein intake increases the metabolism and maintains your muscle mass. Together, this two help with burning fat.
Make sure you incorporate high-protein food into your diet. Good sources of protein include seafood, eggs, meat, legumes, and dairy products.
3. Incorporate healthy fats into your diet
As counterintuitive as it may seem, eating rich-sources of healthy fats can actually prevent your body from gaining weight. Just like proteins, healthy fats also make you feel full, and it becomes easier to withdraw your hand from a dish of your favorite foods, which might be the ones promoting weight gain.
Fats have this property to take longer to digest and keep the stomach full for a long time. This helps with reduced appetite. In fact, a low-fat diet is not as good at keeping extra pounds away as a Mediterranean diet composed of healthy fats, such as olive oil and nuts.
In both animal and human studies, results show that unhealthy fats increase the body fat, increase your waist circumference, and make ways for a protruded belly, whereas healthy fat helps in losing belly fat.
Sources of healthy fat that have a positive impact on fat burning are:
- Olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Avocados
Keep in mind that fats are high caloric macronutrients, and you must consume moderate amounts. You can swap unhealthy fat in your diet with moderate amounts of healthy ones to prevent going overboard.
4. Reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates
Although refined carbs make some of the yummiest foods on earth, they still have two problems.
One – these foods are devoid of bran and germ, and hence low in fiber content.
Two – they have a high glycemic index, which means these carbs induce spikes in blood sugar levels, therefore, making you hungry.
A diet high in refined carbohydrates has shown to be associated with increased belly fat, and people tend to grow love handles while consuming high levels of these foods. Contrarily, whole grains (unrefined carbs) are lined with optimal body weight and smaller waists. A study was conducted on 2,834 people, and it showed that individuals who consume high amounts of refined carbs have higher fat as compared to the ones who consume whole grains.
Pastries, cookies, white pasta, processed foods, and white bread are some of the sources of refined carbs. Replace these foods with whole grains like barley, oar, wheat, and quinoa.
Based on high-protein, healthy-fat, and low-refined-carbs suggestion, you should aim for a meal that has 35 percent fat, 35 percent proteins, and 30 percent carbs.
5. Get quality sleep
Until now, you must have come across this connection between sleep and fat burning. If not, let me tell you. There have been many studies that have shown a positive relationship between sleep and weight loss. You heard it right; getting 8 hours of sleep can actually help you reach your fitness goals.
The journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, published a small study conducted over a period of 2 weeks. It showed that despite following same diet and exercise plan, participants who slept for 8.5 hours per night lost twice the weight as compared to the ones who slept for 5.5 hours per night. It is because when you get good quality adequate sleep, you hunger hormones, such as ghrelin and leptin, are kept under control. Contrary to this, lack of sleep results in an imbalance of hunger hormones, high appetite and increased risk of weight gain.
A research study on 68,183 subjects found that women who got to sleep for five or fewer than five hours a day for 16 years were more likely to suffer weight issues as compared to the ones who slept for more than 7 hours each night. Similarly, better sleep quality and 7 good hours of sleep improved weight loss by 33 percent in a study of 245 women enrolled for a 6-month weight loss program.
You may have different needs when it comes to sleep, but on average, seven hours is best to aim for.
6. Strength Training
As the name indicates, strength training increases strength and builds muscle mass. Maybe you guessed it right. Strength training is the form of exercise in which one contracts his muscles against resistance. Most common is weight lifting.
Research links strength training with numerous health benefits, especially in terms of weight fat burning potential. The science behind this fat loss is simple. Strength training improves muscle mass which in turn increase metabolic rate, thereby leading to high caloric burning.
Strength training at least three times a week can be your rescue from excess fat in the body.
7. High-Intensity Interval training
High-intensity interval training produces better results in less time. It involves short periods of intense exercise followed by brief resting periods. High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, is an incredible way to ramp-up the fat burning potential of your body. Jumping rope, push-ups, and squats are excellent ways to practice HIIT.
Always warm up before starting any intense exercise. If you have a medical condition, HIIT may not be best for you. Consult with your doctor.
Related article: 16 Ways to Reach Your Fitness Goals
8. Eat meals frequently
Weight loss and frequent meals sound much like a contradictory proposition. By frequent meal, it doesn’t mean big feasts. Aim for 5-6 small meals a day. Frequent meals prevent your body from entering into the starvation phase secondary to long hours between 2 meals and ensure the supply of necessary nutrients to burn fat. Starvation phase makes the body burn muscle for energy and makes room for fat stores. It also slows down the metabolic rate and takes you to the road of overeating and wrong food choices.
9. Fight stress
All stressful situations increase cortisol levels in the blood. The hormones signal your body to store fat for protection. Moreover, people are more likely to consume extra calories when not-so-good emotions show up. Do NOT eat for the sake of eating. You may be bored or stressed. Fine. But that doesn’t justify irrational eating. A better way is to manage stress, a factor that can sabotage your fat-burning efforts. Try deep breathing to relieve stress.
You can also read on 13 Ways Stress Affects Your Health AND 10 Tips to Manage Stress to find more information on stress management.
10. Take iron-rich diet
Iron is one of the most essential nutrients in the body. Inadequate iron levels are thought to be linked with poor thyroid gland function. These glands are responsible for secretions that regulate your body metabolism. A disruption in the thyroid functions can lead to slow metabolism, something that you don’t want when you’re trying to burn more fat. Poor thyroid function also causes weakness, shortness of breath, fatigue, and weight gain. Similarly, iron deficiency causes fatigue that impacts physical activity.
Working on improving your iron levels can increase the metabolic rate and reduce fatigue that’ll help you get back to your exercise routine. Good sources of iron include leafy greens, dried fruits, meat, seafood, beans, and fortified grains.
Check out 10 Warning Signs of Iron Deficiency and 15 Iron Rich Foods.
11. Drink caffeinated drinks
Since caffeine is a stimulant, it tends to cause metabolic changes in the body that increase your caloric burn out. Studies suggest that green and black tea have specific added benefits besides the caffeine content. Green tea has shown calorie-burning potential that is beyond caffeine.
Moreover, consuming a low-calorie cup of green or black tea is much better than high-calorie beverages like soda.
12. Unlock the power of probiotics
Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria in our digestive tract. These bacteria have shown to have multiple roles in health promotion. Probiotics also help in fat burning and keeping weight under control.
A review of 15 relevant studies on the subject showed that individuals who took probiotics had a significant reduction in their BMI and fat percentage as compared to the control group who received placebo. Another small study showed that probiotics helped people prevent weight gain even when they were taking high-fat and a high-calorie diet.
Some strains of these useful bacteria are even more beneficial. A study conducted on 28 people showed that yogurt that contains strains of Lactobacillus fermentum or Lactobacillus amylovorus bacteria tends to reduce body fat by up to 4 percent.
While probiotics are available as gut health supplements, you can also reap the benefits by eating probiotic-rich foods. Here’s a list:
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Traditional buttermilk
- Kombucha
- Pickles
- Miso
- Tempeh
- Sauerkraut
13. Eat breakfast, regularly
The editorial in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows a link between skipping breakfast and weight gain. There is evidence that individuals who skip breakfast are more likely to consume more calories in the later part of the day. Eating healthy breakfast is a part of a healthy lifestyle.
Check out: 5 Strong Reasons Why You Should Never Skip Breakfast
Conclusion
It takes no effort to get a protruding belly and a large waistline. All you need to do is eat the tasty food products and bam! On the other hand, losing weight and burning fat is as difficult as it always seems. You need to have a good plan, some healthy habits and practices, and a motivation to get back in shape. Now, don’t be the person who reads a lot but never takes action. Use this knowledge to get on the road to being a fit and healthy person.
