If you’re ready to make some healthy changes in your lifestyle, you need to start with a balanced and nutritious diet. As important as it is to exercise and keep your body moving exercise alone won’t help you lose weight and tone up your body. A perfect combination of diet and exercise is always the best option, but to kickstart your new routine we’ll show you how to lose body fat by changing what you eat. The first step is to figure out how your body works and how to make the right food choices to fuel your body while burning fat and losing weight.
Understanding Fat
When someone mentions “fat,” we automatically assume they’re talking about the harmful fat the you find in processed foods and the kind that makes you gain weight. But there are four different types of fat used by the human body:
- Saturated fat is found in animal products.
- Trans fat is also found in animal products but is more prevalent in processed foods like baked desserts, snacks and fried foods. Saturated and trans fats are associated with an increased your risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are considered “healthy fats,” and they are most commonly found in plant products. These fats help to lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol and increase your levels of the good HDL cholesterol.
Once you understand the type of fat that is good for you versus what you need to avoid, you can make more informed decisions about the type of food you include in your diet and how you can lose body fat by changing what you eat.
Understanding How Your Body Works
Every body is different, which means that it’s important to understand how your body works because what may work for one person may not work for you. That being said, the human body is a well-oiled machine and every body burns fat the same way. When you eat fatty food, it is broken down by enzymes in your stomach and small intestine, then the fatty acids are absorbed, repackaged and transported via lipoproteins through the blood. Fat is essential to our body and has many jobs to complete, including:
- Providing a protective cushion around your organs
- Maintain body temperature
- Keep your skin healthy and moist
- Creates new hormones
- Acts as an important source of energy for cellular actions
- And more!
When your body has excess fatty acids being transported through the blood then it will store them for later, and this is when you start storing body fat.
Lose Body Fat Through Diet
When the ultimate goal is to burn fat success can be achieved through a very simple equation and counting calories. Your body requires a specific number of calories in order to run – think of it as batteries that keep you running – this is known as your resting metabolic rate. If you were to burn more calories than your body uses, then you will burn fat and lose weight. On the other hand, if you consume more calories than your body burns then you will gain weight. Your body prioritizes carbs as an energy source but when carbs are not available then the body will begin to burn fat. If you switch up your diet and commit to eating the right foods, then you can easily lose body fat by changing what you eat. Here are a few tips on selecting nutritious and delicious foods to help you achieve your goal weight:
- Eat more protein – you can enjoy lean meats, fish, eggs, legumes, beans and plant-based protein from vegetables and leafy greens
- Aim to eat healthy fats and stay away from trans and saturated fats that are found in processed foods
- Avoid refined carbohydrates
- Choose high-fiber foods that will suppress your appetite and help you feel fuller for longer
- Don’t drink your calories, try to stay away from sugary juices and sodas and instead stay hydrated with water and healthy choices like green tea
If you have tried diet after diet, exhausted yourself with countless hours at the gym sweating through various aerobics and strength training classes and you’re still not seeing the results you are looking for you may want to look into alternate weight loss programs. At A New Me we offer a wide range of weight loss services including supplements, injections and more! If you’re curious to learn more and you’re ready to embark on your journey to a healthier version of yourself, then please contact us – we look forward to meeting you and helping you reach your fitness and health goals.
Leave a Reply