The Summer Dress Workout Series: Tips to Burn Fat

We don't have time to waste there is only 2 months left until the summer so let's just get right into to it!

TIP #1-Did you know that exercise in the morning can burn fat faster than in the day or evening? If you work out the first thing in the morning, your metabolism is working at a faster rate throughout the day, which spells calories being burned and ultimate weight loss.

BUILDING A FIRM FOUNDATION

Just as your house is built on a firm foundation, let's establish some tips that we need to lay down before we can talk about what kinds of foods you need to consume or stay away from.

TIP #2-Burning body fat is the most effective way to lose weight. Some people tend to skip meals but this only slows down your metabolism and stores more fat once you eat. Some people try to sweat it out but unless this is done on a regular basis, the body only loses mostly water. Once you quench your thirst, the weight returns. Therefore, the best way to lose weight is to get to the source of the problem - excessive fat storage. If you want to lose weight or be more physically fit, then burning body fat is the right path to take. Body fat builds up due to excessive intake and inactivity but once it is used, the fat cells under your skin will be depleted, making you thinner. Just as a person deposits money into the bank and the account grows and gets PHAT-similarly happens when a person eats and does not workout which results in them getting FAT.

TIP #3- Women have more body fat than men. By nature, women have more body fat because they have more enzymes to store fat and fewer enzymes to burn it. Estrogen, the main female hormone, also helps multiply fat cells. All of these are due to the fact that a female body is built to nurture not only itself but another body. Try to know your body fat percentage to help you properly burn body fat. On the average, women should have around 23% body fat.

TIP #4- If you are really serious forget the bathroom scale. Most people fail to lose weight because the bathroom scale does not meet their expectation of weight loss. Instead, focus on good habits that create weight loss.


TIPS TO BURN FAT AND BUILD LEAN MUSCLE

TIP #5- Don't Skip Meals, Especially Breakfast - I can't say this one enough. Most people try desperately to lose weight by skipping meals but unfortunately this only leads to more weight gain. Your body goes into starvation mode which leads to overeating, usually late at night. Also repeatedly skipping meals will slow down your metabolism.

TIP #6- Eat 5 Small Meals Each Day - Studies have shown that eating smaller meals more frequently through the day will raise your metabolism. It also keeps you satisfied and you are less likely to binge later in the day.

TIP #7- Plan Your Meals – Planning your meals for the day is one of the biggest things you can do to lose excess weight. Plan on 5 healthy small meals or snacks. Most women burn about 2000 calories per day, so to lose weight, plan 5 meals for a total of 1500 calories. Below is a sample diet plan you may want to create:


Cereal or Oatmeal: 200 calories
Fruit: 100 calories
Coffee or tea (no sugar): 0 calories – use Splenda

Mid-Morning Snack
Protein Shake or fruit: 100 – 200 calories

Lunch
Chicken salad or chicken breast or sandwich on whole grain bread: 300 calories
Soup: 200 calories

Mid-Day Snack
½ sandwich with soup or Protein Shake or Lean Cuisine: 200 – 300 calories

Dinner
Meat – baked, broil or grilled (4 – 6 ounces)
chicken or beef or pork or venison or fish: 200 – 400 calories
vegetable – 2 servings: 100 calories
Sugar Free Jell-O with whip cream: 30 calories

TIP #8- Calories Count – To lose weight you must burn more calories than you take in. Contrary to popular opinion, our metabolism is very dynamic. It changes according to how often we eat, what we eat and the amount of movement we expend. A common mistake is to eat 1 or 2 big meals for the entire day which leaves your body in starvation mode for most of the day. Big time gap between meals causes your metabolism to slow down to conserve energy.

TIP #9- Schedule Exercise Time - Start right now. Write down your schedule and give yourself 25 to 30 minutes of cardio at least 3 times per week. If possible, schedule exercise 5 to 7 times per week. Exercise should not be strenuous and can include fast pace walking, cycling (stationary or real bike), elliptical or treadmill at the gym. Including an exercise routine will help increase the rate of fat loss.

TIP #10- Drink Plenty of Water – Drink a minimum of 8 cups of water but strive for 10 to 12 cups. Drink more water if you regularly exercise. A body that is fully hydrated can dump excess fat more efficiently, so take your water bottle and drink plenty of water.

TIP #11- Daily Journal Your Calorie Deficit - The focus is on healthy habits that lead to weight loss instead of actual weight loss that tends to fluctuate from day to day so by recording daily calorie deficit, you are actually journaling the fat loss process.

Remember it takes 3500 calories to burn 1 pound of fat. If you burn 2000 calories (without exercise) a day but you only eat 1500 calories, your deficit is 500 calories. It will take 7 days at that calorie deficit to burn 1 pound of fat. If you add 30 minutes of cardio a day which burns about 300 extra calories, you will increase the deficit to 800 calories per day which will decrease the time to burn a pound of fat to 4 ½ days.

By writing down your calorie deficit each day, you are aware of your progress without the pressure of getting on the scale. The nature of how your body dissipates excess weight can greatly vary so don’t weigh for several months. The focus should be on good eating habits and maintaining a healthy calorie deficit.

Journaling is easy. The average cardio exercise at a medium pace burns 600 calories per hour, so 30 minutes burns 300 calories. If you’re a woman, plan your meals at 1500 calories per day. See tip #7 for sample diet plan.

Strive for 500 to 800 calorie deficit per day. Make it a game. By daily journaling, you stay motivated because your success is not dependent on the scale but rather by focusing on good, healthy eating habits that create fat loss. Even if you lose weight at a slower rate than predicted, you will still lose weight.

Avoid calorie deficit of more than 600 calories per day by ONLY DIETING because you inadvertently slow your metabolism down when you cut calories too much. Use exercise to increase calorie deficit.

You'll find that it's actually fun to journal your calorie deficit as you stay on plan by focusing on eating properly, slightly reducing calorie consumption and increasing exercise. Weight loss (particularly fat loss) will be the by-product of your effort.

Get pen and paper out right now. You can add or subtract a few hundred calories later to compensate for your particular metabolism. Start your daily deficit journal and give yourself plenty of time to lose fat and inches. You can get rid of those pounds and slim down before the summer and get in that summer dress.

RECOMMENDED FOODS

Here this section recommends foods that consists mainly of eating fish, lean meats, chicken and egg whites. Do this and you will increase your protein while limiting your fats and carbs.

Here are the types of fish recommended:
- Anchovies
- Catfish
- Light tuna
- Mackerel
- Codfish
- Salmon
- Whitefish

Here's the type of lean meats recommended:
- Sirloin tip
- flank steak
- Top Round Steak
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Center loin pork chops
- Tenderloin pork chops

Finally, you'll actually find that you'll be eating more food than in the past. The reason for this is because you are taking in less saturated fats and high sugar carbs.
* Consume 4 to 7 fresh fruits and vegetables every day
* Eat a whole grain carbs
* Drink 6 to 10 8 ounce glasses of water each day
* Eat only good fats, such as avocado OS, olive oils, fish and some nuts
* Don't skip meals

Remember always IT'S A PROCESS!


Charlotte Boot Camp and Personal Trainer