5 Rules for Losing Body Fat

You’re trying to lose weight and you’re determined to achieve a certain goal by a certain deadline. But for some reason or other your efforts didn’t pay off as expected. What do you do? Do you beat yourself up about it; stressing, worrying, and panicking? The pressure to lose weight and look better can be a motivator, but many people allow themselves to be controlled entirely by that pressure. In fact, some people may even drive themselves to the point of over-exhaustion or depression because of a slight bump in the road. This can take a toll on your mental health even if you manage to look much slimmer than before.

Fitness shouldn’t focus solely on your physical attributes but also on your mental wellbeing. So you need to embrace a lifestyle that improves your physical health while building your self esteem. Here are a few healthy rules with minimal pressure for you to follow when losing body fat:

1. Find an exercise that works for you – Whether your goal is to lose weight, tone your muscles, or simply stay fit, your choice of exercise is of top priority. You may not be a big fan of exercises or physical activity, so you’ll need to find something that you can actually enjoy in order to start out with your fitness routine.

If you don’t like to go outside try to start with simple exercises you can do at home. If you enjoy being around people try to join a gym or sign up for a yoga class. At the same time, you also need to think about which exercises can help you achieve your fitness goals. When your goal is to lose body fat, high intensity exercises are ideal as they increase your heart rate to higher than 70% of your maximum heart rate.

2. Don’t be scared of carbs – There’s a long-drawn debate about diets and whether low carb diets are ideal for fitness. The truth is that carbohydrates don’t essentially make you gain weight. As long as you’re consuming high-calorie foods, you’re still going to gain weight. Instead of cutting down on carbohydrates altogether, avoid foods with high levels of simple carbohydrates. Your body is going to digest this type of carbs much faster than complex carbs, meaning you’re going to get hungry easily. So the main idea is to increase your intake of complex carbohydrates, which will release energy slowly throughout the day. Whole grains, whole-meal pasta, brown rice, beans, potatoes, and peas are some examples of complex carbohydrates.

3. Don’t be afraid to eat – Your daily diet is as important as your choice of exercises when you’re planning to lose body fat. The trouble lies in finding the right diet and you may find yourself counting every calorie and watching everything that you eat. That’s just plain stressful. Avoid cutting down on food so much so that you’re low on energy and you’re hungry all the time. The solution lies in eating the right kind of foods with the right nutritional content that helps you remain full for longer and prevents cravings.

4. Find a schedule and routine that works for you – Exercising is all about consistency. You start off with mid- to high-intensity workouts for a few weeks and then you end up not doing anything at all. That’s not only going to be ineffective but also unhealthy for your body. One of the best rules to help you maintain consistency is to find a schedule that’s most convenient for you and plan your workout routine around that schedule.

While many people opt to workout early in the morning, you may not be a morning person. If you have to force yourself to wake up early every morning just so you can exercise, chances are you may end up slowing down and eventually missing your exercise routines altogether. Maybe you could start exercising early in the evening. This is when your metabolism starts slowing down for the day, so it may be the perfect time for a workout session. However, if morning exercises can get you in the groove more easily, there’s no reason to switch to evening workouts. The best idea is to schedule your workout for a time when your body feels good and your daily routine doesn’t get in the way.

5. Increase your protein intake – High-protein diets can work wonders for your body, helping you lose excess fat and gain muscle mass. The result is a fit and toned body. Opt for proteins with low levels of saturated fats and calories, so as to prevent the development of unwanted fat. Lean meat, whole eggs, nuts, vegetables, and dairy products are the best sources of protein. If you have health complications like kidney disease, however, make sure to avoid overdoing it.

Now you have some of the top rules for losing body fat in a healthy way and with minimal pressure. You won’t have to starve yourself or over-exhaust yourself anymore. Just remember to have patience and give it some time before the results start showing. With just a little bit of discipline and consistency you can lose your unwanted body fat.

Other Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/20-most-weight-loss-friendly-foods#section5 

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