Burning fat is the easiest way to shed those extra pounds. But the gap between where you are and where you want to go is quite challenging. While diet and exercise are the best options, other factors also influence your weight loss goals, like time, and of course, the effort it takes doing it. Thankfully, there are a variety of ways to burn that fat with fewer complications. Here are the ways to do it.
1. Fasting
The simplest way to burn body fat is fasted exercise. This encourages the body to use body fat as its own fuel by converting the fat into energy. Working out on an empty stomach is an example of this. Ideally, this can be done in early mornings before breakfast. However, long periods of fasting can mislead your body into thinking of storing the fat, which is encouraged by a feeling of starvation. The body wants only the things that are beneficial to it. When it senses starvation, it protects the body by storing the fat instead of using it as fuel for energy.
2. Avoiding sugar-laden drinks
Fizzy sodas and one hundred percent fruit juices are loaded with sugars that have high caloric contents. The calories in these drinks will only heighten your blood sugar levels. Whole fruits and low sugar drinks are the best options in burning that excess fat.
3. Considering the visceral
Even when you’re thin, it’s not a guarantee that you’re free from excess body fat. Fats can be deposited around your organs, like the liver, stomach, and intestines.
Visceral fat should never be ignored because they can be a cause for serious health conditions. Unlike belly fat that can be easily seen, visceral fats aren’t visible. You need to have a visceral scan in order to see the number of fats stored in your abdominal cavity.
Luckily, visceral fat responds positively to exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes. Losing some pounds means losing some visceral fats. Exercising for at least thirty minutes a day, combining cardio exercises and strength training are the simplest ways to lose those invisible fats.
Decreasing your stress levels is also one way of doing it. The stress hormone cortisol is one of the culprits to your stored visceral fats. A reduction in your stress levels means a reduction of these fats.
A meditation practice, deep breathing, and stress management strategies are a great way to reduce your stress levels.
4. Getting enough sleep
Sleep plays an important role in your overall health. Lack of sleep pushes your body to crave for more sugar in its desire to increase your energy levels. When this becomes a vicious cycle, your body will lose the needed proteins necessary to keep it functioning well.
Sleep deprivation also causes hormonal changes that regulate your hunger and appetite, which makes you crave for more fat and sugary foods. Eating more means increasing your calorie intake, which is likely to lead to an unplanned weight gain.
5. Drinking tea
If you want a boost in your metabolism, green tea is the best answer. Green tea also contains compounds that can encourage thermogenesis or calorie burn. When green tea isn’t available, the best alternatives are hot spices, like chili, black pepper, and hot pepper. Coconut oil also works as great.
6. Following a high protein diet
Protein-rich foods work great in the reduction of your appetite and burning of fat. And it can also reduce the risk of belly fat.
During weight loss, foods high in protein aid you in preserving muscle mass and metabolism. Because proteins make you feel full, your appetite will decrease resulting in reduced calorie intake. A good source of proteins includes meat, seafood, eggs, legumes, and dairy products.
7. Adding vinegar to your diet
Vinegar has ample health benefits, from ensuring heart health to controlling blood sugar, it can also help in burning body fat. Consuming at least one tablespoon of vinegar a day can reduce your body weight and belly fat, according to a study. Not only that, but it can also enhance your feelings of fullness thereby reducing your appetite.
There are a lot of ways you can incorporate vinegar into your diet. You can add it to your favorite dressings, sauces, and marinades or dilute apple cider vinegar with water and make it a healthy drink a few times during the day.
8. Consuming more healthy fats
While bad fats are literally bad for the body, good fats work best in preventing weight gain. Digesting healthy fats takes a while, thus you feel full much longer and reduce your food craving. Healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, avocados, seeds, and coconut oil are beneficial especially in preventing weight gain and fat burning.
9. Drinking healthy beverages
Sodas, juices, and alcohol are high in calories, which are likely to increase the risk of belly fat. Alcohol, most especially, lowers your inhibitions, encouraging you to eat more. Calorie-free beverages include water and green tea. Drinking 17 ounces of water before meals can increase weight loss while drinking a cup of green tea can promote fat burning.
10. Filling up on fiber
Foods that are high in fiber increase your protection against weight gain and prevent the accumulation of fat. Soluble fiber is released from the body slowly making you feel full a bit longer.
A five-year study found that increasing your soluble intake per day for up to 10 grams can reduce your belly fat for up to 3.7% even without the aid of diet and exercise. Foods like legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are high in fiber and can actually help in your weight loss goals and in fat burning.
11. Drinking coffee
While others shun away from coffee because of the effects of its caffeine, others run for it because of its helpful benefit in burning body fat. The caffeine in coffee acts as a stimulant in the central nervous system. It also increases metabolism while breaking down fatty acids.
Studies show that coffee is beneficial in weight loss. Just don’t add cream and sugar into your coffee to avoid an increase in calories.
