If you want to lose body fat then it is a good idea to train your body to use fat as fuel, and in doing so your fuel stores – or fat stores – will be depleted. Consider that the energy we should use to fuel our sedentary lives is primarily from fat, providing long lasting steady stream of energy.
This is the case in unless through a poor diet we lose the ability to access our fat stores (adipose tissue) and we become more reliant on a less steady fuel source – sugar.
If you have ever had an energy-low just after lunch in the afternoon or a mid morning low after breakfast then it is probably due to sugar, and an inaccessible store of fat.
So how can we access our fat stores and lose weight at rest and in our sleep? The answer through nutrition is simple – provide the right amount of calories and the nutrients the body needs, provide the correct fuels and limit the intake of fuels that prevent the fat from being burned.
1. Avoid processed carbohydrates – essentially sugar. Even in white bread or baguette and white pasta as these elicit an insulin response and in real terms result in feeling low.
2. Consume unsaturated fats such as olive oil and sunflower oil as these are very reactive and easily used as energy – long lasting energy.
3. Eat fibre – a good gastric inhibitor that allows your energy to be released slowly. Not to mention the other benefits for health. Find fibre in fruit, vegetables beans and pulses.
4. Avoid sugary soft drinks – drink water! Even juices unless they are ‘not from concentrate’ are just as bad as pop.
5. Consume protein at every meal, found in lean meats and fish, nuts and seeds, and beans and pulses.
In addition try this:
If you follow these tips you will surely see good improvements in your body composition and in your energy levels. In addition to this you should create a calorie deficit in the body – after all weight loss is about burning calories to lose weight.
Aim to consume around 500kcal per day less than your body needs. Ways to create a calorie deficit include are to eat less and move more.
If you are finding this difficult then a weight loss supplement such as a protein shake, fish oils or a CLA supplement may help you by creating good habits and routine, and by showing you accelerated weight loss results. Both of which will make it more likely for you to stick to your weight loss target.
Remember though, weight loss comes from healthy nutrition, combined with exercise and not a magic supplement!