So like most of you probably have I’ve just booked my first summer holiday last week and I’ve managed to get into pretty good shape already, considering I wasn’t tracking macros or even training for fat loss!
Here are 10 of my top secrets to losing that stubborn body fat… These past two weeks I’m been sticking to these tips to make sure I’ve kicked started my fat loss ready for my holiday at the end of this month.
So lets get to it…
1. Always have something green on your plate.
No matter what I’ve eaten or what time of day it is, I’ve made sure I’ve eaten something green with every meal/snack.
This is a great way of ensuring that you are getting plenty of guilt free goodness and staying on top of your 5-a-day.
2. Fill up on vegetables.
Guilt free eating! Plus your boost your dosage of the essential nutrients that play an important role in keeping your body primed for fat loss as well as improving your overall health. Go easy on starchy vegetables though, such as potatoes as they tend to have less fibre so turn into sugars quicker. You should aim for 1 fist size of veg with your snacks and 2-3 fists of veg with main meals.
3. Drink 35ml of water p/kg of body weight every day.
When you think of your body, think of a car. Unless you put the correct fuel in the tank and keep it well oiled, it will stop running smoothly and eventually break down. Water is what the body needs in order to keep it working at its optimum.
4. Don’t be afraid of fat.
Healthy fats are good for you and extremely important for a healthy, balanced diet. I’ve had healthy fats every day and increased my omega 3 fish oil intake which I will expand upon in my next blog.
At last, the truth… Butter is GOOD for you – and margarine is chemical gunk so ditch the 1 cal spray and spread that full fat goodness.
5. Remember the saying “earn your carbs”
Well I’m sorry to say it but for the vast majority of us thats exactly what we need to do if we ever want to see those abs. Carbs are easily stored as sugar so making sure you eat just enough to maintain energy levels and fuel for your workouts is key. I tend not to eat any with breakfast, have a few at lunch depending on how I’m feeling energy wise and keep the majority of my carbs for after my workout when my body needs them most.
6. Be prepared or prepare to fail.
If you have a number of business meetings, birthday parties or you’re travelling, then you need to be prepared. A small treat or cheat meal will soon become something regular. Enjoy one of those occasionally maybe once a week but for the rest of the time you need to be disciplined. Be honest with yourself, be realistic and make healthy choices. One business buffet does not mean the rest of the day needs to be written off. Be social, eat, enjoy …then get straight back to your healthy habits.
7. Keep moving its what we were designed to do!
Out of training sessions aim for more steps than the previous week. This increase in movement will burn more calories and cause more of an energy deficit which will assist fat loss.
8. Track Progress With the My Fitness Pal App, its FREE!
Do not worry too much about what the scales say you weight will fluctuate over hours and days depending on the time of day, say morning on a empty stomach or evenings when your probably holding much more water and food.
Heres a quick look at how I track my weight and calories intake…
I create a workout and daily calories intake plan which I aim to follow for at least a week. I then measured my weight every morning using the same set of scales, at the end of the I take the average which I measure against my starting weight to see if the plan worked – It had! I’d lost body fat in the initial 7 days and dropped 1kg. From there I’ll stick to the plan 100% adjusting my daily calorie intake to make sure my weight continues to drop ideally by 0.5kg per week.
Be careful that you calories are not too low or you’ll end up losing muscle and graining more body fat than when you started!
9. Cut out all processed foods.
Processed foods are normally high in sugar and calories. When you’re trying to lose body fat eating foods that are lower calorie and more nutrient rich is a better option. I’ve been eating tons of fruits and veggies to keep me fuelled and full, while keeping calories lower than normal.
10. Sleep yourself to the body of your dreams.
A bad night means a bad day. Getting a good night’s sleep is vitally important when it comes to keeping hormones levels healthy, repairing the body and getting lean.
Not only do you risk raising your cortisol (stress hormone) levels which will lead to increased fat storage, a bad nights sleep leads to increased levels of hunger and over time, will lead to unwanted weight gain.
Sleep is just as important as exercise… so get some zzzz’s. I’ve been making sure to get at least 7 hours each night.
So how many of these are you currently doing consistently? I’ve hit 10/10 and in 4 days my lower abs have appeared 😀
Angelo De Chiara
Gym Manager / Fitness Coach
Dallington Fitness
Poytnz Lane
Northampton, NN5 7TZ
E: angelo@dallingtonfitness.co.uk
T: 01604 59 29 29
M: 07903 540 054
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