This morning I conducted a "search" on the term fat loss. "Fat Loss" and "Fat Loss Supplements", being the most popular, came up with a combined whopping 20128 searches that people had conducted. You think that's mind-blowing? Get a load of this... I then typed in "fat loss" into a popular search engine and - hold onto your hats - 22,500,000 results came up for that phrase! Told ya you'd be shocked! So why is it that fat loss, and reducing body fat, related information and products are so much in demand, yet obesity and being overweight are on the up and up - and are actually at the highest rate ever? With the health and fitness industry booming it seems absurd that this is occurring. What the heck is happening, folks?
Quick Note: Fat Loss is not the same as Weight Loss Please don't get the two confused. Weight loss is "overall" loss of body weight where Fat Loss is based on reducing body fat.
Temptation and Obstacles Effecting Your Attempts at Fat Loss
The fact is that losing body fat is not easy. We are tempted every day with fatty and sugary foods with super deals of quick easy meals involving drive through access and home delivery. These fast food meals are "fast" and often "affordable" with meal deals for a family of four sometimes costing under $10 - $12. Who wouldn't pass this up! Before you know it, it's the end of the day, the family is hungry, dinner time is drawing nigh and your beat. I can fully understand why people choose this option when our lifestyles are so hectic.
The Alcohol "Social and Relaxation" Temptation
An odd heading for this paragraph, I know, but I needed to draw your attention to the fact that alcohol will not help your fat loss efforts. I know we hear the saying so often that "doctors say that it's healthy to have one or two wines per day", however this is in regards to the properties of red wine assisting in the prevention of clogged arteries - not a fat loss miracle! If red wine is necessary for medicinal purposes and perscribed by a doctor then obviously your health comes first. However the topic here is fat loss...
My views are "everything in moderation". BUT I DO KNOW THAT if you want to make a genuine effort to lose body fat that a couple of alcoholic drinks per day could easily effect your fat loss attempts. So unless your's is the case above then I would seriously think about "cutting back". Just going without those few EXTRA drinks after work or consuming less alcohol at social gatherings can make a considerable difference to how much body fat you lose.
Quit Fooling Yourself
Do not fool yourself by thinking that if you just exercise for one extra session per week you can rid yourself of ALL those extra calorie packed fatty, sugary foods or alchohol. Unfortunately our bodies aren't that easily fixed.
Why Most People Don't Succeed at Losing Body Fat
Other than the temptations mentioned above people tend not to succeed at fat loss because they are either not committed, not well informed on fat loss or they are committed for the wrong reasons. In other words you either aren't abiding by the rules, or have been mislead by some other belief, OR you are trying to lose body fat because you are trying to keep other people happy rather than yourself.
Making Sure You are Trying to Lose Body Fat to Please YOU, Not Everyone Else.
Think about why it is you want to lose body fat. Make sure you really want to put in 100% effort.. You want to feel great about making this decision not obliged to do it. Losing body fat can help increase your self-esteem as well as boosting your health so giving it your best shot with a positive frame of mind is always the "way to go".
Things that You Should Do Before You Get Started!
Being organised with food preparation is very very important. It is exhausting coming home after a long day and realising you have to then magically put something together for dinner (amongst other things) You can bet the children would jump for joy if you offered them Mac's - added bonus... there's no washing up the dishes after dinner either...Sound familiar?
First you may want to make notes on what time of the day, when and where that you will most probably find it the most difficult to stick to this program. If, say for instance, "calling in at the drive thru for fast food on the way home from work or picking the children up" is where you find that you are most likely to go wrong with your eating plan then be prepared for it by making the appropriate changes. eg Having a meal which is already partly prepared in the fridge so that it will only take an extra 10 - 15 minutes to cook.
Re-orgnanising Your Lifestyle - Don't Make it Difficult on Yourself!
Re-orgnanising your lifestyle may be quite a challenge for most people and families. But if you want to succeed at fat loss I am sure you want to be able to do it without tearing your hair out. Your goal is to re-arrange and plan your day so that you, your family and your new lifestyle can run smoothly. Such as planning your low-fat meals and recipes in a diary. Planning your grocery shop with a shopping list to prevent you from buying unnecessary junk food is also a great idea. Pre-preparing meals, making appointments for your exercise time slot etc all needs to be written into your appointment book or diary. You can tick each appointment off as the day progresses. When planning your shopping list remember, that unless you have the time, don't go getting all creative with lowfat banquets etc for lunches and dinner. Choose simple to prepare ingredients and meals.
What Exercise Should I be Performing to Burn Body Fat?
Mostly it depends on your fitness level and if you have any type of injuries, back pain or medical conditions that may affect what you can and can't do. Make sure you check with your doctor first before starting any type of exercise or eating program, so he / she can indicate and provide you with a letter verifying that it is "ok" for you to start exercising and at what level. One more point... If you're attending a gym or purchasing gym equipment please make the effort to ensure that your fitness level is suited to the equipment or program you're performing. If in doubt seek advice from a professional - don't just assume because your next door neighbour or friend does it you can.
Different Types of Exercising for Burning Body Fat
There are plenty of ways to exercise to burn off body fat. Sure cardiovascular exercise via treadmills and indoor cycles are great but if you really want to ramp things up a notch then try using machines that use both your upper and lower body. Why? Because you're exerting yourself further in turn burning off more calories. If you enjoy being outdoors then walking, jogging, running, roller blading - just to name a few - are also great. Finding an activity that suits your body's needs and fitness level is important.
Weight or resistance training is a huge plus when it comes to cutting back bodyfat. Did you know that the more lean muscle mass you have the more calories you burn? This means that your body can burn more calories day and night - that's right - even while you're sleeping!
To maximise your potential to burn off calories much more efficiently include weight / resistance training AND cardio into your program.
I've included some examples of training routines to give you an idea of a typical program to help combat body fat. For those of you who are genetically gifted with lean muscle and a higher metabolism OR who aren't too keen on getting lean then as low as two cardio sessions per week can be ample. Click here to view them: Fat Loss Training Routines
The Wrong Program for You: A Common Mistake that Leads to Lack of Fat Loss
Have you ever read a successful fat loss story that you, and everyone else you know, tried only to find that it didn't work that well for you or them? Did you stop to think that maybe the person in the success story had their program specifically designed for their body type, not yours! If you really want to "kick some fat loss butt" you need a program that is designed to suit your body type and fitness level. Don't expect super results from a program that someone else used, remember they may have had a different metabolism, fitness level, body shape and eating program to you, which makes it very difficult for you to reach the same levels of fatloss as they did.
Where to go from here... After reading this article you should have a greater knowledge of where you may be going wrong with your fat loss or how to get started on a new fat loss program.
I look forward to seeing you again soon.
Happy Training!
© Mandy Gibbons Virtual Fitness Trainer
Persons who are of good health, suspect of their health or are aware of any conditions, physical deficiencies or diseases should always consult a physician before undertaking any eating or exercise program. Mandy Gibbons and Virtual Fitness Trainer disclaims any liability or loss in connection with the above program or advice given in this article.
If you're sick of battling the buldge get started on your own kick-butt personalized fat loss program: http://www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com/Burnbodyfatnow For more tips and advice on eating and training for fat loss click here: http://fatloss.virtualfitnesstrainer.com
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