26/04/2016
Guide To Healthy Fat Loss
You're ready to lose weight, but overwhelmed by complicated diet plans. Learn how to achieve your goals by focusing on what's absolutely necessary!
You may have heard some variation of this statement before: Your commitment to improved nutrition has to be a total, sustainable lifestyle change.
When people say this, they're often doing it with the best of intentions. They're trying to make eating better seem easier and more approachable. But what comes across is often the opposite. After all, there are an infinite number of nutrition-related variables you could change, and they would all impact your enjoyment, progress, and willingness to continue.
So let's break it down and focus on doing fewer things better. Here is one technique you can use to make real progress without getting overwhelmed.
DON'T MICROMANAGE YOUR MACROS
Repeat after me: protein, vegetables, water. If you forget everything else after reading this article, at least remember these three words. They're the nutritional foundation of fat loss.
Don't get me wrong—fat has its place, and it's an important one. But if your goal is to lose FAT, eating more protein and vegetables and drinking more water are the priorities. Focus on getting more of all three, and you can solve a lot of problems.
IF YOUR GOAL IS TO LOSE FAT, EATING MORE PROTEIN AND VEGETABLES AND DRINKING MORE WATER ARE THE PRIORITIES. FOCUS ON GETTING MORE OF ALL THREE, AND YOU CAN SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS.
Why? Let's break them down one at a time.
Protein: Aside from its ability to help you add muscle—which, in turn, helps to burn more fat—protein has several other benefits. It is slow to digest, which can help keep you feeling full throughout the day. It also has a high thermic effect, which means your body actually has to burn energy to digest and absorb protein. Yes, you understood that correctly: Protein can help keep you feeling fuller while eating less. To keep calories in check and encourage muscle-building at its highest, I recommend using lean animal proteins a majority of the time.
Veggies: After you're finished pummeling your protein, it's time to feast on veggies! Aside from the nutrient density and abundant antioxidants most vegetables have to offer, they also help to promote fullness due to their high water content. Fresh, frozen, or canned, each offers few calories per serving, which leads to larger portions and more fullness without the caloric overload or guilt trip.
SYMPTOMS OF DEHYDRATION
Hunger
Fatigue
Headaches
Lightheadedness
Trouble focusing
Irritability
Impaired short-term memory
Muscle cramps
Decreased speed and strength
Impaired reaction time
Symptoms can appear when you're dehydrated by as little as 3%!1,2
Water: With all of the hoopla around macronutrients, it's easy to forget that water is an essential nutrient, too. After all, we're at least 70 percent water, which means we're more water than protein! Aside from the cognitive and performance benefits associated with proper hydration, it's crucial to drink water consistently throughout the day to further promote fullness, prevent dehydration, and boost recovery from exercise. Of course, this calorie-free fluid also takes up ample space in your stomach, preventing you from trying to fill it with candy and cookies.
These priorities can even extend to the order in which you eat things on your plate. Try filling up on proteins and veggies first, with ample sips of water throughout the meal. If you still have room afterward, that's when to eat your carbs and fats.
