5 simple strategies for burning fat and increasing your metabolism
The wait is over, no more “Hollywood” diet plans, quick fixes, secret diet shakes or pills. The answer to
the underlying issue of long-term fat loss is finally here. These five simple eating strategies will help you
achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of. Remember those late night infomercials that promised a
thirty-pound weight loss in thirty days? This miracle also translates to 40 pounds back in 90 days. Long-
term change is a gradual process, it doesn’t happen overnight. This is an eating lifestyle, not a short-term
fix. Common sense should also tell you that eating is also only one small piece of the total fitness puzzle.
A combination of cardiovascular exercise, strength training and proper eating must all work together for
long-term fat loss. There is no quick fix, so stop looking for the easy way out.
#1 EAT MORE CALORIES
Surprise, Surprise!! Low-calorie eating plans (below 1200 calories) will do more harm than help.
Metabolism is the key. When the body is depleted of calories on a regular basis, it shuts down into
“starvation” mode, which in turn, causes a drop in your metabolism. This drop in metabolism is created by
the body breaking down it’s own muscle to be used as fuel. The choice is simple, either you eat the correct
amount of calories and maintain (or increase) your current amount of muscle, or eat a low calorie diet and
lose some muscle in the process. This doesn’t seem like a hard decision. The trick is to consume enough
calories to keep your metabolism high, but get enough of a caloric deficit to burn fat. Just in case you are
wondering, the caloric deficit is created by the simple concept of exercise (cardiovascular training, weight
training, etc).
#2 SLASH FAT CALORIES
Calories from fatty foods (butter, fried foods, candy, etc,.) are immediately sent to the bodies fat storage,
whereas calories from other foods have to be broken down and converted into fat – a process that actually
burns calories. Reduce your intake of fatty foods by choosing the low-fat or non-fat alternatives: lean
proteins like white meat, poultry, fish, and egg whites; low-fat dairy products; low-fat salad dressings; and
other reduced fat items. Learn how to reduce fat in your diet by making some very simple healthy
substitutions. Try a baked potato instead of French fries, skim milk for whole milk, pretzels for potato
chips, frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, and grilled chicken in exchange for a cheeseburger; to name just
a few. Also, rather than frying your food, why not try to broil, bake or microwave instead.
#3 THINK YOUR WAY THROUGH THE CARB CONTROVERSY
There is a lot of publicity surrounding the concept of carbohydrates. These three simple strategies will help
you learn the do’s and dont’s of carbohydrate consumption.
CONCENTRATE ON NATURAL FOODS
It is common knowledge that natural, unprocessed foods are used more efficiently by the body, and are less
likely to be stored as body fat. Fresh vegetables, whole grain foods, and other complex, natural
carbohydrates should make up the majority of your diet. The body uses these natural, complex
carbohydrates to make and replenish muscle glycogen, the carbohydrate stored in the muscles and liver
used to provide energy for exercise and activity. Natural foods are also rich in fiber. This fiber found in
whole grains, fruits, and vegetables keeps your digestive tract healthy and free from cancer-causing
substances. Refined carbohydrates have undergone too many steps in man-made processing, and are
consequently not utilized very well by the body. These processed bread and pasta products (white bread
and white rice) have more of a tendency to be converted into body fat.
MODERATE YOUR INTAKE OF CARBOHYDRATES FOR FASTER FAT LOSS.
Carbohydrates, also known as energy foods, are a very important part of any diet. But, if you are interested
in speeding up your fat loss, simply cut back slightly on your carb intake. A reduction in carb intake means
your body has less glycogen to run on, so it starts burning fat instead. There is however one major
drawback: fewer carbohydrates result in low energy and a cranky mood (because less glucose gets to the
brain, and glucose is brain fuel). The solution is simple: include a complex carb with every meal except
dinner. That way, you have the energy when you need it most, during the day for exercise and other
activities. If your body and mind can tolerate it, reduce your carb consumption drastically following your
mid afternoon snack. Limiting starchy carbohydrates in the evening reduces the number of calories at
dinner. Save your larger meals for breakfast and lunch.
SAY “NO” TO SUGAR
Sugars (honey, syrup, table sugar, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, to name a few) are rapidly
digested into glucose, a sugar in the blood that is quickly converted into glycogen for the muscles and liver
or carried in the blood to fuel the brain and muscles. Eating too much sugar at one time can cause the
excess to be turned into body fat. This process is very simple to understand. Excessive sugar triggers a
surge of the hormone insulin, which in turn activates certain enzymes that promote fat storage. Natural,
complex or starchy carbohydrates do not cause this reaction, and are therefore less likely to be stored as fat.
So if you’re interested in fighting fat, avoid excess sugar.
#4 EAT ENOUGH PROTEIN
An exercising body requires a sufficient amount of protein to develop and maintain muscle. During
digestion, protein from your diet is broken down into amino acids, which are reshuffled back into protein to
make and repair body tissues. Without the correct amount of dietary protein, a large number of the amino
acids used in this rebuilding process can be used as an energy source by the body during exercise,
especially intense aerobic workouts. This is the main reason why exercisers need more protein in their
diets than sedentary people. Your body will get the protein it needs one way or another. If you don’t eat
enough, it will automatically start to break down muscle tissue to get the amino acids required for energy.
Consequently, you will end up losing valuable metabolically active muscle tissue and sabotage your fat-
loss efforts.
#5 EAT SEVERAL MEALS A DAY
The concept of “three square meals” is long gone. This is probably good news since most people prefer to
nibble throughout the day anyway. Eating frequently during the day has several fat-burning and nutritional
advantages:
A higher calorie burn rate
Each meal causes a temporary rise in metabolism to digest and absorb food. Eating 5-6 meals a days
causes the metabolism to stay elevated more often, which in turn gives you more fat-burning potential.
More energy
Frequent meals provide the body with a constant stream of energy-producing nutrients.
Better absorption of nutrients
Research has shown that a larger percentage of vitamins and minerals are absorbed with a series of small
meals, compared to two to three large ones.
Less temptation
Eating five to six times per day, every three to fours hours, gives you less of an opportunity to binge on
foods you shouldn’t have in the first place. This means you will never get hungry and become a victim of
food cravings.
It’s that simple. This eating philosophy is not Rocket Science. It does however take some time to initiate
the whole process. Don’t try to change everything in a week, take it one step at a time. Don’t make any
more excuses. If you really want to change, you will find the time to do what it takes. It doesn’t matter
how many seminars you attend or how many books and articles you read, you yourself have to be ready to
make the change and commit to a different type of lifestyle. Until this occurs, all of this information is
useless. Keep this article for reference, and when you decide you are ready, re-read it and start the fat-
burning process.
