Keys to losing fat forever

Type in fat loss into google. Go ahead. Overwhelming isn't it? What's real? What's a scam? Does it work for you? No wonder people give up before they even start. Losing weight is not easy, especially when you aren't armed with the right ammunition: Knowledge. As with anything in life, knowledge equals success.


Nutritional Guidelines:

EAT! In my decade of consulting with women who've wanted to lose weight, the majority of them have been on what I call the no-food diet. That's right. They don't eat. And they don't eat in hopes that they will lose weight.

Food is the body's source of fuel, much like the gas for your car. No gas, no vroom vroom right? Your body functions much in the same way. However, no food and the body is still forced to function so it now has to rely on an alternative source. Muscle. And muscle loss slows down your metabolism. Which causes weight gain. Which makes you miserable.

1. Eat small meals but often! Ideally your meals should be spaced out every 3 hours. Breakfast within the first hour of rising and then subsequent meals and snacks following. NEVER skip breakfast.

2. Balance your meals! Make sure all 3 macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats) are present at every meal and snack. That means, no more rice cakes for lunch. For healthy proteins and fats, start to incorporate cottage cheese, tuna, low fat yogurts, hardboiled eggs or a handful of almonds.

3. Drink your water! Many of my clients complain of headaches and bloating. It's no wonder when I find out that they live off of Tim Hortons coffee and consume little to no water. Water is vital for your bodys' systems to function properly. You should be drinking close to 2 liters per day. Ya I know, you don't like it. Neither do I. But I bet you like that 35" waist even less. Priorities ladies!

4. Eat close to the source! Get rid of the processed junk. Toss the boxed cereal. No more frozen lean cuisine dinners, or chocolatey granola bars. Get rid of the fruit juices. Swap that Kellogs cereal for a bowl of slow-cooking oatmeal, exchange the granola bars for a trail mix of nuts, ditch the fruit juice for real fruit and toss out the frozen meals and incorporate chicken and veggies.

Exercise Guidelines:

1. Walking is not enough! Walking to the store or to work will burn some calories, but it won't get your metabolism revved and the calories burnt are insufficient (unless you've spent your existance parked on the couch). On average, you burn about 240 kcals walking for an hour. In order to lose a pound of fat, you have to burn 3,500 kcals. It'd take you a month of walking every day for an hour to burn about 2 pounds of fat. Your cardio routine needs to be at a higher intensity. Aim to do approximately 3 cardio workouts per week (in addition to being more active in your day to day life) for 20-30 minutes. That's not 20-30 minutes of reading a magazine or talking on your cell phone while you ride a bike. High Intensity ladies.

2. Muscle burns fat! Ladies, if you're worried about bulking up .. you just don't have enough testosterone to look like Arnold Swarzenager, so please, let it go. We're just not genetically gifted enough to go that route. Your workouts should be incorporating about 45-60 minutes of weight training exercise, 3 times per week.

3. Machines vs. Free weights! OK so you've got a 9-5 job at the office where you sit behind a computer all day, and now you're going to trek your way to the gym to .. sit for 45 minutes on the machines to work out. Am I being overly obvious here? In order to burn calories and fat, you have to be moving. You need to incorporate big muscle groups and multiple muscles. You're not gonna burn a heck of a lot of calories sitting down doing bicep curls on the machine for 20 reps. Not sure what to do? Hire a trainer. Most gyms have payment plans to help you out with the cost and in the end, it's an investment into feeling and looking better.

4. In this order! Warm-up for 10 minutes, weights, then cardio. Cardio performed before weight training depletes your muscles of the energy required to lift intensely. Cardio is much more efficient for fat loss when performed on a seperate day or immediately following the weights.