The world of dieting fads and trends is full of recommendations, systems and ways to facilitate fat loss. But many of these approaches either don't work at all, or they only work for a short period of time because they only address one aspect of the problem.
The best way to lose fat is to combine and integrate a variety of approaches; diet, exercise, lifestyle changes and a sound psychological approach. Having plenty of tools in the tool kit gives you several ways to solve the problem, and formulating a comprehensive, personal strategy can help you find the best solution for you.
With that in mind, here's a list of the basic tactics:
Diet
Eat a high quality diet consisting of small, balanced meals, with plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables and high-quality protein sources. Learn about the benefits of the glycemic index for regulating your blood sugar; there are plenty of on line resources with simple explanations of how the number system works. Establish a basic set of rules for portion size and healthy eating, but don't go overboard; you'll need room to cheat with desserts, sweets and treats occasionally, so follow your program 75 to 90 percent of the time and allow yourself to fail with grace when you go off course. It's part of the process.
Sleep
Getting at least 6 to 8 hours of quality sleep a night is one of the most underrated parts of an effective fat loss program. Adequate sleep allows effective production of essential hormones such as HGH, testosterone, DHEA and melatonin. If you can sleep for an hour or so after exercise, so much the better.
Lifestyle Changes
Effective fat loss starts with a series of small lifestyle changes that build into bigger ones. Start by walking extra distance whenever possible; park farther away from the door at work, walk the dog a little longer and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Use these as building blocks to start to develop a regular exercise program.
Exercise
The latest trend in exercise is to do less low-intensity aerobic exercise and focus more on tactics like circuit training and weight training to jump start your metabolism and enhance fat loss. Don't be fooled; if you don't do enough aerobic exercise, you won't burn enough calories to lose fat. Similarly, don't concentrate exclusively on aerobics; using strength training for muscle tone is an important way to help get rid of fat.
The Psychology of Fat Loss
To develop the right mindset for this process, ask yourself these four simple questions:
- Are you willing to devote an hour a day exclusively to the well-being of your body? (And no, we're not talking about going to the gym, a simple extended walk will do on most days.)
- Can you find a form of movement, an exercise or an activity that you enjoy enough to stick with it?
- Are you willing to eat smaller, nutritionally complete meals on an ongoing basis, without necessarily giving up any of the foods you love?
- Are you willing to combine these three things into a series of small lifestyle changes that will eventually come to feel comfortable and natural?
If you can answer yes to these four questions and mean it, then there's a good chance you're well on your way to significant fat loss. You may not end up svelte or athletic, and you probably won't end up starring on a reality TV show. But you'll give yourself a good shot at ending up within 10 or 20 percent of your ideal body weight, given your physique and build, whatever they may be. Chances are you'll be a lot happier, and you'll probably end up a liking the new you a lot more in the process.
Since you are almost finished reading my article, you can proceed to learn proven strategies on losing fats at http://www.thebestfatlosssolution.com. There you are able to keep up to date on the latest information and tips about fat loss as well.
