We all think we know what the best ways to burn fat are. Regular exercise and eating right are obviously hugely important when it comes to being healthy, but is there more you can do to boost the amount of fat you burn?
There are actually numerous small changes you can make to how you do things every day that could see you get better results and lose more inches. Even if you’re hitting the gym regularly and reach for salad more than chocolate, you can still adopt certain behaviors in order to burn more fat.
To help you get the most out of your fitness routine and live a healthier life, here’s what you need to do:
Make big changes instead of dieting
The problem with dieting is that you actually affect your metabolism so may burn off less fat the longer you diet. Restricting the amount you eat makes your body hold onto the energy stores it has because it doesn’t think you’re getting enough food.
Crash diets also leave you feeling tired and can mean that you start burning muscle tissue instead of fat.
Instead, eat more food – just make sure it’s the right food. If you get rid of fatty, sugary, high-calorie foods, it makes way for healthy alternatives that will still fill you up and get your metabolism working faster. You may find that you end up eating more throughout the day, but so long as you’re eating healthy foods, this is totally fine.
Stock up on protein
We all need protein to help us build and maintain lean muscle, but when eaten after a workout, protein can also help you burn up to 35 per cent more calories. Low-fat protein – such as eggs and skinless chicken – will also help to fill you up and leave you feeling energised.
Get up and move around
Sitting down for extended periods of time isn’t great if you want to start burning more fat. It’s important to try and be more active throughout the day, even if you work in an office. Being inactive for four or more hours can actually make your metabolism slow down, so make sure you stand up when you can and get a few extra steps in to break up your day.
Chill your water
Drinking cold water rather than room temperature or hot beverages can actually increase your resting metabolism. This means you end up burning more calories without changing anything else in your routine. It is thought that this is due to the extra work your body has to put in to bring the water up to its temperature.
Most important meal
It’s important to jumpstart your metabolism in the morning, especially if you want to burn more fat, which means eating a good breakfast. Skipping breakfast actually increasing your chances of putting on weight, so it’s important that you make time for the meal. Keep your breakfast healthy to start your day off right and provide your body with no empty calories.
