Eat your way to a lean Physique!
by Dale Benedict
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.
Dale Benedict is a graduate from the University of Louisville with a degree in Sports Management/Exercise Science. He is the founder and co-owner of The Training Studio, a comprehensive private fitness training facility in Louisville, Kentucky. Dale has spent the past 12 years designing and implementing successful training programs for both beginning exercisers and seasoned athletes utilizing his expertise in total body functional strength. For more information, visit www.snowangelfitness.com.
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