You’ve been killing the diet. Day in and day out, you’re in the kitchen, hunched over a hot stove (or microwave!), preparing numerous meals to eat on a perfect schedule. However, you’re running out of ideas, and enthusiasm, because you just aren’t seeing the fat loss results that you expected. Never fear. Dieting alone isn’t enough for most people. It may be time to add some new tricks to the mix.
Cardiovascular Training
If you’re not already using cardio 4 to 5 times a week, then you may have just found your biggest problem. Part of getting in shape and losing weight is burning more calories than you’re taking in. Using the treadmill, elliptical, or exercise bike for 30 minutes, just three to four times per week, can allow you to expend a great deal of calories and boost your fat burning process. Skipping cardio and only sticking to a low-calorie diet to get lean is a good way to wreck your metabolism and still end up not losing weight!
Supplements
Have you heard of the ECA Stack? Combining ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin is a legal, popular and low-cost means of boosting your metabolism and fat burning processes. Likewise, there are a number of great supplements available at trusted websites like Primal Muscle which can help to address your personal fat loss goals in a more succinct manner.
Stress Analysis
Take a long, hard look at your current level of daily stress. You may not know it, but the body is remarkably capable of protecting itself during periods of high stress, which may work against your fat loss goals. The stress hormone Cortisol is released when stress levels are high, causing muscle to erode and fat to be preserved. If your job, education or relationships are causing you to continually worry and feel stress, then you may have just discovered why you cannot lose body fat. Deal with the stress, then focus on getting lean!
Lifestyle Changes for Activity
Some people, by nature of their employment or education, will often find themselves in the situation in which they are blessed – or cursed – with a requirement of their daily practice to be cooped up in a cubicle or desk for 8 to 10 hours. Now, there may be times when this is better for recovery after tough workouts. It sure beats working in the sun all day. But your lack of hourly movement may be having a negative effect upon your digestion, circulatory function, and fat loss goals. You have to be active to burn calories! Find ways to move around during the day, even if it means taking less-than-efficient paths to speak to other co-workers or powerwalking your 15 minute breaks away!
Meal timing
Take a look at what time you are consuming your meals each day. Do you stick with the 1950s pattern of “three squares”, served at 9 am, 1 pm, and 6 pm? Or, do you prefer to ‘graze’ throughout the day, opting for smaller, more frequent meals? Do you fast for a bit in the morning before your daily cardio? Or do you eat late at night, when the calories are less likely to be used for activity? Take a good look at your meal timing, and not just the calories they include. You may discover your pitfall exists here!
Drink!
Much of the time, good diets can be derailed by a lack of proper hydration. Think about it. You’re dropping many of the sugar-rich foods you used to enjoy. You’re sweating more than usual as you complete daily cardio. You’re using fat-burners, caffeine, or other stimulants to boost your metabolism. It makes sense that you are going to see some level of dehydration. Unfortunately, this can throw your body’s systems into a funk, causing cramping or even limiting fat loss. Be smart, and drink more water when dieting!
A Calorie Is Not A Calorie
Eating 200 calories of marshmallows is never going to be the same as eating the same 200 calories worth of sweet potatoes. True, they’re body carbohydrates and both will give your body energy for training and other activities. But they are two completely different beasts, and your body will process them differently. If you are living on caloric loopholes to stay sane on your diet, then you may be holding yourself back from making true fat-loss gains. Stop replacing 300 calories of chicken with 300 calories of McGriddle. A calorie is not a calorie! The source makes a huge difference in terms of positive effects upon your body.
Patience
The body isn’t a machine. Rather, it is a collection of organic processes, working in unison to create an amazing miraculous entity known as YOU. Changes to your inputs and stimulus are often met with great resistance. Caloric restriction is never a fun thing, and the body may initially resist. Don’t get upset if you don’t lose 6 pounds of fat during your first two days of dieting. Aim for 1-2 pounds for week, and let anything past that be seen as a happy bonus. Patience wins out when it comes to intelligent bodybuilding and fitness dieting.Good luck!
