How to lose BODY FAT...

People ask all the time how to lose weight. My answer...."Stop eating!" No, not really.. Most people don't just want to lose weight. They want to look leaner, maybe wear a smaller size and feel stronger. So the real question is, How do I lose body fat? To that I say, "Strength train a few days a week, eat well and do some cardiovascular activity everyday." That's it, that's the magic solution....

1. Strength Train- This means squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, pull ups, push ups, maybe flip tires or move heavy objects and do some dumbbell and/or cable work, etc. Many people (particularly women) think that 5lb dumbbells in a group X class is strength training, but for most healthy individuals that is simply not enough weight to elicit strength gains or the physiological response we are looking for, you may need more weight and less repetitions  Keep in mind your form and safety always comes first but really challenge yourself with those weights and don't be afraid to ask for help. Any personal trainer or group instructor worth their salt should be willing to give you a view moments to answer your questions. Remember, work smarter, not harder!


2. Eat Well- Eat Plants and Animals (or vegetarian sources of lean proteins) Avoid processed foods when possible and try to eliminate sugar. Focus on fiber from green veggies and healthier starches like sweet potatoes. Include a variety of protein sources, try to consume .5-1.5g of Protein per pound of body weight and make sure you're getting plenty of water and fiber to keep your digestive system healthy. Everyone's body handles foods differently so take the time to learn what works best for you.

3. Cardiovascular Activity- Walk your dog, do some sprints, go for a bike ride, jump on the trampoline with your kids or do anything that gets your heart rate up. It doesn't have to be a long workout if you're doing something intense like sprints or jumping rope, even 10-20 mins can be enough if working at a high intensity. If you're working at a lower intensity like walking or a casual bike ride maybe extend your distance and enjoy yourself for an hour or so. Just get out there and play!

That's it! These are the secrets to fat loss, no expensive diet pills or fad diet foods, just 3 simple rules to a leaner body. These are easy habits to make and it can be very beneficial to your whole family to adopt them early. Believe it or not our body fat during puberty plays a huge role in our body fat percentage as adults. As adults we have a finite number of fat and muscle cells, they can only get bigger or smaller, but can not grow in number. The number of fat cells we have as adults is believed to be determined by the end of puberty. Click here for more info.

Are you already doing all of these things and have been for a least 4 weeks and haven't seen any results? If so, please don't hesitate to contact me or another fitness/wellness professional. Make all of your hard work count and get some help!

Check out the results these fines ladies are getting from eating well, strength training and doing cardiovascular work...Kudos to them!