Lose body fat
There are several ways to lose body fat, some are painful and require a lot of work including diet and exercise and then there are some easier ways like gastric bypass surgery and lap band surgery.
Which one is right for you? Well if you don't have the money for surgery then losing body fat by surgery is not a option for you. And even if you did have the money, does that mean it's the best choice for you? Not necessarily.
Most people struggle with keeping pounds and fat off once they've lost it. You'll lose 10 pounds fast only to gain back 20 more and then you're worse off than when you started.
There are several things required for you to make lasting changes in your quest to lose body fat. This lens will highlight some of those things you can do and offer some reviews of sites that can help you decrease your body fat.
How to lose body fat
Helpful links to help you reduce your body fat percentage
- Lose 10 pounds in 30 days
- Squidoo lens with tips on how to lose 10 pounds in 30 days.
- Guide to healthy eating
- Tips on how to eat healthy. Small changes in your diet can make a big difference in how much body fat you can lose in a year.
- Foods that burn fat
- Obviously there are some foods that are better than others. Learn about foods that burn fat and foods that you should avoid.
- Body fat analyzers
- Learn more about checking your body fat and what is a healthy body fat percentage.
- 7 things you should know about master cleanse and dual action cleanse type diets
- I see commercials for master cleanse or the dual action cleanse diets all the time promising super fast weight loss without doing much work. Today, I wanted to address some of the pros and cons of these types of cleansing diets.
How much body fat do you have to lose? Calculate body fat and BMI
First you need to figure out how much body fat you have
Before you can work on losing body fat, you need to get an idea of how much body fat you have. You can use a body fat scale, a body fat monitor, or a body fat analyzer to calculate your body fat.
Then once you've measured your body fat, you can use this to get your body mass index or BMI.
The BMI measures your weight relative to your height. It is generally an accurate representation of muscle-to-fat ratio, though there are some limitations.
1. It may overestimate the BMI of an athletic person, because muscle is denser and weighs more than fat.
2. It may underestimate the BMI of an older person, or others who have low muscle mass.
There are many BMI calculators available online that will allow you to check your own BMI. The table for determining risk factors associated with obesity is:
Below 18.5 - Underweight
18.5 - 24.9 - Normal
25.0 - 29.9 - Overweight
30.0 and up - Obese
If your BMI is above 25.0, your doctor or other medical professional can advise you on the best weight loss plan for you. Here's another Squidoo lens showing you how to lose 10 pounds in 30 days.
Now that you've got your BMI and body fat percentage you need to get started on losing and reducing the amount of fat you have and increasing the amount of muscle you have. More muscle means more calories burned.
Here's three quick tips to help you start losing body fat today:
Get active.
If you do nothing different in your life but exercise for one half hour daily, you will lose 5-7% of your body weight per year.
Cut out white breads and sugars.
Substitute whole grains for refined flours and sugars, and you'll automatically reduce the number of calories that you consume daily.
Eat more fresh vegetables.
Fresh vegetables, especially raw, are a significant source of many of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs daily. They're high in nutrition, while low in calories. By increasing the amount of fresh vegetables that you eat and reducing the amount of processed, refined foods, you'll cut calories and carbohydrates significantly.
Then once you've measured your body fat, you can use this to get your body mass index or BMI.
The BMI measures your weight relative to your height. It is generally an accurate representation of muscle-to-fat ratio, though there are some limitations.
1. It may overestimate the BMI of an athletic person, because muscle is denser and weighs more than fat.
2. It may underestimate the BMI of an older person, or others who have low muscle mass.
There are many BMI calculators available online that will allow you to check your own BMI. The table for determining risk factors associated with obesity is:
Below 18.5 - Underweight
18.5 - 24.9 - Normal
25.0 - 29.9 - Overweight
30.0 and up - Obese
If your BMI is above 25.0, your doctor or other medical professional can advise you on the best weight loss plan for you. Here's another Squidoo lens showing you how to lose 10 pounds in 30 days.
Now that you've got your BMI and body fat percentage you need to get started on losing and reducing the amount of fat you have and increasing the amount of muscle you have. More muscle means more calories burned.
Here's three quick tips to help you start losing body fat today:
Get active.
If you do nothing different in your life but exercise for one half hour daily, you will lose 5-7% of your body weight per year.
Cut out white breads and sugars.
Substitute whole grains for refined flours and sugars, and you'll automatically reduce the number of calories that you consume daily.
Eat more fresh vegetables.
Fresh vegetables, especially raw, are a significant source of many of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs daily. They're high in nutrition, while low in calories. By increasing the amount of fresh vegetables that you eat and reducing the amount of processed, refined foods, you'll cut calories and carbohydrates significantly.
How to lose 35 pounds
Learn the simple secret to losing 35 pounds this year
Lose 35 pounds this year with just 10,000 steps - 10,000 steps a day that is. 10,000 steps a day can burn enough calories to take off 35 pounds in a year.
I first heard about the 10,000 steps when I took a vacation with my mother last summer. As we left the house that morning for a day of sight-seeing with my two boys, she clipped a pedometer to her belt.
Periodically throughout the day, she checked it, and as I settled to relax on a park bench toward the end of the day she remarked, "I'm just going to walk around the park twice. I only have 500 more steps to go."
The secret is walking. By walking 10,000 steps a day, you can burn as many calories as you do when you do any of the following:
- Swim for 90 minutes
- Ride a bike for 70 minutes
- Play 10 holes of golf (without the cart)
- Walk 50 blocks
- Play soccer for 90 minutes
- Work for two hours in your garden
How do you fit in 10,000 steps? You can count every step you take during the day - my mother clips on her pedometer first thing in the morning and takes it off last thing at night. Add in extra steps to your day with any of the following suggestions:
- Park at the far end of the lot at the mall and walk to the stores.
- Leave your car at home and walk to work. Or park three blocks further away in the morning and walk the rest of the way.
- Walk the dog! He'll love you for it.
- Walk up and down the stairs instead of taking the elevator.
- Get up and get it yourself. Instead of asking one of your kids to fetch something for you, take a little walk. You'll be surprised how much those little trips add up.
- Go sightseeing. You'll surprise yourself by freshening up your perspective on your home town at the same time.
Don't worry about your speed - the idea is to get moving. In fact, doctors say, if you're puffing too hard to say hi to a friend, you're walking too hard. Slow down a little. At the ideal pace you should be able to carry on a conversation, but not belt out a song.
10,000 steps may seem a little daunting at first, but just keep in mind that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lace up those walking shoes, and let's go!
I first heard about the 10,000 steps when I took a vacation with my mother last summer. As we left the house that morning for a day of sight-seeing with my two boys, she clipped a pedometer to her belt.
Periodically throughout the day, she checked it, and as I settled to relax on a park bench toward the end of the day she remarked, "I'm just going to walk around the park twice. I only have 500 more steps to go."
The secret is walking. By walking 10,000 steps a day, you can burn as many calories as you do when you do any of the following:
- Swim for 90 minutes
- Ride a bike for 70 minutes
- Play 10 holes of golf (without the cart)
- Walk 50 blocks
- Play soccer for 90 minutes
- Work for two hours in your garden
How do you fit in 10,000 steps? You can count every step you take during the day - my mother clips on her pedometer first thing in the morning and takes it off last thing at night. Add in extra steps to your day with any of the following suggestions:
- Park at the far end of the lot at the mall and walk to the stores.
- Leave your car at home and walk to work. Or park three blocks further away in the morning and walk the rest of the way.
- Walk the dog! He'll love you for it.
- Walk up and down the stairs instead of taking the elevator.
- Get up and get it yourself. Instead of asking one of your kids to fetch something for you, take a little walk. You'll be surprised how much those little trips add up.
- Go sightseeing. You'll surprise yourself by freshening up your perspective on your home town at the same time.
Don't worry about your speed - the idea is to get moving. In fact, doctors say, if you're puffing too hard to say hi to a friend, you're walking too hard. Slow down a little. At the ideal pace you should be able to carry on a conversation, but not belt out a song.
10,000 steps may seem a little daunting at first, but just keep in mind that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lace up those walking shoes, and let's go!
