How to Lose Body Fat

Very few people really understand the process of how to strip the body of fat . Many choose to think that being overweight is due to a sluggish metabolism, or that it is a predisposition that they were born with and can do nothing about. This mind set is detrimental to overall health and means that the person concerned is not prepared to take responsibility for their health and well-being.

Unfortunately a negative or misdirected mindset is at least 50% of the reason why many people fail to lose weight successfully and must be worked on before real success can take place.

Everybody who is alive and breathing has a family of hormones and enzymes that are intended to fight the fat. Unfortunately our poor and inconsistent dietary habits means that changes take place in the body that make losing body fat more difficult and ultimately sustaining any weight loss is almost impossible.

Our stress hormones are elevated if we miss a meal or eat too many carbohydrates. The body then thinks it is in a life threatening situation and responds by releasing stored glycogen into the blood to raise the blood sugar. Insulin is then released to lower the blood sugar. If this cycle is repeated on a regular basis the chances are that the result will be hyperinsulinism. This condition can prevent weight loss due to the fact that inactive muscles become insulin resistant and more and more calories are stored in the fat cells.

An accumulation of fat around your midsection can often be a sign that you have become insulin resistant. In a worst case scenario this can result in Type 11 Diabetes.

One way to overcome this problem is to discover your own individual metabolic type. There are 3 basic metabolic types (though you can take this to a more complex level).

They are:-

The Protein Type,
The Carbohydrate Type
The Mixed Type.

Each type is required to eat their food in a specific macro nutrient ratio to ensure optimum health and at the same time losing body fat and finding their ideal weight

Many people mistakenly believe that getting rid of body fat occurs when we cut fat out of our diets. Low fat diets can be positively dangerous if taken to excess. Your body needs fat to function properly, it also protects your internal organs. You may also be surprised to hear that some fats actually help you to lose weight These fats are called a MUFAs - monounsaturated fatty acids. MUFAs are the good fats you find in food like peanuts, olive oil and avocados.

In addition to removing body fat MUFAs also help to naturally lower the cholesterol levels in your blood and lower your risk of heart disease and strokes. Other studies have shown that MUFAs can also help fight diabetes, keep your artery walls smooth and control your blood sugar levels. Not only do MUFAs target your belly fat, but experts believe they prevent and even eliminate central fat distribution in your body which will ultimately help you to lose weight.

Many diets leave you feeling hungry and unsatisfied. This can easily be remedied by eating foods containing MUFAs. The high fat content will satisfy your hunger and as result you will be less likely to want to snack and also be less likely to have sugar cravings. This will inevitably improve your chances of losing body fat

Many dietary regimes try to tell you that you don't need to exercise to lose weight when using their diet . This is just a ruse to get you to use their diet program as they are well aware that many people do not want to exercise and they are playing on that fact in their advertising campaigns.

It only requires 10 minute of exercise for the brain to begins to produce beta endorphins. These are chemicals that calm you down, regulate your stress hormones and make you feel good. The secretion of beta-endorphins may actually offset the belly bloating effects of cortisol and insulin.

If you are serious about not only losing weight but maintaining that weight loss and becoming fit and healthy you need to consider the following exercise regime.

1. A cardio component. Most people believe that doing hours on the treadmill or cross trainer is all the exercise they need to do, but current thinking recommends that your weight loss will be improved if you engage in some sort of interval training, which entails exercising as hard as you can for one to two minutes and then resting. Then repeat the process. Elevating your heart rate in this way will ensure that you continue to burn calories long after your workout has finished

2. A resistance training program to build lean muscle. Lean muscle is metabolically active and burns fat much faster.

3. A Pilates -based workout that is excellent for building your core strength. Many of us as we get older suffer from back problems and many internal problems that are due mainly to poor core muscles. The core muscles when worked appropriately will also help define your overall shape

A combination of the above will provide help you to build muscle fastand improve your ability to lose weight

With the best will in the world most of us find it difficult to lose weight without some sort of help and support. We need guidance. We need a regime to follow and we need to see that others have successfully lost weight using the program we have decided to follow.

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