There is no “one size fits all” solution for maximizing fat loss. What works for one person may not work for others, having said that these are 5 generally well-accepted strategies and they are my personal favorites.
My Top 5 Fat Loss Strategies
1. Strength training 4 days a week
Strength training has been shown to increase resting energy expenditure and reduce body fat and is a fundamental component of overall health and wellness. Some people can do weights more often than 4 times a week, but I have more mileage on meter than most and find 4 times a week my sweet spot.
2. Focus on slow controlled movements
When you lift weights slowly, you’re much less likely to injure yourself. Focus on taking the time to learn how to do each lift properly, and focus on maintaining correct form with every repetition. A great technique is a key element in your long-term fat loss goals. If you’re hurt, you’re unable to work out to your full potential, which will put the breaks on your fat loss progress. So next time you are thinking of increasing your load try instead to slow down your rep tempo.
3. Consider doing your cardio on an empty stomach
Emmie Satrazemis, RD, CSSD, a board-certified sports nutritionist and nutrition director at Trifecta explains that fasted cardio forces your body to rely on stored fuel, which happens to be glycogen and stored fat. She highlights some studies that suggest working out in the morning after 8 to 12 hours of fasting during sleep may allow you to burn up to 20 percent more fat. So consider starting your morning with a big glass of water and a black coffee and hit your favorite cardio routine. But be careful because doing cardio during a fasted state can lower blood sugar levels, which could lead to feelings of lightheadedness.
4. Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating
The most popular form is “The 16/8 Method” which involves fasting every day for 16 hours and restricting your daily eating window to 8 hours. If you’re looking to boost fat loss (IF) may be right for you. A popular sample eating window on the 16/8 protocol is 11 am to 7 pm. You can drink water, coffee, and other zero-calorie beverages during the fast, which can help reduce feelings of hunger.
5. Clean Keto-style diet
Consists mainly of whole foods from quality sources, such as grass-fed beef, free-range eggs, wild-caught fish and seafood, avocado oil, and non-starchy vegetables. I am a big fan of clean keto-style eating but also like to mix in some non-keto days every few weeks with some high-quality carbs.
