1) Eat more high quality food
Have you been caught up in the trap of counting calories? Have you ever counted points such as those in Weight Watchers? The chances are that you have been feeling hungry, dissatisfied and have crashed. The key to fat loss is eating enough quality food to provide your body with adequate nutrients and energy, to prevent hunger, cravings and a lack of energy. Eat more protein, fibrous/watery vegetables and fruits and less starch and sugar. Fat loss is about improving your hormonal profile.
2) Exercise with high quality
Are you constantly in the gym for over an hour in your quest for fat loss? I regularly see gym members attending multiple group exercise classes in one day – Zumba followed by Powerplates and finished off with a kettlebell class. Successful fat loss does not work by running your body into the ground. The most successful and permanent fat loss occurs through quality exercise in lower quantity. You should be lifting heavy weights, running fast and/or be partaking in metabolic conditioning, for 30-45 mins three times a week.
3) Recover
If you are unable to maintain the intensity of your fat loss workouts in the long run, or you are forever feeling run down, the chances are that you are working out too much and not incorporating enough recovery time. You should include one restorative workout for every high intensity workout you complete. This will help your body recover and enhance performance in your workouts. You will also be improving your hormonal profile, which will make your fat loss far easier. And you should be getting 6-8 hours of sleep every night. Turn off that television and get some high quality recovery time in your bed.
4) Keep a log
A problem I often see with clients is there long term motivation. They may have a spell of two weeks where their nutrition is perfect followed by a week of terrible eating patterns. Those who keep logs of workouts and foods eaten are scientifically proven to be more likely to succeed in the long term. This is one area I believe Weight Watchers is particularly good – it keeps its clients tracking their food intake. If the results are less than expected, you simply evaluate your log and make the necessary changes.
5) Have a reason to succeed
have you ever truly sat down and wondered what would happen if you stay unfit for your entire life? How would it affect your happiness, your energy, your motivation and overall wellbeing? How would it affect your family if you had poor health? You need to know why you need to improve your health and fitness, and remind yourself constantly of that reason – especially when you have a bad day. Make bets with friends and family, take transformation pictures or sign an agreement with yourself. If there is no reason to lose fat and get in great shape, ultimately you will never reach your potential.
Start making changes now to improve your health and fitness and hit your fat loss goals once and for all.
http://rffpersonaltraining.co.uk
Revolution Functional Fitness is run by Matt Ashbolt, a personal trainer in Wimbledon.
Matt is a personal trainer based in Wimbledon. He graduated with a BSc in Sports Science in 2010 and has been working as a personal trainer ever since. He has a keen interest in exercise and improving others health, fitness and wellbeing. He is a qualified HKC kettlebell instructor and runs kettlebell classes in Sutton and Wimbledon, London.