For many, having a lean and sculpted physique is high on the list of unattainable dreams. Losing weight and gaining muscle mass are a huge effort in terms of time, energy and money, right? Not necessarily. The truth is, there are ways to get rid of excess fat in a relatively short period. All it takes is discipline and some knowledge on how our body burns fat. By increasing physical activity, eliminating fattening foods from your diet, and with a few minor lifestyle changes, you can speed up weight loss and finally get the sculpted body you've always wanted.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Exercising to Burn Fat
Step 1. Work your muscles
Do weight lifting or other intense resistance training 3-4 times a week. If you have the option of going to the gym, start with a normal bodybuilding training program (working 2-3 muscle groups per session) to use all major muscle groups throughout the week; If you work out at home, exercises that use your body weight, such as push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and sit-ups are also fine. It may seem counterintuitive, but in the long run, training your muscles will burn more calories than spending hours on the treadmill.
- Give proper attention to all important muscle groups (legs, back, core, chest, shoulders, arms, etc.) instead of just worrying about the more visible ones like abs and biceps. Exercises such as squats, lunges, rowing, dips and shoulder lifts, which require a good level of coordination, are great for strengthening muscles in various parts of the body.
- Our body continually burns calories to maintain muscle tissue, even at rest. The bigger your muscle mass, the more calories you burn in each instant.
Step 2. Focus on strength
Create a program with strength development as the main focus of your weightlifting sessions, doing 4-5 sets of each exercise, for 5-10 repetitions. Since you don't have a lot of calories due to your diet, working too hard in the gym can lead to a reduction in muscle mass, which doesn't get enough nutrients to regenerate. To control the amount of workouts and keep your muscles intact, you need to prioritize strength over endurance.
- Weightlifting sessions should be relatively short (no more than an hour) and especially include lifting exercises that work multiple muscle groups (squats, deadlifts, and bench presses).
- Allow 2 or 3 days of the week to rest so your body has a chance to recover.
Step 3. Pay attention to the core
Devote a portion of all training sessions to strengthening your core muscles. You can do it in the last fifteen minutes of work, or you can dedicate a session or two of the week just to the core. These workouts should consist of exercises that work the abdomen, such as abs, crunches, leg raises, plank and suitcase carries. For many people, a sculpted physique is synonymous with obliques in plain sight and a well-defined tortoise. The more you train your lower and middle abdominal muscles, the more noticeable they will be once you lose weight.
- You will also work your core with some of the compound exercises you do to build strength and muscle mass (especially squats and deadlifts).
- Core-focused workouts make your abdominal muscles stand out more, but to really have a sculpted physique you need to make sure you work your whole body, get a couple of hours of cardiovascular training a week, and eat a low-calorie diet.. 80% of the work needed to achieve a lean physique is given by diet.
Step 4. Get regular cardiovascular activity
In addition to lifting weights, do a couple of hours a week of cardio at a steady pace. You can run, swim, ride a bike, use a rowing machine, kickbox or even just walk. While resistance training increases the calories you consume at rest, cardiovascular exercises make you take a steady pace of fat burning. When combined, these training styles allow you to achieve great results in a very short time.
- Keep your heart rate high, but don't put yourself through torture. It is more important to find a pace and intensity that you can sustain for the entire duration of the workout.
- Finish your weight training with an hour of cardio. You will have already used up all the glycogen stored in your muscles during exercise, so your body will immediately start burning fat stores to find the energy it needs.
- Try fasting cardiovascular activity. For example, go for a jog as soon as you wake up before breakfast. Run at moderate intensity and not for too long. Again, with no glycogen within the muscles from which to draw energy, you will only burn fat during exertion.
Step 5. Get your body to work hard with workouts that challenge your metabolism
A couple of times a week, make time for a quick Tabata or HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) session. These workouts don't take a lot of time, but they are extremely strenuous and can allow you to burn a lot of fat. HIIT and other demanding training programs are known to speed up the metabolism a lot, so they allow you to burn more fat and lose weight. You can usually find group classes at the gym that offer these programs.
- Tabata workouts are done by doing an exercise for 20 seconds, then resting for 10 seconds, before repeating the sequence eight times. The whole workout lasts only four minutes, but it allows the body to work a lot.
- Smartphone apps like Tabata Timer and Tabata Stopwatch Pro help keep time for this type of workout.
- HIIT training involves doing a high-paced or high-intensity exercise for a set period (an "interval"), then slowing down for a few seconds before resuming your accelerated pace.
Part 2 of 3: Lose Weight with the Right Diet
Step 1. Reduce your calorie intake
Check your diet to make sure you burn more calories than you eat. The simplest and most effective way to do this is to make a note of the approximate number of calories in each meal. If you are trying to lose weight, it is best to reduce the calories you consume each day as much as possible without depriving yourself of the nutrients necessary to preserve muscles. As long as the calories you burn from exercise exceed those ingested with meals, you will continue to lose weight.
- The amount of calories to be consumed varies from person to person and largely depends on body weight and composition (those with more muscle mass, for example, must eat more to preserve muscles), activity levels and other factors.
- Talk to your doctor or nutritionist if you decide to start a calorie restricted diet. An expert can tell you exactly how many calories you need to maintain a healthy body composition for your size, age and activity level. He can also give you advice on what foods to eat and any supplements.
- Use a nutrition app (such as My Fitness Pal, My Diet Coach, or Lose It!) Or a traditional diary to keep track of the calories you consume each day, week or month, so you can be sure you are on the right track to reach your goals. your goals.
Step 2. Eat foods that are high in protein and low in fat
Rearrange your personal food pyramid to give more space to high-protein foods. At the same time, drastically cut back on greasy, high-fat foods, or better yet eliminate them altogether. Fatty foods contain more calories, so you don't need to eat a lot of them to ruin your diet. Conversely, lean, protein-rich foods contain fewer calories on average. Protein helps you build valuable muscle mass that burns calories and makes you feel full for longer.
- Get protein from sources like lean meats, eggs, legumes, tofu, nuts, etc. Avoid fried foods, chips and other snacks.
- A good rule of thumb is to eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of weight. For example, if you weigh 75 kg, you should ingest around 75 g of protein per day.
- Supplementing your diet with protein bars or shakes can help you meet your daily protein quota without having to eat a meal every few hours.
Step 3. Prefer natural and whole foods
Avoid fast foods, ready meals and other processed junk foods and limit yourself to eating fresh, natural foods. Whole grains, vegetables, nuts and fresh fruit should be the foundation of your new diet. They are foods rich in the macronutrients that your body needs and that you will use to develop a sculpted and strong physique. They are also free of chemical preservatives and other unknown substances that can complicate digestion and slow down metabolism.
- Organic foods are more expensive, but they are money well spent for the benefits they offer. Each meal will make you feel satisfied.
- Shop for groceries and prepare meals in advance. This way you will know exactly what you are eating and it will be easier to keep track of calories and other nutrients. Plus, having food on hand when you're hungry will help you avoid the less healthy alternatives.
Step 4. Limit the sweets
Now is the time to give up on the candy, donuts and chocolate boxes that tempt you. There is nothing that slows down the weight loss process more than sugar-filled foods. Although sugar is useful as an instant, short-term source of energy, most of this substance is transformed into fatty tissue if it is not used immediately as fuel. For best results, try not to eat more than 50g of sugar per day. If you really want something sweet, eat a ripe banana, a handful of berries, or a snack that will fill you up like Greek yogurt with a drop of unrefined honey.
- Pay attention to the amount of calories contained in fruit juices and fresh fruit. Although it is best to get sugars from natural sources, even in this case it is possible to overdo it.
- Read the labels carefully when shopping. Even foods you don't think are sweet are often full of sugar.
Part 3 of 3: Keeping Your Body in a State of Efficiency
Step 1. Get plenty of rest
Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night whenever you can, as your body regenerates and creates new tissues while you rest. It is in those moments that the muscle mass you worked so hard for will begin to develop. A good night's sleep will also help you recover from fatigue, injuries and soreness, as well as make you feel refreshed and ready for the next workout.
- Turn off the television, stereo, phone, tablet, and all other electronic distractions when you go to bed to make sure you fall into a deep, restorative sleep.
- If you can't sleep uninterrupted throughout the night, try taking a 20-30 minute nap in the afternoon or when you have time.
Step 2. Stay hydrated
Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially during intense physical activity, to replenish the fluids lost through sweating. All the cells of the body contain water, so it goes without saying how important this element is for the development and functions of the body. You will feel more energetic if you are well hydrated, and water can even help you calm hunger and cravings for unhealthy foods.
- Replace sodas, sports drinks, spirits, and other sugary drinks with water.
- As a rule, you should drink whenever you are thirsty. Aim to get at least 2.5-3 liters of water per day. When you go to the bathroom, your urine should be clear or very clear.
Step 3. Drink black coffee and green tea
Have a coffee as soon as you wake up, or relax in the evening with a steaming cup of organic green tea. Coffee beans and tea leaves are known for their antioxidant properties, so they are able to calm inflammation, counteract the symptoms of aging and obesity. Caffeine and other substances in tea and coffee have also been shown to have a mild thermogenic effect, so these drinks can help break down fatty tissue.
Do not add cream and sugar to hot drinks. You would add unnecessary calories to your diet
Step 4. Try intermittent fasting
We often hear that to lose weight we should eat little and often. In reality, this only means you risk taking in too many calories and exceeding your daily limit. As an alternative, try fasting for 8-10 consecutive hours once or twice a week. These fasting periods help you calm your appetite and reset the body's natural hormone levels. Plus, since you won't eat, you'll only burn calories in those moments, getting closer to your calorie deficit goal.
- To start fasting, eat breakfast as normal, then eat nothing for 8-10 hours. Alternatively, you can start fasting as soon as you wake up, having your first meal in the mid-afternoon or early evening.
- Fasting is a completely safe activity, as long as it does not lead to malnutrition. Make sure you have at least one large meal on fasting days. Dishes with high protein and medium fat and sugar content are ideal for this purpose.
- Ask a doctor or nutritionist for advice before trying intermittent fasting. Discuss together which program you should follow and how often to get the best results. Fasting is not a useful practice for everyone, especially for those suffering from hormonal or metabolic disorders.
Advice
- Be patient. While it is possible to lose a lot of weight in a short period, how long it will take you depends entirely on your body composition, hard work and discipline. Keep expectations realistic. Losing a pound a week is excellent progress.
- Reduce your calorie intake gradually to make it easier for you to follow the diet and avoid subjecting your body to too much shock.
- Devote the days of the week to specific muscle groups. For example, squats on Mondays, bench presses on Wednesdays, deadlifts on Fridays, etc. This ensures that the body has time to heal the muscles before using them again. If you train at home, rest for a day between full-body training sessions.
- Organizing your workouts into supersets (doing one exercise that works one muscle group while working another) is a great way to speed up your metabolism without stretching your sessions too much.
- Get some protein right before or after exercising so your muscles have a chance to develop.
- Swap meals for protein shakes when counting calories or just before a temporary fast so you don't lose all your energy.
Warnings
- Having a sculpted physique is a common and achievable goal, but it's easier for some people than others. If you have a tendency to gain weight or have a naturally sturdy build, losing weight is a challenge that will keep you busy every day. Additionally, you may find that your energy levels will drop once you alter your body's natural makeup.
- Avoid products that help burn fat and other supplements that are supposed to help you lose weight. Most of these products are untested and can also have adverse health effects by causing overstimulation and forcing chemical changes in the metabolism. Pay attention to what you ingest and your body's reaction to those substances.
- Rest is essential to reaping the benefits of physical activity. Never train for more than six days straight without taking breaks.
- Intermittent fasting and fasting cardiovascular activity are useful tools that can help you lose weight, but they can become dangerous if taken to the extreme. Never go beyond 12 hours without eating and don't get too tired on an empty stomach. Your body needs food to function.
- Make sure you are in good enough physical condition if you decide to do high intensity workouts like Tabata or HIIT.
