Don't confuse rapid fat loss with a quick weight loss program or fad diet. Fat loss will get you healthier. Quick weight loss through severe calorie restriction will be regained (when you begin to eat normally again).
Since you are burning fat at a faster rate, your workouts will be tougher and you will need to comply with a healthy, managed meal plan. Until you get a handle on what and when to eat, keep a food journal to learn how to manage your eating. Research has proven that you will have a better chance of succeeding with your nutrition plan and fat loss if you keep a food journal. By logging your actual food choices, you are holding yourself accountable throughout the day. It helps you plan better too.
Keep in mind that rapid fat loss is just the beginning kickstart to your long-term exercise program. You will continue to workout, burn fat and lose weight after the short (two weeks or less) rapid fat loss period.
How To Lose Weight the Right WayNote: The more you weigh, the faster your metabolism will be. This happens because your body must work harder to maintain itself. That is also why it is easier to lose weight in the beginning of a fat loss/weight loss program. Your metabolism is running so high that a moderate caloric deficit will result in quick weight losses.
You could lose 6-10 pounds of weight and 1% to 2% body fat the first week. As time goes on, it is safe (and typical) to lose about 2 pounds a week. If you can burn .5% to 1% body fat in one week, that is great progress. A person who has been inactive for a long period can experience similar early successes as the overweight or obese person.
You can't transform your body without significant fat loss. Fat loss will make your body more healthy and beautiful (lean). Fat loss will also lead to lasting weight loss.
In other words, a body composition change (less fat, more lean mass) is the key to permanent weight loss.Increase your muscle mass (with regular strength training) to burn fat and permanently speed up your metabolism. Your body has to work harder to maintain muscle mass. You will become leaner because muscle takes up less space than fat. You can't rush the process of building a lean body. Make a habit of checking your body fat percentage on a weekly basis. If your body is shrinking (lost fat and inches), you are on the way to building your lean body.
A lean body will also give you the best chance to live a long, healthier life. In a study led by Eric J. Jacobs, PhD, American Cancer Society strategic director, Pharmacoepidemiology, researchers examined the association between waist circumference and the risk of death among 48,500 men and 56,343 women age 50 and older who had taken part in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, a subset of the larger Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS-II).
“We were interested in looking at waist size because it’s strongly correlated to fat tissue in the abdomen, which is the most dangerous kind of fat issue,” said Jacobs.Jacobs and his colleagues found that
people with very large waists (47 inches or larger in men, 42 inches or larger in women) had approximately twice the risk of death compared to those with the smallest waists (35 inches in men, 30 inches in women) during the study period.
“We found a pattern showing that expanding waist size was linked to a greater risk of dying regardless of body weight,” said Jacobs. “Similarly, people with the smallest waist sizes had the lowest risk.
The take home message here is watch your waist size regardless of your weight.” Here are some tips to help you transform your body:1. Make the commitment to a lifetime of fitness and not just to a 4-week or 8-week exercise plan.
A good fitness plan is based on basic science, research and evidence. A good fitness plan is also unique for every person.
Two people following the same program will get different results because of individual differences. You may need a personal trainer to help you. Besides helping you visualize your fitness and health goals, a personal trainer will give you expert guidance and feedback. A personal trainer will also be your accountability partner.2. Be honest with yourself (like why your fat loss efforts failed in the past) and set realistic, periodic fitness goals. You need small successes to spur you on to greater success. If you fail one week, get up and try again next week--perseverance is one of the most important characteristics you will need to reach your goals.
3. Improve your eating habits day by day based on a sound nutrition plan. You may need to make small changes at first. An example would be to cut out processed foods and replace them with whole, natural foods. You may need a pantry makeover!Don't starve yourself (severe calorie restriction). This will only encourage your body to store fat because it thinks you are starving. Eat small meals every 3-4 hours to keep your body energized and to keep your metabolism humming.
4. Adjust your lifestyle to exercise regularly. Be intentional about staying active (like walking every day) and exercising regularly. A home workout program will work just fine, if you don't have time to go to a gym.
There are no shortcuts to building the healthy, lean and toned body you need!Be sure and download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program from My Fitness Hut! "Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!" Check out my other great blogs: Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on
EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!
Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by
Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and
NursingDegree.net as one of the
Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the
"50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!
