Not all fat is created equal. Different types of fats offer different benefits to your body. Some fats, referred to as “good fats,” help support brain health, fight inflammation and even support heart health when consumed in appropriate amounts.
“Bad fats” are responsible for increasing your risk of developing heart disease and other conditions. When it comes to losing body fat, you want to focus on losing the bad fats while maintaining — or even gaining — the good kind. There are many ways to do this, some more simple than others. Below you will find useful tips and tricks on how to lose body fat so you can have a leaner and healthier look from head to toe.
How to Determining Your Body Fat Percentage
The first step to losing body fat is figuring out your body fat percentage. The easiest way to do this is by using calipers.
Calipers are tools that measure the thickness of your skin at various points on your body and then calculate your body fat percentage based on those numbers. To use a caliper, find two points on your skin where you can pinch an inch of skin with one hand. Then, use the calipers to measure how wide each pinch is (in inches).
These measurements are then plugged into an equation that calculates the total area in square centimeters and the measurement's corresponding body fat percentage (based on World Health Organization standards). You can also complete a DEXA scan to help determine your body fat percentage. Google locations near you.
Once you have determined your body fat percentage, it’s time to begin cutting back on bad fats and increasing good fats so you can reach your goal weight.
Stick to a Strength Training Routine
To lose body fat, the first thing you will want to do is set a goal. If this is your first time adjusting your eating habits and workout routine to reduce body fat, it’s recommended that you meet with a doctor for guidance in calculating your target weight.
Once you have an idea of what the goals you want to achieve are, it’s time to start working on your strength training routine. You will want to include both lower-body and upper-body workouts to maintain muscle mass and tone the entire body.
Sticking to a strength training routine can be difficult if you are new to it. To make things easier, it's best to pick one day of the week for lower-body workouts and another for upper-body workouts. This way, when you're feeling tired or having difficulty with a certain exercise, you'll be able to easily skip out without feeling too guilty.
Additionally, as long as your rest days are scheduled ahead of time, you won't have any excuses not to push through!
Commit to a Cardio Routine
Getting your heart pumping is one of the easiest ways to lose body fat. By committing to a cardio routine, you’ll be burning more calories and ultimately helping your body burn off excess fat that causes weight gain. Commit to a cardio routine once or twice per week for 30 minutes each time and you’ll start to see results in no time.
Start a Meal Plan
The first step to losing body fat is starting a meal plan. This will help you eliminate unnecessary calories and provide you with a calorie limit for each day.
There is no need to spend days or even weeks coming up with a meal plan. You can find meal plans for all calorie groups here. All the meal plans are full of tasty foods that will help you through your new journey towards health and have enough protein in them so that you can build muscle while losing fat.
Making just a few adjustments in your eating habits and workout routine will give you the results you've been looking for!