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To burn your fat pick at least three strategies from the list below to incorporate into your lifestyle and you’ll be on your way to losing weight the easy, effective, and lasting way.
• Be aerobically active 4 to 6 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes (work up to this level). Not only will this routine activity burn fat it will cause your body to burn more fat every second of the day than it did before. And try not to use ‘no time’ as an excuse, it’ll only decrease your fitness and health. Lateral think it. Can you cut out half an hour of tv watching or computer use to find that time?
• Work at various intensity levels to get your fat burning kicked into high gear. Long, slow walks will burn off fat in an easy gentle way. Brisk short walks will increase fitness levels and will burn more fat per minute than a slow walk, though the trade-off is a less comfortable intensity range. As we age we tend to avoid intensity. Don’t shy away from it, just use it wisely. Some is good for boosting fitness and fat burning. Too much will cause injury. Listen to your body.
• Live actively. Besides doing your regular aerobic activities, use your body to move you around more as much as possible. This means snubbing the car and other such conveniences. Head on out by foot or bicycle next time you want to go somewhere.
• Use destinations as a means to exercise. If you must go to work every day, why not walk or bike there? Or at
• Consider adding a weight program to your routine 2 to 3 times a week. Just remember to make your program do-able. A small routine done consistently over time will provide more great body benefits than a large, intensive program done twice and never again. Give yourself a day off in between workouts to give your muscles a chance to repair.
• Don’t take in extra fat in the first place. Unless you regularly eat a low-fat diet, it’s likely you’re eating too much fat, which means those chips, butter, and pastries will likely be stored as fat in your body. The recommended fat intake is 30% of your total diet. Women 19 to 46 should take in about 65 g of fat per day, men about 90 g, and older adults about 60 g. Here’s an eye-opener: one KFC extra crispy chicken breast has 28 g of fat and one Big Mac has 31 g of fat. I can’t stress enough that a high fat diet often leads to weight gain. Try lower fat food alternatives. And while you’re at it,
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• Try out new sports for the cross training advantage. Cross training burns more energy as muscles are used in new ways. In the winter try snowshoeing, skiing, broomball, curling, hockey, ringette, and ice-skating. Head to the fitness centre and pool for about everything else. In the summer try canoeing, kayaking, hiking, and cycling.
• Stay motivated and remember you’re worth it! You can age with exercise or without it. With means you’ll likely live a healthier, higher quality life burning fat all along the way. Without…well there’re ‘lifestyle diseases’ (LDs), such as heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, waiting to pounce on you when you’re sedentary and not eating right. Commit to your self-worth and flip those LDs the bird as you run/walk/bike/ski/snowshoe/paddle past. It’s all about survival, and the fitter you are the harder you’ll be to take down.
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Photo Credit: Christy Thompson
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