Now here’s a huge topic of discussion. Losing fat is by far the single most desired aspect of a better looking physique. Lets not pull any punches here, we all want to lose body fat to a certain degree. No matter who you are, weather you’re a body builder, super model, office worker, athlete, labourer, or even retired, we all share the same desire. Although our reasons may be different, the end goal is still to lose fat!! I first started personal training 9 years ago and over this period I have never met one person that hasn’t mentioned losing weight when asked what their goals are.
The problem we have today is there are far too many so called “experts” around that claim they have the answer to a great physique, all you have to do is buy their DVD, Book, or Exercise gadget and voila, 6 weeks later you have the perfect body……Think not! This is a subject that so many “experts” claim they have the answer to, but do they really have the answer?!! If they did and fat burning was as easy as they make out then why is there alarming record levels of obesity all over the world?? Truth is, the western culture has taken over lives and we are blinkered into a world of fast food, pollution, cigarettes & alcohol, medical & recreational drugs, permanent stress and 24hr living, to name a few.
The aim of this article is to help the reader look at a different approach to changing our bodies, by looking at the bigger picture and change the way we live our lives. Instead of looking for the quick and easy fix we need to change the conventional approach that we have today ie magic exercises that burn fat, diets that make you lose 6 stone in 6 weeks, magic pills that stop you eating and tables that you lie on with a machine toning your body for you!!! Firstly we need to find out the route cause of why we gain body fat and what things happen in our lives that contribute to this problem.
Food - This is a huge factor with body fat storage. Quite simply, if you eat high amounts of trans, hydrogenated fats and sugars you will store excessive amounts of fat in the body. Not only will you look fat but you will also store fat within the arteries and around the heart eventually leading to heart disease or failure!
Drink – Alcoholic drinks will also have a dramatic effect on the amount of fat you gain around the body. The liver has to process all the harmful chemicals in alcoholic drinks which places a great strain on the liver after a long periods of time. The liver is also responsible for metabolising fat, so processing fat will be difficult if you have a liver dysfunction due to the damage caused by alcohol!
Stress – This is a complex and vast issue but to keep it short, the body produces cortisol which is the key fat burning hormone. The body manufactures this from when we wake up in the morning and will diminish later on when we go to sleep but, will produce excess amounts when we are stressed. When the adrenal glands continuously produce this hormone over long and excessive periods, they will inhibit the production of this hormone in order to bring the body into homeostasis (the bodies natural balance). So if the body is not producing enough cortisol our ability to burn off body fat is inhibited.
Inactivity – This is a relatively straight forward matter. We naturally burn calories throughout the day with little effort however, if we are consuming 3-4 relatively healthy meals per day with no very little physical activity then we will not expend the calories we have consumed which will lead to fat storage!
These are just a few ways and not all of how we can gain fat. Before I give my guide to reducing body fat healthily I would like to dispel a couple of myths that a high amount of the population have been led to believe.
• Magic exercise – there is not one single exercise which burns a noticeable amount of body fat and develops muscle in one particular area ie a man with a large stomach will not get rid of it by doing 500 crunch type exercises every day or a woman trying to shift the fat from around her thighs will not get very far by doing inside and outside thigh exercises on a machine!!
• Crash diets and slimming clubs – The majority of weight you lose through these methods is muscle tissue, water, bone density and not body fat. Yes you will lose some body fat but the second you deviate from the strict plan you will put your weight back on. Diets are not healthy, most of them under nourish your body placing stress on your vital organs, the liver, kidneys, digestive system, to name a few. The downfalls of slimming club diets is they are too generic, just because some food combinations work for some people does not mean it will work for everyone!
• Not eating – Some people are in the belief that the less you eat the more weight you lose (sounds logical) but far from what they are after. Yes you will lose weight (muscle tissue) and you are more inclined to gain body fat by not eating. The body is a survival machine and does not want to die, your bodies natural response to not eating is to store body fat as this is a vital fuel source. Although you know when the next meal is coming your nervous system and internal organs are not aware of this and will do what it takes to survive!!
Reducing Body fat the healthy way
Nutrition - Metabolic typing is the key to establishing to what foods your body optimally runs on at a cellular level. Remember we are all different, so some people may react better to eating a high protein diet consisting mainly of meat, fish and nuts. Some people may function better on carbohydrate meals consisting of potatoes, rice and fruits. Others may need a mixture of the two. Once this is established your body will function more efficiently and start doing the things you would like it to do i.e. feel good, feel energised, perform better during exercise, increase levels of concentration and not to mention burn fat! To find out what your metabolic type is you need to contact a highly qualified personal trainer or dietician that has experience with metabolic typing.
Pollution – This effects us all, there is little we can do avoid it completely however there are a number of steps we can take to reduce the harmful chemicals which damage our internal organs and systems needed for survival. An example of this is water, although water is treated, there are levels of chlorine and bacteria that are still in our drinking water. If you know anyone that has a water filtration system fitted in their home, ask them if you can have a look at the filters two weeks after they have been cleaned….You will be shocked at what you see! Take a look at cosmetic and toiletry products we use. The chemicals used in these products can also be harmful to us as the skin can absorb up to 60% of what it comes into contact with. An example of this is the aluminium used in 90% of the world’s antiperspirants, this is strongly related to Alzheimer’s and fluoride in toothpastes can affect your thyroid. There are thousands of chemicals which are used in our every day products that we regularly use, just look at the back of your shampoo or shower gel bottle, look at the ingredients and see how names of the chemicals added to it you can actually read……….There won’t be many!
Processed food – 95% of the food you get from the supermarket is processed. This means that the food you are eating contains harmful chemicals that have been added to either flavour, increase the shelf life or simply to keep up with demand. Organic food is the only way forward, although this tends to be a more expensive option, it is vital for our bodies to function healthily and optimally.
Lifestyle – Many of us really struggle with this one. The general western population tend to live a stressed lifestyle, work, bills, relationships, families and money to mention a few. Following this the evening or weekend arrives and it’s time for people drink large quantities of alcohol and eat poor food and justify it by saying “it’s been one hell of a day or week, I deserve this”…….sound familiar?! In order for us to remain healthy and reduce body fat we need to look at participating in activities that do not involve, junk food, cigarettes & alcohol, drugs and 3am closing times! Try taking up an enjoyable active hobby that does not involve the above demons, you will be amazed at what your body achieves by putting this into place!
Exercise – This is of course a great way of also reducing body fat. The most effective form of exercise you can do are big motions using multiple joints, lunging, squatting, twisting, bending, pulling, pushing whilst on your feet. Apply this three times a week and you will see and feel the benefits immediately. This does not have to be in the form of training in a gym you can do this at home, or play a sport or take up an active hobby ie climbing, walking, sailing, or anything that gets you moving! Please seek an exercise professional to give you the correct guidance for these movements. By just following these simple steps you will transform your life, you will look good, feel great, have vast amounts of energy and enjoy your life! So now you have read this article its time to act and go and put this into practise. Remember “There’s no reaction without action”! So take action and change your life!
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step"