BODY FAT REDUCTION – WHAT NOT TO DO

Body fat reduction doesn’t have much to do with what is commonly known as “losing weight”. When we try to lose weight, the main goal is to get rid of extra kilograms. It’s most often done by people suffering from obesity, who have been following an unhealthy diet and now have to drastically change their lifestyle. By body fat reduction, however, we mean a process undertaken by people who keep a healthy diet and are making a conscious decision to reduce their amount of fat tissue without losing muscle mass. When it comes to fat loss, changes in weight are never as significant as we see during weight loss.

Both concepts are quite similar, and the fact that every decision leading to weight/fat loss is commonly referred to as “losing weight” has caused both terms to be used interchangeably.

I would like to present you with 5 tips that will help you avoid the most common mistakes:

Trying to lose fat doesn’t mean you have to starve yourself. There’s no point in drastically limiting your caloric intake – it will only slow down your metabolism, increase stress levels and make you feel exhausted. It’s best to reduce the number of consumed calories gradually when you aren’t noticing any improvements when looking in the mirror, standing on the scale, or measuring your body size.

Control your daily meals – don’t just eat whatever you like, whenever you feel like it. Remember that even small amounts of food can be high in calories. The best example are nuts – 100g contains as many as 500 calories! Avoid snacking. Try to always include an additional meal (or a cheat meal) in your eating plan. Think about these extra meals as a planned step designed to speed up your metabolism and improve your mood, instead of just a quick way to satiate hunger.

Wanting to reduce body fat doesn’t mean that you have to work yourself to death in the gym or do huge amounts of cardio. Keep trying to make continued progress, but at the same time don’t force yourself. Focus on listening to what your body tells you. Sometimes it’s better to stop mid-exercise than suffer an injury.

Don’t forget how important sleep and regeneration are for fat tissue reduction (and muscle building). It’s during sleep that our body recovers from physical activity. Too little sleep combined with excessive hunger will lead to fatigue and affect your well-being.

Set realistic goals for yourself. Don’t look at others and how much time they took to achieve their goals. Treat their progress as an additional source of motivation, not as a measure of success. Everyone’s body is different and responds differently to various stimuli. Someone may need 3 months for fat reduction, or 6 months, while someone else might need longer than that.

Following these rules will help you conquer the road to fat reduction. There are many ways to successfully lose fat tissue – but remember, there is no best way for everyone. The best way is what works for you, so try to find your own rhythm and become the best possible version of yourself!