Diet vs Exercise
For many, when trying to burn fat, diet and exercise go hand in hand. They think that if they just eat a little less and exercise a little more, they’ll get there. Unfortunately, that approach can actually work against you. Some people are so good at portion control and working out that they don’t ever let themselves lose enough weight for their bodies to hit their ideal set point (the place where your body will burn fat instead of storing it). Think about your own eating habits—if you had no restrictions on how much you could eat, how much would you be eating? Now multiply that by two. The majority of Americans weigh way more than they should, because we have access to food 24/7 and we’re conditioned not to deny ourselves delicious foods. In order to burn fat without doing any extra exercise or eating less, you need to change your set point so that your body is burning fat as its primary source of fuel; then you can cut back on food intake without worrying about losing muscle mass. Many nutritionists recommend an extreme form of calorie restriction called intermittent fasting with very low caloric intake followed by days where you eat normally. This may work for some people but it isn't an option everyone is willing to try—and even those who do try it often end up quitting before seeing results!
What is Ketosis?
Ketosis is a state in which your body burns fat instead of glucose as its primary fuel. Your liver produces ketones from fatty acids and these can be used by muscle cells, including your heart, for energy. In other words, ketones are something you want more of when you’re burning fat instead of glucose (which means eating less carbohydrates). When you switch to a low-carb diet – eating mostly protein and high fat – you get into ketosis almost immediately because your brain still needs carbs for fuel. The brain can run on very little glucose. In fact it needs only 20 grams per day, according to Gary Taubes’ book Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It. When you eat fewer than 50g of carbs daily, your body starts making ketone bodies that burn fatty acids directly in place of glucose. Burning fat instead of glucose also cuts down on insulin levels. When we eat carbs, our blood sugar rises and insulin levels increase so most people have some degree of insulin resistance; if we avoid excess insulin spikes there's no need for diabetes drugs like Metformin. But don't jump straight to cutting out all carbs!
Tips to Kickstart Ketosis
For many people, ketosis is a desirable state. If you want to burn fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates, ketosis is your body’s natural response to eating fat and protein instead of carbs. But getting into ketosis doesn’t have to be hard. To get started on a well-formulated ketogenic diet (more on that later), make sure you understand how much carbohydrate your body needs each day in order for it stay in energy balance—which can vary from person to person depending on size, gender, activity level and more. Then go low carb and high fat while avoiding sugar—and most carbs—to trick your body into using your stored fat as its primary source of fuel instead of relying on burning sugar/carbs. Simple! Most diets are about eating less, which doesn’t work if you want to burn fat instead of storing it. The key is eating enough healthy fats and protein so your body uses your own body fat for fuel—along with some dietary carbs. It won't happen overnight, but I encourage you to try it out for a few weeks if possible.
4 Reasons Why You’re Not Burning Body Fat
1.You’re Not Drinking Enough Water: Staying hydrated is vital when you’re trying to lose weight. Water acts as a diuretic, flushing toxins from your body and helping you feel full, so it’s no surprise that studies have shown that people who drink more water (and less sugary beverages) tend to lose more weight than those who don’t. If you find yourself frequently reaching for drinks throughout the day, try replacing them with water; it can make a big difference over time. 2. You Don’t Know Your Body Type: There are three basic body types - endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph - which each require different strategies for fat loss. Understanding your own body type makes it easier to structure workout routines that will yield better results. The best way to figure out what type of physique you have? Find someone in peak physical condition at a gym, ideally someone close to your height but opposite sex (since muscle composition varies between men and women). Weigh them, then look at their biceps and triceps (men), waistline and hips (women). Which area is bigger? They probably have an endomorphic build; if they appear slimmer all over compared to most people of their size then they are most likely ectomorphic. 3. You're not getting enough protein: A high-protein diet can increase your metabolism by up to 15%, boosting fat burning and preserving lean muscle mass while increasing energy expenditure by 10%. Protein also slows down digestion, stabilizes blood sugar levels and increases satiety making you less likely to snack later on. 4. You’re Skipping Breakfast: Breakfast might be considered the most important meal of the day, but skipping it isn't doing your waistline any favors. In fact, research suggests that breakfast eaters actually weigh 7 pounds less than non-breakfast eaters due to increased metabolic rates resulting from regular eating patterns.
0 Comments