Weight loss is actually a scientific process. It’s common for millions of overweight people to throw their hands up in the air and give up on their weight loss journey just because they think that whatever they’re doing is not working is actually a scientific process. It’s common for millions of overweight people to throw their hands up in the air and give up on their weight loss journey just because they think that whatever they’re doing is not working.
“My fat is too stubborn!”… “I have big bones”… “It’s my genes. Everyone in my family is fat.”… Or the biggest excuse of all, “I don’t have time”. They are so hard-pressed for time that they can’t watch their diet or exercise.
The cornerstones of weight loss
The truth of the matter is that in almost all the cases, they are neglecting the fundamental principles of successful weight loss. Either they do not know what these principles are, or they are not following them effectively. This article will give you the four cornerstones of all weight loss. You absolutely must get them right to lose as much weight as you can.
1. You must be at a caloric deficit
Of all the rules, this is the MOST important one. You absolutely cannot lose weight if you are not at a caloric deficit. That means you must expend more calories than you consume. Imagine all the fat in your body as stored energy. That’s really what it is. When you use up the energy, the fat cells will shrink. When you eat food, you are giving your body energy. If you do not use up all the energy from your food, it ends up stored in your body as fat. So, you will need to use up more energy through exercise and consume less energy from food. It’s that simple. You can find out exactly what your caloric deficit should be by visiting this link: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.html
2. You NEED fast cardio
Yes, cardio is tough. Most people dread it. It’s exhausting and demanding. Yet, it is the most powerful tool for boosting your metabolic rate. You can’t just do any old cardio. You need fast cardio. Did you know that 15 minutes of high-intensity cardio is better than 60 minutes of slow or moderate cardio? The reason for this is that the fast cardio sets you up for excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. That means your body will be in fat burning mode for 8 to 14 hours after your workout is over. Normal slow cardio has limited calorie burning. The calorie burning stops once your workout ends. So, you should always aim to do fast cardio. Initially, when you start your training regimen, it’s fine to go with slow cardio. After all, your body needs to get used to activity. However, as time progresses, you should slowly start training with high-intensity workouts. 2 or 3 of these workouts a week is more than enough. You will save a lot of time.
3. Resistance training is important
The more muscle your body has, the more calories it burns while it’s at rest. You must use resistance training to preserve your lean muscle. Cardio alone will not be sufficient. The cardio will end up burning your fats and muscles if you do not incorporate resistance training in your regimen. The resistance training will make your muscles stronger, prevent muscle atrophy, boost your metabolic rate, strengthen your ligaments and bones and ensure that most of the weight you lose is fat and not muscle mass. You must engage in resistance training.
4. Eating clean is crucial
You can never out-exercise a bad diet. Aiming for a caloric deficit alone is not enough. You will need to feed your body with nutritious foods to satiate your hunger and also meet your vitamin and mineral requirements. Many beginners assume that they can be in a caloric deficit and still eat the same foods. This is true, and you will lose weight, but it will be much tougher to lose the weight. When you eat clean, the fat loss will be easier, faster and you will have fewer cravings for unhealthy foods. You must develop the habit of clean eating in order to keep the excess weight at bay once you have lost it.
Obey these four rules and your weight loss will be very successful. These are simple in concept but very difficult to execute. You will need determination, perseverance and patience to keep going when the results seem slow. Always believe that they will come and as long as you stay the course, they will.
