4 Ways To Speed Up Fat Loss Through Diet
When it comes to reaching our goals, most of us want it to happen yesterday, this is especially true with fat loss. But let's be real, lasting fat loss isn’t something we can accomplish overnight. However, there are ways to make the journey as quick and effortless as possible.
Your nutrition will be the biggest mover. With hundreds of diet options - carnivore to vegan, paleo, whole 30 fasting, to name a few - it’s tough to figure out what works best for you. Either way, diets are just sneaky ways to get you in a calorie deficit, where you’ll be burning more than you’re consuming.
The diet you choose needs to be enjoyable, satisfying, and effective enough to stick with for the long haul. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which diet you choose, but for.. dare I say.. easy results, the diet should hit the following four points:
Fill Up On Protein, Fruits & Veggies
Think, real food.
Protein is probably the most important macronutrient for fat loss. Not only does it aid in muscle recovery, but it will help reserve your muscle mass during a dieting phase. Additionally, protein is extremely filling so starting your meals with an adequate amount of protein (think 20-40g) means you’ll feel satisfied quicker.
What about storing protein as fat? Highly inconvenient for your body. In fact, your body is already working overtime just to digest the protein. Protein has the highest thermal effect so you’ll actually burn a few more calories digesting protein compared to the other macronutrients! Although this difference isn’t large, over time, it can definitely add up.
As for fruits and vegetables, we want to make sure we’re still getting filled up with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and the like. Also, they’re awesome low-calorie foods you can fill your plate with without overeating. This is what we call “high volume foods,” making dieting much less of a strain when you can still sit down with a full plate.
So, focusing on high quality protein and plenty of fruits and vegetables will definitely help in making your dieting journey a successful one, promise!
Give Your Digestion A Rest
Yes, fasting. But not for the reasons you may think! Implementing long breaks from eating can actually work wonders for your relationship with food, which can seriously promote your weight loss journey. If you find you can be a late-night snacker, try closing down the kitchen by 7 or 8pm and aim for a 12 hour fast until you have breakfast around 7 or 8am. This is just one of the many ways to customize fasting to fit your lifestyle!
Limiting when you can eat can be a game-changer for cutting out mindless snacking. Plus, it helps take the focus off food. When you know you’re not eating for the next 12 or 14 hours, you can focus on other responsibilities without that temptation. Also, giving your digestion a break for 12 to 14 hours can do wonders for cleansing and balancing your gut bacteria.
With consistent use, fasting has been linked to sharper focus, better sleep, and improved blood sugar control - which alone can help trim down some belly fat!
However, fasting isn’t for everyone and if you’ve struggled with disordered eating or you find, especially for women, it has a negative impact on hormonal function, ease into it slowly and be mindful of how your body responds.
Find Foods That Digest Well
Gut health isn’t talked about near enough when it comes to weight loss. You aren’t what you eat, you’re what you digest.
The gut microbiome has a huge impact on modulating whether a diet will help one lose weight or not. How efficiently our bodies use calories and regulate our appetites can depend on a variety of factors, but our gut health is definitely one of them.
We won’t get into all the complicated details of gut health, but there are a few key takeaways. Decoding whether something is digesting optimally isn’t always black and white, as intolerances can flare up several days after eating a certain food! But if you’re feeling bloated, gassy, sluggish, or dealing with acne or low energy, it could be your gut trying to tell you something.
If you’re suspecting your gut is unhappy with you, I highly recommend going to see a professional who can decode the signals. Sure, you can try methods at home like a food journal or elimination diet, but pinpointing the food causing the discomfort can be tricky. So, bottom line, prioritize foods that love you back for optimal gut health and an efficient weight loss journey.
The Best Diet For You Is The One You Enjoy
Yep, it’s true! A diet shouldn’t feel like you’re serving a life sentence of only leafy greens and water. Honestly, you should enjoy this journey, while eating as much food as possible. This will look different for everyone and however this looks for you, while helping you hit your goals, is going to be the best diet for you personally.
The more you enjoy the process, the more likely you’ll be able to stick to it in the long run and maintain your hard earned results. I mean, what’s the point of reaching your goal if you can’t keep it up? So, embrace the journey, savor the food, and watch as the results come and stick around for good!
