The Fitness Professional’s Guide to Reducing Stubborn Fat

Where Do You Start When You Need to Lose Stubborn Fat?

I know this has happened to many people – you look down one day and think … How did I get here? Stubborn fat can sneak up on you like a ninja!  You know at that moment that it’s time to do the work and start to lose that stubborn fat that has been following you around. The hardest part is where to start. Check out these exercise and healthy diet tips to shake up your routine and give you a place to start your journey.

11 Tips From a Personal Trainer

“BRING IT ON!” – Bring on 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity in a variety of heart rate zones 5 – 7 days of the week. It’s important to mix up the types of activities you perform. Overtraining or overuse injuries can happen if you do the same thing every day. You can run, hill climb, spin, swim, skip, whatever you like, but just have fun.

“MOVE IT or LOSE IT” – Get a step counter and move it. Tracking your steps is a great way to see just how sedentary you are being throughout the day. Seeing the numbers going up is also a motivator to move. You should be walking a MINIMUM of 10,000 steps a day just to maintain your current body fat, however, if you want to lose body fat consider adding in extra steps. Park at the back of the lot, get off the bus stop one or two stops before you necessary, do a lap or two around the office, or…. the best way to increase steps, which is my favourite … get a dog and have the best kind of walking buddy.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – Once you have got into a regular routine and adjusted to working out on a regular basis it’s time to turn up the intensity. Starting out with endurance training is great for beginners but when it comes to burning calories HIIT training is far more efficient. Remember that high-intensity workouts are meant to be shorter in duration but much higher in intensity. It’s an excellent idea to hire a personal trainer if you are unfamiliar with this type of programming to avoid overtraining injuries.

Strength Training – Adding on more lean muscle helps you to burn more calories even when you are at rest. Everyone should be doing some form of strength training at least 2 to 3 times a week. Make sure you are working at maximum effectiveness. Working with a personal trainer that can help build resistance training programs specific to your goal and abilities.

Eat the Appropriate Number of Calories – Calories in and calories out … you won’t lose stubborn body fat if you are consuming more calories than your body can possibly use. You can find RMR calculators online that will give you an approximate number of calories to consume. Infofit has a test that gives you a calorie intake specific to your metabolic rate. Then you can optimize your weight loss potential whether your fat-loss struggles are related to your metabolism or another factor such as hormones, muscle mass or activity level. Learn more about booking a RMR test from Infofit.

Keep a Daily Nutrition Log – Once you know how many calories you should be consuming, it’s important to track what you are consuming. Writing it down will help to make you aware of what you may be doing to sabotage your success. There are many apps on the market to help you with tracking your food and macronutrients.

Hire a Nutritionist – We all make mistakes with our nutrition habits and it’s good to have an impartial outside source look at what habits need to change. Or you can take a nutrition course from Infofit and learn how to do it yourself.

Insanity is Doing the Same Things Over and Over Again –  You need to make changes if you want different results. Start with small changes in your diet such as cutting out sugar and adding more fruit, vegetables and above all else water!

Convenience Foods Aren’t Always Healthy –  Read the label and if you don’t know what you are consuming then you shouldn’t be eating it. Processed or packaged foods are often loaded with hidden sugar, trans fats and a ton of sodium. These products all make it very difficult to lose weight.

Control Your Portions – Even if it’s a healthy food choice remember it still has calories. I’ve seen many people gain weight because they are intaking too much too often. Put it in perspective … 1 cup of almonds can contain a whopping 800 calories which are quite often half of your daily intake. It goes back to tracking what you are consuming. Your plate should be half vegetables (salads are great for filling you up) and then the rest should be a protein and whole grain product (brown rice, quinoa, bulgar, etc). Stop before you are completely full. You just need to feel satisfied not stuffed.

Chew Each Bite a 100 Times – Okay, well that is an exaggeration, however, take time to enjoy each bite you take. Slow down and chew your food slowly. You may find that you don’t eat nearly as much when you slow down your eating habits. Pay attention to what you are eating. Put away the phone, turn off the TV and make a point of really enjoying your meal.

These Little Tips Will Work Over Time

Stubborn fat loss can often be frustrating and frankly time-consuming, however, all of these little tips will work over time. It does get easier! Set yourself up for success by surrounding yourself with a team that will help you when things get difficult. Hire a personal trainer, get a nutritionist and have your friends and family hold you accountable. Success will be right around the corner with the right team by your side!

Cathie Glennon – BCRPA/SFL