While exercise is part of the equation in losing body fat, the importance of proper nutrition cannot be stressed enough. Even if you are a huge fitness enthusiast and spend 6 hours week in the gym, you are still spending 162 hours out of it! All that progress you’re making in the gym can be hindered, at least when it comes to losing fat if you’re eating the wrong foods in the wrong amounts (there is an old saying, “You can’t out-train a bad diet!”). If you are on a progressive resistance training program where you hit all of the major muscle groups in the body and resistance train at least 3 days per week then you should be fine as far as training goes.

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So what can you do to maximize your fat loss outside the gym? Nutrition is key when it comes to fat loss. Here are some eating practices to follow to ensure your doing what you need to do outside of the gym:

  • Consume lots of protein from animal sources. This includes chicken, turkey, eggs, beef, and any other animal meat. Animal sources contain complete protein. Protein has a higher thermic effect of food than fats or carbohydrates. This means that your body utilizes more energy to process protein than it does either carbs or fat. Studies have shown that diets higher in protein cause more fat loss than diets higher in carbs, even when calories were the same. When you can, stick to organic sources of protein.
  • Earn your carbohydrates. The issue most people have with carbs is that they eat too many. Unless your super active, (training 5 days a week/have a job that has you moving around all day), you don’t need many carbs, especially on non-training days. Diet guru Nate Miyaki makes the point of comparing our bodies to cars and carbs to gasoline. What happens when you keep filling up a car (your body) with gas (carbs) when it’s not being driven (days off from the gym)? It starts to overflow (fat gain). On non-training days enjoy your meats, good fats and veggies. On training days, have some carbs after your workout, and the rest of the day, stick to meat and veggies.
  • Avoid processed foods. Processed foods are often packed with tons of added sugars or unhealthy fats. A recent study observed the effects of sugar on the human body over the long-term and short-term. The study deemed that added sugar actually has a higher correlation to hypertension than salt does. One of the studies they looked at compared a diet higher in added sugars with a diet lower in added sugars. They even controlled for total calories. What they found was that the diet higher in added sugars caused a significant amount of fat gain as compared to the lower sugar diet. So not only are processed sugars bad for your health, but they cause weight gain. When your trying to get leaner, processed food should be eaten sparingly, if at all.
  • Eat plenty of fiber. Dietary fiber contains less usable energy than starchy sources of carbohydrates. This is because fiber isn’t fully absorbed by the body and the amount of energy absorbed by it is less than other carbohydrate sources. Fiber also slows down digestion, helping you feel fuller longer. Fiber also slows down absorption of sugar in your stomach, thus keeping your blood sugar more stable. Some sources of fiber include vegetables, fruits and nuts.
  • Avoid liquid calories. You should be drinking water, and plenty of it. Coffee and tea are fine too, use cream if you like but don’t drown your coffee or tea in it. Soda pops and juices are out of the question all together, most contain no beneficial nutrients in them. Now I know what you’re thinking, “What about alcohol?”. Let me address that. First off, let me say that I don’t recommend binge drinking. The advice I’m giving is for those who want to enjoy a drink every now and then. If you are already eating a paleo type diet, then your half way there already.

Now last but not least, here are some eating practices to help you lose those last couple of pounds of fat.

  • Stop eating when you are full. Stuffing your face until you can’t move is a great idea for an NFL lineman who has to maintain their weight in order to perform their job. It’s not a good idea for somebody who wants to lose fat. Stop eating when you feel full.
  • When you eat out, eat high-protein, low-fat. Business deals are made over dinners and lunches. We are social people and social eaters. It would be silly to tell you to not eat out at all anymore. It is something you want to reduce when you can, but it’s not always possible. Opt for veggies and protein when you are out to eat. Don’t worry about fat. The restaurant probably used plenty of it to cook your food anyways. It’s a great idea to ask what oils they use to cook their food. You can even go the extra mile and request that they cook your food with coconut oil (some restaurants will do that for you). If your full, simply request a container to take your food home and eat it another time. Ask the waiter or waitress to hold sauces or have them on the side so you can control how much of it you eat.
  • Don’t indulge. The truth is that regardless of how clean you eat, once in a while, you’re going to want to have some junk food. Rather than tell you to never have it (because we know you will have it anyways), simply practice moderation. You will have cheat meals from time to time. It’s a reality. Just don’t indulge. Seriously. Pay attention to your appetite and only eat when you are hungry. The issue I see with most people and junk food is that they eat junk food mindlessly. They grab a bag of chips (or any other ssnack food) and eat it when they aren’t hungry. Those foods won’t fill you up anyways, but over indulging in them will do some damage to your fat loss progress. You don’t have to eat the whole bag and you CAN stop at one cookie, yes, even if it’s your cheat meal. Slipping on your diet happens. Don’t do what some people do and say “Well I slipped a little, might as well just go all out and stuff my face with junk”. That’s a recipe for disaster. The little slip may not have set you back, but stuffing your face will.

So there you have it. Five tips to help you get leaner, and even some bonus ones to keep in mind. I hope your able to your able to incorporate these tips into your life and reach your fat loss goals. Remember, the summer body is built in the winter.