Some thoughts and discussions from me.
5 Untraditional Ways to Expedite Fat Loss
I’ve written before about fat loss. From going on a diet,to how hard it is, how to stick with it, to how it works.
And then there’s calorie cycling fat loss – manipulating your calories and carbs so we can take it easier when being in a deficit. I’ve also talked about how to program and align your workouts to help your fat loss goals.
While there’s not one set of fat loss rules, per say, the above tips aren’t anything ground-breaking, and there are tons of studies that back it up with facts. However, sometimes it’s more than just calories, calories out (although, that is the basic science behind it all.) Sometimes making small not-so-obvious adjustments in your diet and lifestyle can make this fat loss journey a little easier.
1. Sleep more.
Last week I gave you 10 tips to get a good night’s sleep, but I didn’t go into why it’s so beneficial to get sleep. There are a plethora of reasons, but if you’re trying to lose fat (or not gain it,) getting enough sleep is key. Since less sleep is correlated with obesity, it’s the first question I ask my clients after going over their nutrition and exercise. If your nutrition is dialed in and your workouts are on point, but the weight still isn’t coming off, try looking back at your past month’s sleep. Make sleep a priority.
2. Eat more food.
Often times, I’ll get clients who will either email me or come to me in the gym who have already been trying to lose weight…for a really, really long time. Typically, the first thing I do is increase their food. Their body has been in a deficit, or they have been “on a diet” for so damn long, that their bodies are literally revolting against them. It’s incredibly hard for them to lose weight without being 100% regimented, and they’ve been on and off the clean eating/diet train countless times in the past few years. Since being in a calorie deficit is a stressor, their bodies have been in a constant state of stress for who knows how long, and we can hope that no damage is done to the thyroid. By taking a break, and eating above maintenance, I have them go into a re-feed, in a sense, to keep the body burning more fat long term.
Anecdotally, I have been training a client for the past 8 months, who has been consistently losing weight each month, while still maintaining the increase in calories that I had her do when we first met.
3. Limit or nix the alcohol
Womp. Womp. I know, I know – I’m a total buzz kill with this one (see what I did there? 
) And I’m right there with ya. I don’t like this one either – I like my wine and local beer.
And while a 16 oz margaritas packs as many calories as a double cheeseburger, it’s not all about the calories. It’s about what alcohol does to your metabolism and blood sugar, which is sends it spiraling out of control, not to mention it lowers inhibitions, making those late night cheesey fries a much more viable option than would be otherwise.
4. Decrease stress
I mentioned above that if a client whose nutrition and workouts are on point, but is still having trouble losing weight, my first question is about sleep. My second one, which goes hand-in-hand, is about stress. Stress has been shown over and over again to be associated with obesity.
Stress, especially chronic stress of a go-go-go lifestyle, can have a major impact on our cortisol. I used to think I wasn’t a stressed out person, but it turns out, my stress was just hidden. I had come to accept it as a part of my daily life – in a constant fight or flight mode. If you’re not sure if you have stress, here’s a couple cues that you might be stressed:
-take a look at your breathing – is it short and shallow, as if you’re not really exhaling?
-check your resting heart rate (RHR) – a high RHR is not only an indicator of stress, but also possibly overtraining
-check your toilet – stress can manifest in our digestion
5. Don’t do so much cardio
Wait…what?
Stop thinking of exercise in terms of calories burned, and start thinking about what it’s doing for you: making you stronger, giving you muscle, increasing your bone density, making your metabolism more efficient, etc. Yes, cardio burns calories, but it also makes you super hungry, and it’s been shown that it’s incredibly easy to eat more than we burned afterward. Start lifting three times a week, and limiting your cardio to 1-2 higher intensity, shorter sessions per week, and walk as much as you can.
Do you or have you ever had a goal of fat loss? What nonconventional ways have you found success?
Sadly, I find cutting out alcohol to be a HUGE one! I don’t have a goal for fat loss but I DO know how bloated alcohol makes me and that if I consume less of it, I definitely shrink up a bit!
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More recently posted…Wordless. Or nearly.
Before my wedding, when I lost the most body fat (I went from 29% body fat to 19%), I was doing mostly circuit/interval training with weights. It’s what I plan to do post-pregnancy to lose this baby weight as well.
Yes, I tracked calories, but I still had plenty of splurges–it was my wedding season, after all! There was too much champagne, ice cream, cake, and brunch options to skip out on 😉
Katie H. recently posted…Menu Plan Monday
Great tips! I think so many people get confused by the “eat more food” tip, but it totally works (as long as the “more food” isn’t just chips and Chipotle).
Lex @ Flecks of Lex recently posted…Energy Bits: Review & GIVEAWAY!
Such a great point, Lex!
Definitely some great tips! I love how you focus on ‘eat more’ – I think a lot of people out really need a ‘re-feed’ to fix their metabolisms!
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted…A ‘Mystery Date’ at Crave.
I used to be a cardio junkie and was under the misconception that cardio was where it’s at in terms of losing wait, but I quickly learned that that’s not the case. I do more weight training into my routine now and will do cardio a few times of week instead of doing it everyday.
Holly @ EatGreatBEGreat recently posted…{Guest Post} Fitness and Lifestyle Trends of 2014
the sleep! i’m definitely doing my part there. 😉
Lindsay @ Lindsay’s List recently posted…pregnancy – 33 weeks
GOOD for you – it eludes so many people. Ahhh sleep rocks.
Thanks for the tips! I’m not really trying to lose weight, but I do have some body fat that I can’t seem to shed no matter how much I run and lift. I think I’m eating way less than I should so I’m trying to incorporate your tip of eat more into my life. It’s difficult, which I know sounds weird! But with training for a half and full marathon, I know I need to fuel my body.
Kristine @ Pink Cupcake Runs recently posted…I Lost My Voice
LOVE! I’m the opposite of Linds… I get NO sleep! Lol.. but I wouldn’t change it for anything… right now.
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables recently posted…Squash, Carrot, and Lentil Stew
love #5. very interesting! cutting alcohol is definitely what works for me.
christinaorso recently posted…Edamame and Avocado Spread with The Better Chips
The eat more food tip is totally a hard one for me because I am just unsure about it! I eat so much food, but honestly, with my restricted diet (thanks to intolerances, etc) I probably don’t eat as much as I think……. BAH! Oh well, I feel pretty darn good so I think I am okay, but every so often, I feel BLAH. But perhaps that’s because I am a lady and us ladies all tell to have not so okay days every so often?! LOL!
GiGi Eats Celebrities recently posted…Academy Award Winning Appetizers
I was eating WAY under my calories by going with what MyFitnessPal told me. I just recently (2-3 weeks ago) starting eating more calories after figuring out my TDEE through various calculators online. I haven’t noticed any difference yet, but I had been plateaued or gaining since approximately last August/September. Do you think it will take a long time for it to start going down after not eating enough calories for probably over a year? I lost steadily for a while but just hit a brick wall last fall.
Courtney @ Don’t Blink. Just Run. recently posted…Face The Music Friday #22
It is so interesting that you talk about increasing calories. I honestly think this is why I’ve had such a problem losing a little bit of weight. I don’t have much to lose and I know I don’t eat as much as I should so my body is hanging on to everything! Unfortunately, it’s hard thing to reverse.
Natalie @ Free Range Human recently posted…Cowtown Half-Marathon: I DID IT!
My progress stopped after exercising too much (like 6 hours) and eating maybe 800-1000 calories for a month. Then I went on to exercise less (2-3 hours) and eating the same and nothing… so that put my body under stress for years. It’s funny but alcohol helped me lose weight last summer, probably because my body needed the calories even if it wasn’t good ones.
I’m trying to sleep more and eat more now and just relax.
Julie recently posted…Treat Yourself Tuesday: A Place to Sit!
I think those are great goals that you have right now 🙂
Yea, i don’t like that alcohol is such a downer for fat loss. It tastes good dang it! 🙂
Heather @ Better With Veggies recently posted…Daily Supplement Routine
Let me ask you your opinion, I have been doing 2-3 hrs of cardio and two strength/cardio classes a week and the scale isn’t budging. I went to dr to have thyroid checked and levels are fine he says it’s an age thing (I’m 35) and that my metabolism has slowed down and basically it’s just the way it’s going to be. Really?!? Thoughts?
Ugh. Sorry that he put it so plainly like that and didn’t explain. First off, did you have all of your thyroid levels tested? Are you experiencing any other symptoms of hypothyroidism? Unfortunately, as we age, we do lose a little muscle, but if we’re training to build muscle, than it doesn’t have to be that way. Is your strength training more cardio-based than actually focused on building strength?
Great tips! The eating more one is really hard for me to do because it’s scary to go up in calories when you already aren’t losing weight but it really does seem to help. Especially when those extra calories are coming from nutritional sources like whole grains, fruits/veggies, lean protein, etc. Will be sharing this! 🙂
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