Fat Loss Tips

[badstone]

6 Bodybuilding Fat Loss Diet Tips



by Christopher Zell
Many people are surprised when they find out how small changes in their diet can lead to big results in fat loss... I know I was, but I learned it was true! I have listed a few common things in the diet that can be manipulated, added, or dropped, to attain desired results.

1. Eat less simple sugars. This was the biggest result getter for me. One easy way to do this is to drop sodas. They have a lot of empty calories up to 120...although diet sodas aren't necessarily healthy, they are minus sugar. I haven't been a soda drinker myself for about 4 years...but this isn't where I dropped sugar. I used to subscribe to the idea that products labeled as "fat free" and "low fat" were the way to go. What I didn't know was that those same products often times had added simple sugars. Many items labeled "lite" usually have less sugars. Don't be afraid to learn how to read nutritional information on the labels. Once I dropped extra sugar in my diet, I dropped about 6 pounds, with no extra cardio at all...just the sugar alone. It happened gradually, but has stayed off permanently.

2. Drink 1% or skim milk. Sometimes I drink a gallon of milk a day, all skim. Milk is almost a perfect source of protein as well...and 1 gallon has 160g! This can make a HUGE difference, ask me, I know. Been skim for 4 years. Try fat free, lite or reduced fat cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese as well (watch the added sugar!).

3. Eat more often! You probably eat 2-3 times a day, right? Eat more frequent, smaller meals, spaced out every 2-4 hours, as many as 6-8 times a day. Basically you'll be "grazing", and this will help your body boost your metabolism. Digestion is a big calorie burner...up to 20% of the calories from each meal go towards digestion. This will help keep your "internal furnace"" going. Try to shoot for x grams of protein a day, where x is your bodyweight. Keep simple sugars low, (fruit is a good choice!) and saturated fats to a minimum.

4. Instead of ground beef in your recipes, try ground turkey. It has approx. 20g of protein per serving, with only 1-2g fat. I use this in spaghetti, meatloaf, manwiches, whatever. I also like to use chicken strips heated in a skillet in spaghetti as well.

5. Eat wheat bread instead of white. Not too sure about the science behind this one yet, but it has seemed to help. I think it has something to do with the white bread's ability to be converted into simple sugars more quickly or something.

6. Drink more! No you raging alcoholics...I can hear the cheering already! Make sure what you drink is a hydrating liquid...not caffeinated soda or coffee, and alcohol does not count! Drink up to and even more than 1 gallon of water a day, depending on you activities. This will rid the body of toxins, and flush your system. This may be more important than any of the other points. One way to monitor your water intake is to keep an empty mile jug, and will it with water every night before you go to bed. Drink some from the jug throughout the day. At the end of the night, evaluate how much you have drank. If you are at work a lot like I am, take a plastic bottle, (12oz, 16oz) and keep filling it throughout the day. Keep it on you during your workouts...don't rely on the water fountain, as sips are hard to measure.

Try some or all of these tips to help boost your fat loss efforts. It's not easy, and not quick...(I'm still gettin' there myself), so give it at least 1-2 months before you start to see results. Try to participate in some cardiovascular activity about 3 times a week, for 20-30 minutes a session. Good luck!