With warm weather quickly approaching, you might be feeling the burn to drop fat fast. Learn how to maximize your fat-burning potential with these 8 pro tips from Kyla Ford!
When it comes to getting lean—like ripped-abs, beach-ready lean—a few tricks of the trade can make the difference between good and exceptional results. Instead of skimping on meals and resorting to brutal three-a-day cardio sessions, make smart, long-lasting, maintainable changes.
1 Make Hydration a Habit
Dehydration can leave you feeling physically and mentally wiped. Not only is water essential for proper digestion and nutrient absorption, but it's a fat-burning necessity. When it comes to leaning out, more water is definitely better.
"Drink at least 4 liters of water daily," Ford instructs. "Water flushes out your system, keeps you feeling full longer, and ensures that you don't suffer from a dehydration-related reduction in performance."
Doing this help keep you stick to a simple schedule that's sparked by mere association: Every time you eat, make sure you have a tall glass of water to wash down your meal.
2 Leave Every Workout Winded
If leaning out is priority number one, make sure you bring intensity to each and every workout. After completing your regular sets in the hypertrophy range of 8-12 sets, kick things up a notch with finishing techniques such as dropsets, negatives, and—if you're training with a partner—forced reps.
"When you train with intensity, your body requires more energy and burns more calories," Ford says.
While it might be easy to feel wiped after pressing out a few heavy reps, make sure to keep your rest between sets to a minimum, and avoid the lure of gym-time watercooler chatter.
"Time your rest periods between exercises to make sure they're not too long, and be careful not to get distracted by other people in the gym," Ford explains. At the end of the day, these intense workouts can translate to more total fat being burned 24/7.
3 Be Smart About Cardio
When most people think of fat loss, cardio training immediately comes to mind. But if you want to really excel and see optimal results, you need to be sure that you are doing the right training for you.
"High-intensity interval training can be far more advantageous than steady-state cardio, because it revs up your metabolism and elevates your body's ability to burn fat long after the workout ends," Ford says.
When you’re serious about leaning out, remember that a little HIIT can go a long way.
Since high-intensity cardio sessions usually last no more than 20 minutes, they give you the chance to get your workout done quickly, providing maximum benefit and minimal time commitment. Plus, less time spent running it out also means your body is less likely to tap into muscle for fuel, increasing the likelihood that you'll preserve your gains.
This doesn't mean you should swear off steady-state though. If you have the time, there's nothing wrong with choosing a relaxed hour of incline-treadmill walking for every few days.
4 Eat Whole Foods First
If you're overwhelmed by all the diet tips people throw at you, take a deep breath and keep two simple words in mind: whole foods. By eating foods in their natural state—and not in a prepackaged box with a slapped-on nutrition label—you'll automatically start to cut processed foods from your diet and take a step in a healthier direction.
"Processed foods can cause blood glucose levels to soar and increase your risk of fat gain," says Ford. "Whole foods, on the other hand, contain one ingredient. By eating these foods you'll take in more dietary fiber, which will help you feel fuller longer. When paired with water, they'll also help you stay regular."
5 Increase Your Protein Intake
Want to get lean in a hurry? Plate up on protein. "Be sure to add a lean source of protein to every meal you eat," Ford recommends.
Protein will help you maintain muscle mass while dieting, keep you feeling full for the long haul, and even help you burn additional calories because of its high thermic effect! All this means that protein is the number-one nutrient for dieters. It's the mightiest of the macros!
To cut calories without losing muscle mass, plate up on protein. Aim for about 30 grams per meal.
One 4-ounce portion of chicken packs 28 grams of protein. Aim for 1-2 servings per meal so that you hit about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight every day.
6 Fuel With Healthy Fats
"Fat won't make you fat!" Ford exclaims. So many people are under the impression that if you eat fat, it'll get converted to body fat, but that's not how things work.
Fat itself doesn't actually hinder your body's get-lean machinery. (An excess of fat and carbs—or calories in general—is a different story.) The fact is, some fats are absolutely essential, like the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. "It's critical to get sufficient essential fatty acids, because your body cannot produce them," Ford explains.
The omega-3 fats in particular provide a host of health benefits. While you can find omega-3s in certain food sources, you can also take a quality fish oil supplement to ensure you get an adequate amount—1-2 grams of EPA and DHA—daily.
7 Get Serious About Sleep
Fat loss and general fitness doesn't stop when you leave the gym. To maximize your results, make a concerted effort to get eight hours of sleep per night.
"Sleep is important for fat loss and weight loss in general," Ford says. "If your body doesn't get enough sleep or rest, it won't recover properly." When you aren't getting enough sleep, your body can go into a stressed state, which can lead to elevated cortisol levels and other hormonal imbalances.
8 Don't Go All or Nothing
Remember, everyone has off days where they're too busy or simply lack the desire to make it to the gym. Banish that all-or-nothing mindset, and fit in what you can. "If you're inconsistent with your diet or training, you can't expect to see results," Ford says.
The only bad workout is the one you didn’t do. Try to fit something into your day—even if it’s just part of your workout.
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