Goddess Magazine Stories/Articles

How to Know You're Burning Fat (June/July 2012)

You've hit the gym for an hour every night for the last two months working your butt off. You've had one-on-one time with a personal trainer and a healthy mean plan, but why does it seem like you are not burning any fat and getting the results you want? It is a difficult climb to get in shape, stay in shape and keep fat off, so it is often discouraging when it looks as if all that work isn't paying off.

Finding ways to burn fat is most likely one of the biggest issues faced by people these days.

When you are feeling down about the lack of result you're seeing, keep these couple things in mind:

*Over time, weight loss slows down as your body plateaus and almost seems resistant to the exercise and dieting.

*Carbohydrates are not the enemy. Contrary to what people believe, having carbs are better than restricting them completely from your diet. There are several carbohydrate loaded foods that actually help burn fat. You can have your favorite carbs in moderation. Carbohydrates are fuel for your body and are essential to any healthy diet for activity and organ function. Substitute white bread and rolls for high fiber, healthier choices such as rye or whole wheat bread.

For an extra boost your workout and diet, listed below are some ideas and foods/drinks that can help boost fat loss:

Spicy Foods – For example, cayenne pepper burns more calories than what it contains, so it can also be considered a fat burner. cayenne pepper can also increase metabolism, which also assists to increase the rate at which your body is using up calories and extra fat.

Green Tea – This been known to help in also boosting metabolism and therefore helps in burning body fat. Green Tea has become a popular way to lose those extra pounds and has also become one of the common ingredients of those. It also helps flush extra water weight and bloat. Be prepared to be using the little girl's room often throughout the day. Remember, trying to burn fat with just green tea alone may not do all the work for you, especially if you already have accumulated too much fat already.

High-Fiber Fruits and Veggies – Fiber is a hunger suppressant, and it will help with overeating, which will also assist in the accumulation of fat.

Eat Smaller Meals Frequently Throughout the Day - By eating 5 or 6 small, healthy meals during the course of the day will boot your metabolism. You can start with a high-fiber cereal, such as cheerios, one slice of toast and a cup of skim milk in the morning, a piece of fruit and/or yogurt as a mid-morning snack, a sandwich on whole wheat or rye bread and carrot sticks and another cup of skim milk for lunch, celery sticks or an apple with peanut butter for a mid-afternoon snack and a well- balanced meal of protein (fish, chicken or beef) with veggies and a small serving (about a cup) of brown rice or sweet/ mashed potatoes. You can also incorporate another snack mid-evening after dinner, but be sure to limit food intake after a certain hour at night, usually around 8 p.m. Cut our sodas, juice and drinks with sugar. Try sugar free iced tea and add artificial sweetener, such as Sweet & Low or stick to water. It may seem bland, but you will get used to it! Also, many food makers, such as Hostess and Nabisco make 100 calories packs of cookies or cakes – you can get your sugar fix and keep the calories low! Mix it up with a little aerobic exercise, and you will see results. From personal experience, I've tried this diet and it does work! I saw about a ten pound loss in about a week! For a little extra help to stay on track, you can use free online food journals, such as www.fatsecret.com, to keep track out your calories, exercise and weight loss.

Calories are units of energy that can be converted into fat. Fat is insulation, and a form of stored energy. The calories may be ones you have consumed that day, or they are already stored fat that you are using up. We burn calories just by laughing, eating, breathing, etc. Any little movement burns calories. Whenever you exercise, you burn calories. Burning fat is slightly different. If you're just sitting, you won't burn fat – you have to keep up the with activity, such as cardio, as well.

Whatever you do, don't give in to the common falsehoods about burning fat. Keep doing what you're doing and be patient and persistent. It will pay off in the end.