If you are overweight it is likely that you would have embarked on a weight loss diet at some point. After a few weeks of rapid weight loss that got you excited it is possible that you started to experience reduced energy, lower physical activity and an increase in food cravings and appetite.
Your body in effect has gone into ‘starvation mode’ in response to the lowered calorie intake. A series of metabolic, hormonal and behavioral responses have been activated as your body responds as if there was a famine. It does not know that you only want to fit into your ‘skinny’ jeans again.
Pursuing losing your excess fat weight the wrong way (through dumb dieting) harms your body and makes the bad stuff worse and the after-effects linger longer. Doing it the right way and focusing on fat loss rather than simply weight loss and improved body composition (muscle/fat ratio) minimizes the bad stuff and prevents damage to the delicate systems of the human metabolism.
Best exercise for weight loss
Here are 2 of the best fat burning strategies which keep your hormones happy and your metabolism burning hot.
1. Strength training – In the competitive body building/shaping world strength training exercise is a foregone conclusion as that is what gets them into awesome lean mean shape. It is strange but in the everyday world of non-athletes, losing weight means dieting when really it should be weight loss equals a proper strength training program first and foremost. After all that is what works – take a look at both types of people and see which one gets and stays in shape.
Do not think cardio type activity will replace the important benefits to rebuilding and re-toning lost muscle tissue through inactivity. The muscular system is where fuel (calories) are burnt for energy and if your muscles have become weak and flabby they will not be burning anywhere near as much fuel as they should be.
Cardio type activity cannot fix this – not anytime soon – not ever. You can still do your favorite activities but do your strength training program first and use your extra activities as a bonus and just part of increasing your overall activity levels.
2. Your eating should be often and regular. Small meals every 2-3 hours each with a source of protein is the way to go. The balance of the meal should be made up of vegetables. Get rid of as much processed food as possible and replace with natural whole foods that you will cook from scratch.
For weight loss get yourself back into the kitchen
The long term use of refined, processed artificial foods will eventually take its toll on your ability to lose weight and eventually your health. When your hormonal health declines, changing your body composition for weight loss is much harder and the risk of metabolic damage increases which makes it so much harder if not impossible.
For optimal body composition/fat loss results along with improved metabolic and hormonal health, it is not just about the quantity of food eaten it is about the quality of food eaten. Do not focus on one to the neglect of the other. You can eat way more food which creates more energy so you can exercise harder and you will also feel so good which makes the whole weight loss thing so much easier.
With your proper strength training program along with an overall more active lifestyle, your calorie expenditure (metabolism) goes way up and stays up right throughout the day and night., and that is how you can sensibly eat more and keep getting stronger, leaner and looking and feeling your best.
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