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How to Lose Body Fat: 10 Effective Ways to Say Goodbye to Your Fat
Losing fat might be challenging as it requires motivation, self-discipline, and strong willpower. But sticking to a plan will help you to lose body fat quickly and with no stress. Check out the most effective tips on how to reduce body fat with Habio.
What is body fat percentage?
Your body fat percentage refers to the amount of fat you have relative to the lean tissue and organ tissue in your body. This measurement is used to gain a clearer picture of your overall fitness, in addition to your weight. Even if you are at an average or healthy weight, having a high body fat percentage means that you are more likely to develop diseases related to having excess fat. These diseases include type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Is measuring body fat important?
Measuring your body fat percentage is extremely important, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Making sure that you follow a healthy diet and exercise regimen is key if you want to lose more body fat. Measuring your body fat allows you to determine if you are on track with your weight loss goals, or if you are just losing water weight on the scale.
How to measure body fat
You can find out your body fat percentage in multiple ways. A professional such as a dietitian or doctor may measure your body fat percentage with calipers - the small clamps that are used to determine how much fat you have just beneath the skin. Other common measuring methods include measuring your weight underwater (as lean tissue sinks and fat floats) or using a specialized machine such as The Bod Pod.
Healthy body fat percentage
Your healthy body fat percentage will depend on your age and your gender. Women have a naturally higher body fat percentage than men. The following are healthy body fat percentages for various age groups:
- Women 20 - 39: 21% - 32%
- Women 40 - 59: 23% - 33%
- Men 20 - 39: 8% - 19%
- Men 40 - 59: 11% - 21%
10 of the best ways to lose body fat
and stay healthy
and stay healthy
1. Start lifting weights
If you want to lose only body fat and gain muscle, make sure you have a strength training routine in place. Lifting weights is one of the most effective forms of strength training. By lifting weights, you can increase your muscle mass percentage over time, therefore lowering the amount of body fat you have overall. This is one of the most crucial steps to losing weight and ensuring you aren't losing muscle mass.
2. Add more protein to your diet
Making sure you consume enough protein to supplement your physical activity is essential if you want to lose body fat. Protein helps you build muscle. Muscle is leaner and allows you to burn fat even when you are not working out. Make sure you add a variety of protein to your diet, such as fish, pork, chicken, legumes, and beans.
3. Get quality sleep
Getting enough sleep and good quality sleep is one of the most important parts of staying healthy and losing body fat. When learning how to lose body fat, it can seem as if you can skip getting a good night's sleep because so much of the process seems to revolve around eating and working out. However, if you are not getting a good night's sleep, it will be much harder to push yourself when working out. Therefore, a good night's sleep is non-negotiable when it comes to losing body fat.
4. Eat healthy fats
It may be tempting to limit fats from your diet, however, make sure you are eating healthy and natural fats. Natural fats are an important part of a healthy diet. This includes nuts, fruits, and a small amount of animal fat. Avoid the fat from fast food and junk food, however, as these will not help you lose body fat.
5. Limit alcohol
Alcohol should be avoided if you seriously want to lose weight. Alcohol is filled with empty calories, and it is often hard to limit your snacking while drinking. Therefore, alcohol should be avoided if you want to lose body fat, especially if you want to be as efficient in your weight loss efforts as possible.
6. Include fiber in your meals
Fiber helps you lose weight by keeping your digestion system on track. Plenty of healthy fiber in your diet will help you keep full. This includes whole wheat, oatmeal, fruits, and vegetables, as well as nuts and other foods with small amounts of fiber. The more fiber you can add to your diet over time, the better! However, avoid adding in too much fiber all at once, as this can shock your system and lead to unpleasant side effects.
7. Reduce added sugar
Added sugar is one way to pack on the pounds, so if you want to lose body fat you will want to avoid added sugar as much as possible. Switch to water and other unsweetened drinks. When choosing a dessert, choose the option with the lowest amount of added sugar such as fruit.
8. Do cardio
Adding cardio to your routine is essential to losing body fat. When you want to lose weight, one of the first things you should do is add exercise to your daily life. There are many forms of cardio that are fun and easy to do, including walking, dancing, swimming, biking, and running.
9. Try high-intensity interval training (HIIT)
High-intensity interval training combines intense, short bursts of cardio with short periods of rest. You should only try HIIT after consulting with a medical professional. This intense workout type can lead to faster results than other types of workout routines but requires more focus and dedication until the routines become natural to you.
10. Consider intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting refers to eating only during a set window of time (say from 12 pm to 6 pm) and fasting for the rest of the day. This is a new and emerging diet technique, but people from around the world have seen real results in their quest to lose body fat. Consult with your medical professional or doctor to see if intermittent fasting may be right for you.
Learning how to reduce your body fat takes time
Reducing your overall body fat will take time. There is no magic quick fix or cure, but your hard work will be rewarded the longer you stick to your diet and exercise routine. Take your time and take care of your body. From the moment you start working to lower your body fat percentage, you are making the right choice for your health. Do not let yourself feel down about a less-than-healthy meal or a missed workout - simply get back on track again and do the best that you can.
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