Investigate these top ten tips for fat loss - Craig McDonald

Probably the most common reason people join a gym or enlist the services of a Personal Trainer is for fat loss . So today I’m going to provide you with my top 10 tips for fat loss.

1. Goal Setting – if you’re embarking on the fat loss journey, you need to set yourself some realistic and achievable goals. ‘I want to lose body fat’ is not what we’re looking for here but something like ‘I want to lose 5kgs over a 12 week period’.


2. Plan ahead – if you don’t have chocolate in the cupboard, chances are you won’t eat it! Write your shopping list before you go and fill it full of healthy options with plenty of fruit and vegetables and as many natural products as possible. Try to eliminate the sugary, processed foods as much as possible.


3. Review your water intake levels throughout each day and make sure you are getting enough water to keep you hydrated and healthy. Drinking more water will also fill your stomach and not make you feel as hungry.
4. Eliminate all liquid calories and replace them with Water or Green Tea.


5. Make sure you are eating 6 small meals per day rather than 2 or 3 big meals. This will spread out your intake of Protein, Fibre, Fruits and Vegetables throughout the day and reduce your appetite while keeping your energy levels up.


6. Try adding 1 new fruit and 1 new vegetable to your meals per week. Pick a day, say Wednesday and make this the day of each week you try a new healthy alternative to your current meals. It might be as simple as replacing chips with steamed broccoli and/or having a piece of fruit instead of ice cream.


7. For Dinner, try a new source of lean protein such as lean beef or salmon.


8. Be accountable to somebody. Whether it’s your Personal Trainer , your partner or a friend, share your goals and progress with someone who can help and encourage you to achieve your goals.

9. Ensure you make time for your workouts, preferably a minimum of 45mins to an hour, 3 times a week. Don’t let anything, except an emergency, get in the way of your workout time. Also ensure your workouts are effective – quality rather than quantity is the key.


10. Monitor your goals and visualise yourself achieving those goals. This will ensure you remain motivated and progress towards your desired outcome.
    
    Go ahead and try some, or all, of these techniques and you’ll see the rewards for yourself.