The important thing is to focus on fat loss not weight loss – following these 8 tips will help you avoid some common mistakes…

1. Set unrealistic expectations

If you have 40lbs to lose it is unlikely that you will be able to drop this much fat in a month in a way that is sustainable. I mean if all you lived on were shakes and exercised like crazy you might do it, but you went back to your normal eating patterns back will come the weight. Be smart find a program that works and use it. 20lbs in 30 days is doable in a sustainable fashion, so you might have to cycle through a program a few times to reach your goal or better still set to reach your goal over a challenging but achievable time frame. 40lbs – say 3 months.

2. Weigh yourself every day

Your weight can fluctuate up to 6 lbs a day depending upon fluid & food intake, hormones and more besides. Daily weighing can be extremely discouraging. The best measurement is twofold – how you look in the mirror and how your clothes are fitting you. Remember the goal is Fat, NOT weight, loss. If you have to use the scales – use them once a month, same time, same day.

3. Skip meals

Skipping meals isn’t going to help you lose fat, but eating 5 or 6 times a day will!! Skipping meals damages your metabolism and creates issues with a number of hormones all of which combines to keep the fat on you. Our body’s deal with food better in small frequent feedings rather than 2 or 3 large ones. Studies have shown that the same amount of calories when eaten over 3 meals leads to more fat storage than if they were ingested over 6 smaller meals.

4. Completely cut carbs

It is popular to cut carbs these days and certain types of carbs should be reduced or even eliminated from your diet if you are to recondition your metabolism and lose fat.

The truth is though that carbs are our body’s main fuel source and the right types of carbs (think nutrient dense, low calorie low GI & unprocessed) will actually keep your body humming along and assist with fat loss.

The Fibre from unprocessed carbs is an important component for gut health, for regularity, for fat loss and for craving control – eat your carbs – just avoid the processed ones especially the ‘White’ ones (sugar, flour, rice etc).

5. Starve yourself

Not eating activates all sorts of hormone cascades in your body all of which are designed to ‘batten down the hatches’ to hold off what your body perceives as starvation. Your metabolism slows down, fat is preserved and carbs and muscle tissue get burned for fuel. This route of fat loss means you end up a smaller fat person.

6. Workout longer than an hour at a time

Sixty minutes is it, in fact longer workouts are the key – you can work hard or you can work long only a very few rare individuals can do both. Workouts longer than an hour increase cortisol (the belly fat hormone) levels dramatically and cut into recovery time. This is not to say that you can’t work out twice in one day – just make sure that the types of exercise are different – for example weights in the AM and sprints in the PM

7. Expect to lose Fat without exercising

Losing Fat is 80%+ diet, but unless you are reconditioning your metabolism with physical activity as well then you will not achieve all you can and in many cases run the risk of becoming a smaller fat person as lean tissue disappears due to non-use. Remember lean tissue = high metabolism. A high metabolic rate = lower fat.

This doesn’t mean that you have to hit the weight room every day – go for a bike ride, do some Pilates, do some sprints – Move dammit!!

8. Drink Alcohol

Alcohol is a poison and the body cannot store it so it has to process it immediately it is detected. This means that your fat burning comes to dead halt and your good work diet & exercise wise was for nothing.

The amount of alcohol involved is different for everyone – it may a glass of beer or wine, or a bottle – it doesn’t matter – if you are trying to lose fat you must pass on the alcohol until you reach your desired fat loss.

These are just a few tips – please sign up and get your free report to learn more practical tips to help you lose fat and get leaner.

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