8 Simple Ways To Lose Your Blubber

Let's face it, we all want to look good in our six-packs ( if not eight); or just simply looking fit and lean. Plus, it seems to me that doing things the 'healthier' way is becoming a trend. Well, for once, a 'good' trend. Nonetheless, us Malaysians being Malaysians.. the amount of temptations that we face every single day can be quite an obstacle. Unless you have crazy amount of self-control (which I am still working on :P). 

I guess I have mentioned in my previous post on the GM Diet, that I've gained quite an amount of unnecessary pounds ; and I'm on a quest to lose them all. Yes, ALL! I do notice the 'urgency' that we tend to have when it comes to losing your weight/fats. You wouldn't believe the amount of queries I got from my GM DIET, it's becoming a trend! Everyone wants to lose weight fast, and the easy way. Not saying that the diet was bad, but for me personally, it was more like a detox to cleanse my system. Of course, losing the 3kgs was a bonus, and it keeps me motivated. If you immediately get back on your regular meals right after your 5th day of the diet, most likely you'll gain it all back. So, what's the point? 

Losing fats also depend on your current fitness status. For instance, you are already quite lean with slight visibility of abs; so to work towards the packs wouldn't be too difficult for you. In contrast, if you have a belly and carry extra pounds.. you'll probably have to first work on losing your fats and then work towards obtaining the abdominal muscles. It is all a process; take the right route, not the short-cut;  remember this : "the faster you lose, the faster you gain". Everything in moderation is the best! So, being my curious self.. I read up on quite a couple of reviews, and fitness articles on 'how to lose your fats'. Some can be quite tricky and seem almost impossible to achieve; so, I've come up with 8 most doable ways to lose your fats. 

Afterall, who wouldn't want to look like THIS? 

That's not me BTW. 

1) Cardio Before Breakfast 

According to most articles, when you do cardio on an empty stomach .. your body is more apt to burn fat as its primary source of energy since glycogen stores are depleted from eight hours of fasting the night before. You might have to sacrifice waking up 30-45 minutes earlier than usual, but hey .. the fat-burning perks are definitely worth it! 

Do I Do It? : Hell yes! I'm not usually a morning person ( by that, I mean I wake up at like... 12pm most of the time). But, I woke up at 9am today for gym. No regrets! My secret to waking up early in the morning : "The breakfast Maggy, wake up for your BIG BREAKFASTT!". Do whatever works for you. 

2) Take A Cup, or Two of Coffee 

"Caffeine is found in most fat-burning supplements since it inhibits the storage of body fat and burns EXTRA fat during exercise". Try drinking a large cup of coffee before your cardio exercises ; but make sure it's BLACK. No sugar or cream because the extra calories will only disrupt your fat-burning efforts. According to a study, they found that caffeine and carnitine taken before a cycling workout increased fat-burning and endurance. Load up on your coffee beans! ;) 

Do I Do It? : Though I'm not the biggest fan of coffee, I tried taking black coffee first thing first in the morning. Kinda helps but of course, visible results can only be seen in the long run. But if you dislike coffee, try opt for tea instead! I'm pretty sure tea would do the job too. 

3) Do Intervals 

Any workout is better than not working out. Similarly, any cardio is better than none. Based on most studies/researches, doing intervals have been shown to burn more fat than cardio sessions done at a constant slow-to-moderation intensity. If you're going on a treadmill, try going for 20-25minutes at a roughly 1:1 ratio of intense to slow/moderate intervals (Eg, sprint for a minute, walk for a minute and repeat the cycle).  

Do I Do It? : Honestly? I hate the treadmill. But, I guess doing intervals is much more fun as compared to running/jogging at a constant speed for 30 minutes! Yay to intervals! 

4) Lift, and Lift Heavy! 

Dump that mindset of "I'm worried I'll get buff if I lift weights" or "Heavy weight-lifting are only for the men!". Well, just look at that chick! Say whuttt!! Weight liftings are great way to burn of those fats as compared to cardio exercises. In fact, they allow a constant 'fat-burning' process while cardios are merely burning your fats temporarily. I remember my Trainer once told me that; if you do weights, you are still 'burning' for the next 24hours while running.. you're only burning WHILE you're are running. Hmm, let me explain better. In other words, with weight lifting you gain muscles and hence higher metabolism (which is good for keeping your body fit and lean in the long run) while with cardio/running, you're mostly only burning fats, not so much building muscles. 

Simple equation,

MUSCLES = HIGH METABOLISM = BETTER FAT-BURNING PROCESS 

And to gain muscles, there's only one way. TO LIFT! But do bear in mind that if you do not lift the 'right' way, you might end up hurting yourself. So, start slow and learn to control your strength and add on the weight as you become stronger! ;)

Studies have also showed that training with heavy weight keeps your metabolism higher and your testosterone levels (for men) elevated for longer after the workout, both results in greater fat-burning potential. So ladies, don't be too paranoid about becoming bulking if you lift heavy! Just LIFT! ;) 

Just For Laughs! :P 

Do I Do It? : Yes, I do lift weights. In fact, I'm not focusing so much on my cardio anymore. I do it for my warm ups, to keep my heart rate pumping and to make myself sweat to get goin'! I'm also learning how to do more body weight exercises. If you can handle your own weight, you can handle anything! ;) 

5) Warm Up Before You Lift 

"If you can find just 10-15 extra minutes before you begin your resistance training to do a moderate warm-up on a treadmill, stationary bike or any other form of cardio equipment, you'll get a leg up on fat-burning". Research also shows that you can burn up to 150 additional calories by doing a bried cardio session before training with weights. 

Do I Do It? : Yup, all the time! I will make sure I squeeze in at least 10-20 minutes of cardio before getting onto my resistance/circuit trainings. If I'm not running on treadmills, I would sometimes opt for an hour of Body Combat or RPM classes. 

7) Avoid All Carbs After Dinnertime, in other words ..  

NO SUPPER! 

"What not to do is just as important as what you should do". Try steer clear of all type of carbohydrates after dinner. Simple reason, because those eaten in the late evening are destined to be stored as bodyfat. But if you really need to eat (because starving is no good!), take fruits instead. 

Do I Do It? : I try to avoid supper. In fact, I've not had supper for a long time! But even if I do, I'll make sure it's fruits or perhaps, just a cup of tea. Because most of the time.. we are not hungry, but just craving for something. Your mind is probably tricking you.. So, keep a strong mind. When the mind is strong, the body will follow ;) 

8)  Sleep Is Essential! 

Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. Missing out on your sleep can also mean missing out on muscle repair that occurs when your body is at rest. If you mess with the repair process, it would mean lesser muscles and subsequently, a slower metabolism! 

Do It Do It? : Haha. My friends call me the 'Sleeping Beauty'. I make sure I get at least 8 hours of sleep every day! Definitely not complaining :P Too much of something good can be bad too; if you oversleep, instead of feeling energized, you might feel even more lethargic. So, try power naps if you have to ; taking naps can be a great way to recharge yourself! 

BONUS:  Drink Lots of Water! 

Need I say more? Water, the most basic form of human life. We can never go wrong with Mother Nature! Plus, if you don't already know.. by weight, the average man is approximately 60% water. Yup, our body content is made up of quite a large percentage of water! 

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can also boost your metabolic rate and make you less likely to overeat since you'll feel fuller. In contrast, being dehydrated can result in decreased fat-burning! A study from Germany found that when subjects drank about 2 cups of cold water, they increased their metabolic rate by 30% for more than an hour. So, drinking 2 cups of cold water between meals can help keep your metabolism high. So, load up on your H20 and drink regularly. 8 glasses a day, sounds familiar? ;) 

Do I Do It? : Well, with the amount of variety when it comes to beverages ( from fresh juices, coffee, tea , magarita, vodka.. okay, I'm going off track :P), water might not be your FIRST choice when it comes to making a decision. But I personally would prefer just ordering sky juice (aka plain water) whenever  I eat out. And even if I do opt for fruit juices, I will only take it if it's non-sugared. Gotta love your body! 

I hope you find these tips handy. Of course, there are plenty of other useful tips available out there, but I have narrowed down to these 9 most doable tips that can be done on a daily basis. It's okay to start slow. SLOWLY BUT SURELY! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me! And if you want to share your fitness tips/goals with me, do hashtag #movewithmaggy on your Instagram or Twitter; I will be more than happy to respond! :) 

In the meantime, keep going and never give up! Catch you on the FIT-SIDE!