Shifting The Fat

I'm a big advocator of eating the right foods and using natural food sources for their health benefits. Calories are always relevant, especially when we're trying to lose fat BUT wholesome foods will always be better for us. Nutrition is more than just calories. 

I've witnessed first hand on many occasions individuals struggling to lose fat because it is VERY stubborn, even when their calorie intake is a deficit, once they reach a certain point. 

Why does this happen? 

The endocrine system which is our hormone network can be a very powerful thing in relation to changing your body composition, sometimes helping you and sometimes making it almost impossible to lose fat. 

This is why a lot of my emails on nutrition are about looking at the bigger picture and aiming to optimise your hormonal response from the foods you eat. This is where nutrition becomes more than just calories. 

In relation to your hormones oestrogen has to be one of the most common problems among men when it comes to stubborn body fat. If your oestrogen levels are not balanced correctly you'll find the following areas can be VERY stubborn in relation to fat loss:

Drinking Water and Why!

Let me ask you, how much water do you drink each day if you're honest with yourself? 

 

I would suggest to drink anywhere between 4-6 liters of clear water throughout the day to help improve your progress, let me explain to you why this is so important for faster results. 

Quicker fat loss

By drinking more water you instantaneously spike your metabolic rate which means you're going to be burning through more calories 24/7, ultimately equating to quicker fat loss. Some research suggests that increasing your water intake on a daily basis can elevate your metabolic rate by as much as 30%! This may not be totally accurate, but I do know it has a signifiant impact on your fat loss and it's pretty easy for you to apply today.

Fat Loss Stack and Tip

Body composition is significantly affected by your ability to process carbohydrates/blood sugar. Here is the stack for you.
Fish Oils
Magnesium
BCAAs
Greens Powder
Chromium
L-Carnitine

Start and finish your day with a large serving of fiber. This will help eliminate toxins and stabilize blood sugar.

Red Meat In The Morning?

Yes, red meat in the morning will help you burn fat and increase energy levels. A proper high protein meal will help set your neurotransmitters for the day improving energy levels, focus and concentration. Having quality protein within 30 minutes of waking is essential to avoid falling into a catabolic state.

Cheat Meal

How often do you have a cheat meal? Once a week? More than once a week? Or do you avoid junk food altogether?

The most common reason for including a cheat meal is for the psychological break it gives and the sense of normality, often with loved ones or solo which you can miss out on if your diet is overly restrictive. Balance is a big part of making this a LIFESTYLE. 

However from a physiological perspective cheat meals can be very powerful if you choose to use them at the correct time!!

Using Carbs & Fat Loss

A huge topic is insulin and carbohydrates. We've seen carbohydrates get a very bad and unjustified reputation when it comes to fat loss.

You can use carbohydrates and feel keeping them as high as possible WHILST allowing for fat loss to occur is only a positive thing. Here are some of the many reasons why this is -

1. Keeping your carb intake higher will often mean your muscles are fuller which improves aesthetics 

2. Keeping your carb intake higher will help sustain metabolic output 

3. Keeping your carb intake higher should help improve performance in the gym

Firing Up The Metabolism!!!

Knowing how to get your metabolism firing is going to help you GET leaner and STAY leaner, year round. There are things you can do with your diet and training which ultimately will do this for you. The reality is the more tools you have to use the better your results will be, so keep these following 4 points in mind.

These are things that you should use to help you stay pretty lean all year round.

 

1. Cardio 

One thing you should do is keep some form of cardio in all year round. There are MULTIPLE benefits to this but one of the obvious benefits is a more active metabolism. If you are at a phase where you are either happy with your condition is and want to maintain, I'd usually keep it to 20-30 minutes 3-4 times a week.

Carb Cycle For Faster Fat Loss

Carb cycling is generically speaking a great way to plan a diet for multiple reasons, however like with everything there's good and bad applications of the protocol.

In my experience carb cycling is a very effective way to continually facilitate progression from a nutritional perspective because you can manipulate certain responses from the body by deliberately rotating your carbohydrate intake.

I won't go into the actual amount of carbohydrates you have per day because that's a very individualized topic, however I can explain broadly speaking how carb cycling works and why I feel it can be a very effective dieting tool to -