| I know people who have tried all kinds of diets in | | | | The truth is, you do not have to starve yourself to |
| their life. Of course they never work but there is | | | | get a lean and slim body. In fact, you can eat more |
| always some other "new" and "effective" diet | | | | and burn more fat. Here are a few tips: |
| available. Most people who try to lose weight are like | | | | 1. Avoid very low calorie diets. Before going on any |
| ping-pong balls. They go from one diet to another | | | | diet, look at the recommended calories. You will |
| without success. The "fat loss experts" do not mind | | | | probably discover that in most cases, you are |
| because they get all the money. | | | | required to slash your calories to "starvation" levels |
| The truth is that very low calorie diets can`t work, in | | | | (1200 or less for women, 1800 or less for men, and |
| fact low calorie diets can actually make you fatter in | | | | active people need even more. |
| the long term, but there is a simple way that you | | | | 2. Make sure your calorie intake is customized. |
| can eat more and still burn more fat. Sound to good | | | | Depending on your activity level, age and gender, |
| to be true? To get rid of fat you have to consume | | | | your calorie needs may be much higher or much |
| fewer calories than you burn. You must have a | | | | lower than the average person. |
| "calorie deficit" to burn fat off your body. The flaw in | | | | 3. Decrease your calories just a little below |
| most popular diet programs is that the calorie deficit | | | | maintenance. Decrease your calories conservatively - |
| is too aggressive or too extreme. | | | | only about 20% below your daily maintenance level. |
| Have you been told that to get a lean body you had | | | | A mild calorie cut does not trigger the starvation |
| to eat 1300 calories a day or 1000 calories a day or | | | | response as much. |
| even less? Did you ever just get frustrated with no | | | | For example: If you're female and you maintain your |
| results. | | | | weight on 2350 calories per day,a 20% deficit is 1880 |
| When you do something extreme at your body, your | | | | calories per day. Conventional diets might have you |
| metabolic rate slows down in order to protect you. | | | | slash to 1000 or 1200 calories per day or less without |
| This "defense mechanism" is often called, "the | | | | emphasis on exercise. |
| starvation response." | | | | 4. Increase your calorie deficit more by increasing |
| Some of you may think what are the consequences | | | | your activity. |
| of starvation mode? These are: | | | | If you only cut calories slightly below maintenance, |
| 1. Your body releases fewer fat-releasing and | | | | then how do you reduce body fat without the |
| fat-burning enzymes. | | | | process taking forever? Simple, you burn more |
| 2. Your fat cells release less of the hormone leptin, | | | | calories and increase your deficit by increasing your |
| which is the signal that tells your brain you are well | | | | activity. You should aim for three days per week of |
| fed and not starving. | | | | strength training with weights. Also you should do at |
| 3. Fat burning hormones crash. | | | | least three days per week of moderate to vigorous |
| 4. You lose muscle. Muscle is metabolically-active | | | | cardiovascular exercise. If you wish to accelerate fat |
| tissue, which means it takes a lot of energy just to | | | | loss more, or if you need to break a progress |
| keep it. When you are "starving," you are in an | | | | plateau, you bump up your activity even further by |
| energy crisis, so excess muscle is the last thing you | | | | adding additional cardio sessions or increasing the |
| need. | | | | intensity or duration of your current workouts. |
| 5. Appetite hormones rage out of control. | | | | |