This will be a quick post on three ways to burn fat. Now is the time to start training to get ready for that summer bod. Give yourself a head start and you will be looking good at the beach. Lets get to it...
First up we have Resistance training. A strength workout that incorporates high intensity interval training (HIIT) will help burn calories and fat stores at a higher rate than one done in straight sets. One way to try HIIT in your workouts is to do eight reps of different types of body-weight, resistance activities. This could be chin ups, squats, burpees, push ups, etc. Alternate between each exercise for twenty seconds with a 10 second rest. You can download a Tabata Stopwatch that will help keep the pace and time for this type of exercise. You really want to crank up the intensity and get the heart rate up. So be sure to push yourself.
Next up is the exact opposite of HIIT...rest. Don't skip out on getting a good night sleep. Studies have shown that getting roughly 8 hours of sleep a night over a consistent basis will help keep your fat levels in check. The reason is that lack of sleep can wreck havoc on your hormones that control fat metabolism. If you have trouble getting eight hours of solid sleep, try shutting down your devices at least one hour before bedtime. Also make sure that your room is dark. Try to get an alarm clock that has low light, and make sure that you block those street lights if you live in the city.
Finally we have relaxing. Relaxing helps you reduce cortisol levels AKA stress levels. High levels of stress hormones have been linked to belly fat. In fact, obese postmenopausal women who practiced yoga for 16 weeks reported significant reductions in visceral fat, according to a Korean study. So be sure to add some meditation and yoga to your daily or weekly routine to keep your stress hormones at bay. If you check out my last post, you will learn a little about the negative effects of visceral fat.
Well that is all for now. I hope you learned something new today. Hopefully this could help you on your health journey. Thanks for reading and I will see you again soon.