10 Fat-Fighting Tips You Should Know

Pretty much every single day over the past decade someone has asked me for a "hot tip" on the subject of fat fighting. Usually, they're looking for a quick fix (doesn't exist) or something that would require virtually no effort (also doesn't exist). And, most people are annoyed when I simply answer, "yea, do the kinetix program".

With that in mind, I thought I would kick it old school and list ten tips that will help you build a leaner, healthier body. Pick one or two or ten and start making progress today.

Tip #1: Eat six times a day.
I've probably shared this tip a thousand times. You see, the primary benefit of eating six times a day is the ability to maintain blood sugar in an optimal range, which supports constant energy levels and decreases your appetite. It's a fact that most people eat 70% of their calories in the evening. That's a great way to store fat! My best advice to nail this tip is to make sure you're eating a balanced mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack like a kinetix bar. You'll feel and see a difference within a week of following this tip.

Tip #2: Exercise first thing in the morning.
I like this tip for two reasons. First, there is a mountain of scientific support that exercise done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach burns more body fat than the same exercise done later in the day. Basically this is because your carbohydrate reserves are lowest first thing in the morning allowing your body to tap body fat as fuel much more efficiently. Second, people who exercise first thing in the morning are far less likely to miss their daily workout. It's hard to burn body fat when you miss your workout!

Tip #3: Never starve yourself!
Ugh. This one drives me crazy! For some reason, many people believe that in order to lose body fat they must be hungry all the time. Nothing could be further from the truth. Starving yourself is a surefire way to drop "weight" in the short-term and gain fat in the long-term. On a "typical" diet, as much as 50% of the "weight-loss" is lean tissue. This loss of lean tissue drops your metabolic rate forcing you to eat fewer and fewer calories in order to maintain your weight loss! Who can live that way? Nobody. Hence the well known "diet rollercoaster" of dropping 10 and gaining back 15. Get off the roller-coaster - never starve yourself!

Tip #4: Embrace your java!
Caffeine and exercise performance are linked in a very positive way. Consuming caffeine within an hour of training may help burn fat at an accelerated rate. For years the scientific community has shown a link between caffeine intake and the body's ability to liberate fatty acids (thus enhancing fat-burning). Also, for many people caffeine enhances focus and intensity during training - two major keys to an effective workout.

Tip #5: Write it down.
Let me guess...you're not the "journaling" type. Well what if I told you that journaling will double your results? Instead of dropping ten pounds, you'll drop twenty! Would you give it a try then? I can state with absolute certainty that journaling will take your results to the next level. Do yourself a favor and track your nutrition and exercise for two weeks. That data will become one of your most valuable assets to long term fat-fighting.

Tip #6: Add some muscle.
From a cosmetic point of view, strength training is the foundation of youth. It helps you look leaner and stronger and it helps you build a supercharged metabolism. Simply put, muscle burns calories every second of the day; fat doesn't. Scientific studies reveal that adding one pound of muscle to your body can burn an extra 50 calories each and every day. And since one pound of muscle is roughly one-third the volume of one pound of fat, you'll look smaller (not bigger) when you add muscle and burn fat off your physique.

Tip #7: Train with intensity.
The point of this tip is to encourage you to push yourself. Training with intensity is all about getting the most out of your time in the gym. It's about taking a few minutes to review what you did last week and pushing yourself to do a little bit more this week. Of course, we always train with perfect form! Push yourself - you'll be surprised at how strong you really are!

Tip #8: Find a workout buddy.
There's no doubt in my mind that people who workout with a friend show up more often than those who workout alone. You don't want to leave your buddy hanging while you hit the snooze button again! For that reason alone, finding a workout buddy is a good idea. However, in addition to showing up more often, I also see a higher level of training intensity when people workout with a buddy. It's inspiring to give and receive encouragement during a workout.

Tip #9: Music can make a difference!
Try this: Hop on the treadmill for 30-minutes with no music and record how far you ran (does this sound as boring to you as it does to me?). Then, a couple of days later, make a high-energy playlist, crank up your iPod and do it again. I guarantee you'll have more energy and will be comfortable running further on your music day. Find some music that inspires you - that makes you feel like you can do anything - those 30-minutes will fly by and you'll finish your workout feeling totally energized.

Tip #10: Start NOW!
I meet people all the time who have all the answers but none of the results. You and I know there is a world of difference between knowing what to do and actually doing something. If you want to start making progress, I suggest you start applying some of these tips to your life starting...now!

Here's to YOU!
Jamie

PS - If you have a song or songs that inspire you to train harder, please let me know! I'm always looking for new music to power me through my workouts.