By Don’t you just love a good hack?
The beauty about hacks is that someone else has done all the hard work and endless experimentation to work it out. All you need to do is follow on and benefit from them as well.
I have a few good hacks up my sleeve for burning more calories and therefore, losing body fat. These concepts I’m sure are used by a lot of people. I would like to challenge some of the standard ideals of weight loss, in which people have been conditioned for years on end.
Feel free to test out a few or a lot of them, finding which one works best.
9 hacks that will move you closer to weight loss
- Drink black coffee. I love my coffee! Caffeine boosts performance, mood and give you a surprising energy uplift. The amazing taste of it isn’t a bad thing either! Caffeine has the ability to boost metabolism and burn body fat.
- Make protein and veggies the main priorities in your diet. Make sure you are eating the proper portions and high grade protein sources during the day. This is so you may experience satiety, increased energy, more focused and clear minded. Vegetables are the perfect source of many vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber and a source of satiety as well. Vegetable consumption eliminates a lot of cravings we tend to experience. Pick low fat protein sources such as eggs, chicken breast, fish and turkey. Veggies should be cruciferous such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale and asparagus. You will get more nutritional value and low calorie meals out of these.
- Lower your carb intake. Low carb eating allows us to tap into our fat reserves, utilising them for energy, rather than glucose. Opt to get all your carb sources from veggies, as they do not increase insulin. Increase the fat in your diet by eating more nuts, avocado and olive oil. No, they do not increase your body fat, rather, they assist in increasing your bodies thermogenesis. It actually takes your body energy to digest these foods (which is another way to burn calories)
- Remove all processed foods including refined sugars and carbohydrates. That means anything from a packet made for convenience. You need to get rid of all of these foods, as well as soft and energy drinks. The stop weight loss by casing a cascade of negative hormonal changes in your body. This will then steady your blood sugar levels, and provide you with constant energy during the day, rather than slumps and peaks.
- Strength train! This is key to weight loss. You need to work out vigorously, and consistently in order to burn body fat stores and increase your metabolism. When starting off, you will experience great results with this. Along the journey of weight training, your body will be better able to adapt to burn fat stores for energy. You will also increase your range of fat burning after your workout has been completed. It is a win win situation in all aspects of your life.
- Intermittent fasting: This technique is where you restrict your eating window. There are a few ways you can go about this. Choosing to fast intermittently 2–3 days a week is ideal for lots of people, and you can still get great results. Opting the fasting regime every day, will get you faster results and keep you trim for life. This is the most easiest way to cut calories without experiencing deprivation, or feelings of so called dieting. You can still drink non caloric beverages, just not eat any food during your fasting hours.
- Eat more eggs. Eggs are a powerhouse bundle of vitamins, minerals, good fats and of course, protein! They are so portable, nutritious and filling. As mentioned above, protein is thermogenic and even a single egg will produce a long lasting feeling of satiety. It’s shown to boost metabolism by 80–100 calories per day! Just to let you know, one egg contains 75 calories, 7 grams of protein and 5 grams of good fats. Eat them regularly.
- Eat more fiber. Fiber slows down the absorption of glucose by slowing down how quickly food leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine. It also signals the brain of satiety, therefore, reducing your consumption of foods, and reducing any dramatic releases of insulin. It.s also hard for the body to break down fiber, thereby burning calories in the process.
- MCT Oil. I use my MCT oil daily, when I break my fast. This oil contains medium chain triglyceride, a form of saturated fat that has a number of benefits, like enhanced cognitive function, assistance of weight management, and the ability to assist your body into ketosis (when on a proper keto diet of course).
Of course there are many, many more hacks, but these have been very good to me over the years. I always say that it’s the little things over time that make the biggest difference. Keep on trying new things, and don’t allow your body to get too used to anything.