5 Simple Tips for Losing Body Fat

OK so you’re doing what the doctor/trainer/program instructed but you don’t seem to be losing any body fat. What is going on? Why can someone else lose it so easily but you struggle? First and foremost don’t complicate matters, fat loss is not rocket science and if you do too much research you may get analysis paralysis and get confused. Before you give up, make sure you are following these 5 tips and remember this should be a way of life, not a short term fix:

1. Eat Less, move more
   Sounds too simple? It is! The amount of calories you intake each day must be less than the amount you exert. If you start an exercise program, do not increase your food intake. I repeat, do NOT increase your food intake. Of course veggies are ok.. But a lot of people make the mistake of thinking that a workout gives them licence to eat more. Not true. You will NOT lose weight if you eat more whilst exercising. On the flip side, if you try to lose weight without exercising, you will lose muscle as well as body fat, leaving you smaller, but weaker and still not toned. This can lead to injury and difficulty sustaining weight loss.


2. Exercise in the morning before breakfast or on an empty stomach. What a gem this little tip is! It is scientifically proven that exercising before brekky (on an empty stomach) burns significantly more body fat. How? Because in order for your body to dip into it’s fat stores, it needs to be depleted of all sugars. By training 12hrs after you’ve eaten there is not going to be nearly as much sugar in your system to burn. This means your body taps into it’s fat stores much faster. In addition to that, your metabolism stays boosted for up to 15 hrs after you exercise, turning you into a fuel burning furness. Think about it, this covers breakfast, lunch, and possibly dinner, ensuring you store less fat from each meal.


3. Interval training then LSD
   When exercising, do the hard stuff first. After your warm up, do your interval training, or weight training component first. This will also help to deplete your sugar stores and trigger the body to burn fat. I suggest this takes up about 1/3 of your workout time.
   Then settle in for a steady long, cardio component. This should take up the remaining 2/3 of your workout and should be at about 65-75% of your maximum. This means you should be able to string a few sentences together but still be puffing.


4. Keep your total fat intake between 40g – 70g per day
   You must try to keep your fat intake down to 40-70g fat per day. Read the nutrition labels of your staple foods and add it up. Did you know that according to McDonalds nutrition table, 6 chicken Mcnuggets (15g fat), medium chips (20g fat) and a medium vanilla thick shake (18g fat) adds up to a total of 53 g fat. That’s pretty much your total daily allowance! Also, stay off the cheese/butter/mayonnaise as these are extremely hight fat and tend to creep into the diet.


5. Drink more water
   So many people mistake thirst for hunger. When you feel hungry drink a good 300ml of water (3 glasses). Also your body will find it harder to burn body fat when it is dehydrated. Every day:
   · Drink 30ml for every kilo that you weigh.
   · Drink an extra ½ litre for every 30min of exercise
   · Drink an extra glass of water for every alcoholic/caffeinated drink you have

Remember that there is no secret to weight loss, and any person or product that promises a magic remedy is probably a sham. Follow the steps above and just eat well, sweat hard, and watch it come off.

Click here for more information on reducing your fat intake.

Click here for a cool website to track your weight loss goals.

Or, if you have any questions for me, please submit them below as a comment and I will be happy to answer them.

Are you an Adrenaline Junkie?

No I am not talking about base jumpers, bungee jumpers, and all those other crazy sports that people do. I am talking about adrenaline addicted people around us, at work, in the coffee shop, maybe sleeping next to you. I am talking about people with over active adrenal glands. You won’t see the usual addict signs (think Amy Winehouse) but here are some signs and symptoms of adrenaline junkies:· Busy all day, every day
· Poor or light sleepers
· Excess sweating (especially in bed)
· Need caffeine fixes such as coffee, energy drinks, coke to function properly
· Tend to get run down easily
· If they do slow down, they feel exhausted and find it hard to gain momentum again
· Have an unhealthy, often pale complexion

Are you an Adrenaline junkie?

If you can relate to the above symptoms then read on. Adrenaline is a hormone that secretes out of your Adrenaline glands located on top of your kidneys. Their job is to prepare your body for action by speeding up certain bodily functions. You may have heard of the fight or flight response. That’s what these little but powerful glands do. When they kick into action, the following responses occur:
· Your heart rate increases
· Your blood pressure rises
· Your breathing increases and becomes more shallow
· Your sweat glands produce more sweat
· Your senses become more alert and you are ready for action

Fight or Flight in the modern world

Flight or flight response was well and good back in the cave man days when Pappa cave man stepped out to find a giant woolly mammoth staring him down. Straight away his adrenaline glands would pump his body up ready to fight or flight the beast. In today’s world however, our stresses last longer. A stressful job, hectic schedule, deadlines, etc all cause our adrenaline glands to get pumping, but this time it lasts days, weeks or months instead of minutes.
Without the physical reaction of fighting or running from a stressful situation, the adrenal glands don’t know when to slow down. Therefore over weeks, and months, these poor little blighters get exhausted which leads to all sorts of nasty problems, such as chronic fatigue, depression, glandular fever and pneumonia.

The problem with chronic adrenaline secretion

Like any addiction, the more you use something, the more of it you need to get your fix. This is where coffee and energy drinks come in. The caffeine in these drinks artificially stimulates your already exhausted adrenal glands. Think of it like flogging a dead horse! The more coffee you drink, the more of it you will need to get the same effect. It’s a vicious cycle wearing you down.

How do I stop my adrenal glands from being overactive?

1. First and foremost, exercise. By moving, you are doing what adrenaline intended you to do, taking action. A decent workout is the same as fighting or flighting. Your body thinks you’ve overcome the woolly mammoth and during your cool down (yes cool down is a crucial part of any workout) your adrenal glands slow right down so your heart rate, blood pressure, and other vitals return to normal. 5 really slow deep breaths will also help.
2. Go to bed at a reasonable hour. Messing with your body clock plays havoc on your adrenal glands. Before you go to bed, you must unwind mentally. Read a book, meditate, listen to slow calming music. Quiet your mind. If your mind is racing, it triggers the adrenal glands even while you sleep. This is probably doing the most damage to your health.
3. Lay off the caffeine and energy drinks. If you need these to function, then something isn’t right. One coffee a day isn’t going to kill you, but if you are going to kill someone without your morning fix, you need help! I suggest one month off all caffeine/energy drinks to allow your hormones to return to normal. Combined with points 1 and 2, you should be feeling much better within that month (might be rough at the start, hang in there).

If you need more help kicking the ‘adrenaline’ habit

Acupuncture is amazing for adrenaline issues. It realigns the bodies’ energy systems, helping to balance all hormones. Some people feel more tired, before they fully recover, but it’s important to let the body rest once the adrenaline mask has been removed. Regular massages are also helpful, especially at night, when you can go straight to bed afterwards.

Click here if you would like to learn more about adrenaline and stress problems.

Great training website: MapMyRun.com

OMG a website that works REALLY REALLY well! Here is a site that allows you to plot your exercise routes on a map. And it’s easy! Whether you are walking, running, cycling, horse riding, kayaking, or rollerblading, you can use this website to track your distance, gradient and loads more.

Follow these 3 simple tips to get the most out of this fab website:

Calculate the distance and elevation of any route
Go to http://www.mapmyrun.com/create to create a new run. Find your start point on the map and off you go, clicking key points on your route.
· Tip: Register yourself before you do this. That way you can set the data in metric and add your own touches like elevation, notes etc. It also means you will be able to save it. Doesn’t take long. You can also create a profile for yourself.
· Tip: When you are finished, change the map type to ‘hybrid view’ for a spin out! You will be able to see a satellite image of your route.
· Tip: If you use a GPS enabled fitness watch, such as the Garmin 305 or the soon to be released Garmin 405 then you can download the maps to your watch!

Find other Routes in your area
Go to http://www.mapmyrun.com/search and key in the area you wish to run in. A number of publicly posted routes will appear for you to choose.
· Tip: This is particularly useful if you are travelling somewhere new. Pre-plan a route to follow and print the map out.

Record your workouts in their diary
Go to http://www.mapmyrun.com/training and you can record all your workouts as well as track progress, like body weight, hours of sleep, heart rate etc. You can then tabulate reports on your training.
· Tip: Click on “quick Add" to add your workout into your calendar. It will prompt you for more info such as distance, time, etc. This way you'll have a great record of all your workouts!

**P.S thanks to readers Shelley and Lisa for telling me about the site!

Here is my fave running route at the moment. Check it out!

The Biggest Loser – A motivator or de-motivator?

With the Australian Finale of The Biggest Loser over, viewers are left to contemplate the journey and incredible transformations of the 18 contestants. What these people achieve in 12 weeks, most of us wouldn’t achieve in a lifetime. Yet many viewers dismiss the program as ‘unrealistic’, ‘setting a poor example of healthy weight loss’, and ‘way too challenging to try.’ With over 10% of the population watching the program it has the ability to significantly affect how people feel about exercise and weight loss. The question remains, however, is the biggest loser a motivator or de-motivator?

When throwing the topic open for discussion, it's evident that there are many who see the show as a de-motivator. In an article from Time, the author was concerned about;

• the program’s focus on rapid weight loss,
• the fact that it paid little attention to the maintenance of their results
• the rumours that drastic losses experienced often came from deliberate dehydration before a weigh in.
• the general public might think that such high weight loss numbers were the norm.
• Other people commented that the pain these contestants went through was too much. If weight loss was going to be that hard, then they weren’t even going to try.

I’d like to challenge these opinions, as I think that overall, the Biggest Loser is a massive motivator. It may be filmed in a 12 week pressure cooker situation leading to some of the above concerns, but I believe that the majority of viewers see that the benefits far outweigh the concerns.

Firstly – The Biggest Loser enlists contestants that we can all relate to: “If they can do it, well so can I...” Take Lance Armstrong for example. Inspiring? Yes. Achieving remarkable results? Absolutely (he did it 7 times!). Can an overweight non exerciser relate to him? Definitely not! He’s been living and breathing exercise all his life, whereas most people struggling with their weight wouldn’t even get on a bike let alone wear the bike shorts! Contestants are real people struggling with the same issues, which connect them to their audience.

Secondly, The Biggest Loser is educational. Honestly how many of you guessed the correct order of high calorie/fat foods in those challenges? I bet you got some great new exercise tips too. I think one of the biggest exercise tips is intensity. These people train hard, and many people are scared of getting injured so they slow down. However lugging an extra 10+ kg around 24/7 will do far more damage to your joints than a little running in your workout. This program teaches the audience, rather than just entertaining them.

Finally, The Biggest Loser is inspiring. The psychology behind their achievements is amazing to witness. You can see the roadblocks that have led to failure in the past and watch as the trainers coach them into a new way of thinking. When you see someone move from a state of unhappiness and disappointment to one of achievement and success, it gives you hope, lights the fire in your belly and reminds you that you are in control of the life you chose to lead. Therefore, despite the critics, I believe the Biggest loser is an effective motivator.

Official website launch!

Welcome to my official website launch. http://www.ameliaburton.com.au/ is a new health and fitness site where I aim to be a source of information and sometimes inspiration to all the troopers out there having a go at staying in shape.

I believe we are all made to move. I believe our bodies are a vehicle we use to experience life. I believe a healthy body leads to a happy mind.

Allow my site to educate, motivate, and set you on the right path to a healthier life. It doesn’t matter if you like to exercise outdoors, train in the gym or if the only training you do is catching one to work, I am here to support your efforts. Each week I will post new articles on topics that affect all of us, such as training tips, nutrition advice, motivational stories, product reviews, latest research and opinions.

I am a fitness nut who lives in the real world. I understand how hard it can be to juggle our busy schedules. But I have also spent the last 11 years witnessing the amazing benefits exercise has on people and I am determined to spread the word.

Please enjoy reading my posts, ask me questions, comment on my stories.

Happy Blogging!

Staying motivated as the weather cools down- Warm up your workouts

As the weather cools down, watch that your motivation doesn’t as well. We all know the shorter days and winter months can be a calorie catch-out. A minefield of weight gain traps. Rich winter foods, less daylight hours for outdoor activity, lazy Sundays in bed, cheese and wine by the fire. Sounds so tempting doesn’t it? Well fast track to Summer, peeling off the trackies and squeezing into your summer wardrobe – will your thighs have an uncanny resemblance to the Tomme Crayeuse you devoured? Don’t let your waistline disappear under the doona of body fat, follow these simple tips and find the balance between staying fit and getting cozy.
Tip #1: Commit to an exact number of workouts each week. No exceptions (4 is ideal): If this means your laziness midweek lands you a weekend of activity, so be it. Personally I like to get it over and done with midweek so I can relax on the weekend.
Tip #2: Join an exercise group and pay upfront: 6 weeks of boxing classes, 12 week challenge in the gym, 10 personal training sessions. You will feel compelled to go and get support from your peers/trainer.
Tip #3: 6 weeks on, 1 week off: Give yourself a break every 6 weeks (even if you don’t feel like it) and book a massage. I bet you miss the workouts and come back rearing to go!
Tip #4: Soup, soup and more soup! Yes we all love comfort food in winter, so avoid the fatty pastas and have soup. Make it, buy it, freeze it. So long as it’s low fat and packed with veggies, you can eat it till your hearts content. Ps. absolutely no butter on your bread and no bread at night.

Eating right for your body type- Metabolic Typing

Have you ever noticed how some people can wake up and inhale sausages, eggs and bacon for breakfast and feel great, whilst a meal like that would make others feel tired and sleepy? Or when you eat that really healthy salad sandwich for lunch, but an hour later you are tired, sleepy and hungry? The fact is that everyone is different, so understanding and eating according to your metabolic type can have a massive effect on your energy levels and overall health.

Metabolic Typing (MT). What is it? MT is based on a theory that people are either oxidative dominant or autonomic dominant which means that some people feel better on higher protein diets and others on higher carbs. Others need an even mix. Your individual MT greatly impacts how the body digests different foods.

How will MT affect you: Improved energy levels, effective weight loss, reduced bloating and improved sleeping patterns are just some of the results recorded after one month of eating right for your type. Another plus is that it can be adapted to fit in with other diets, or if you are not a ‘dieter’ you can simply shift your protein and carbohydrate ratios to match your personal MT.

Take this great test to see what your MT type is. Some of the questions will challenge you and really make you think about how different foods make you feel.

Click here for the Metabolic Typing test...

And I would love to hear your feedback!