Did you know that you can burn fat without working out? In fact, you are already burning them just by living. This is your resting metabolism (BMR) and is responsible for the vast majority of the burn and is determined by factors such as your weight, gender, height and age. The percentage of muscle mass also plays a role, because muscles consume – even when resting – more energy than other tissues such as fat.
1 – Eat more protein
Small changes in your diet can boost your BMR and help you burn more fat. For example, an increase in protein in your diet burns more calories, because the digestion of proteins in your body requires more energy than the digestion of carbohydrates or fats. It also fills more, making you feel full and less likely to overeat. Also, muscle mass appears to increase faster when you take protein before the workout. Most people need 1 gram per kilogram or body weight per day. Do you train a lot? Then you can increase it to 1.5 grams.
2 – Amino acids before you exercise
The right amino acids, so-called BCAAs, can increase fat loss and help maintain your muscle mass during weight loss. The group of BCAAs includes the amino acids leucine, valine and isoleucine. BCAAs are essential and cannot be produced by the body itself.
3 – Green tea
Research has shown that drinking green tea helps to consume more calories and burn more fat throughout the day. Green tea can also help improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, which in turn contributes to the body’s ability to store calories as muscle tissue, not fat.
4 – Fish oil
So many health benefits of fish oil are now known that it is almost stupid not to take it as a supplement. Not only is it associated with an improvement in the condition of your heart and a slowdown in the growth of cancer cells, but it can also promote extra fat loss, without extra workout. It has been found that at 6 grams per day this can lead to a kilogram of weight loss (fat) in 2 weeks. If you do exercise more, fish oil promotes the amount of fat that is burned and can also improve cholesterol levels.
5 – Fasting intermittently
Fixed intermittent, or intermittent fasting, is emerging. You alternate long periods without food with a shorter period in which you eat enough. Increasing the time between meals (from 12 to even 24 hours) increases insulin sensitivity and burns more fat. In an experiment in which subjects fasted every other day for 22 days, fat burning increased and body fat decreased by 4%. You really don’t have to go to extremes to get results. Start with 12 to 16 hours per day. Not difficult if you don’t take anything until breakfast after dinner.
6 – Eat the biggest meal after your workout
After an intensive session with weights, your body has a huge need for carbohydrates and fiber to restore your glucose levels and to counteract the breakdown of muscle tissue. Now your insulin sensitivity is greatest and your metabolism at the highest level. Shift the largest meal to the right time and this will minimize unwanted fat build-up.
7 – Drink water immediately after getting up in the morning
When you wake up, you are always dehydrated to a greater or lesser degree. After all, you haven’t drunk since you fell asleep. Dehydration is a major risk of fat loss, because it slows down your metabolism to save water. Already 1% weight loss in moisture can affect your sports performance. Drink a large glass of water in the morning when you get up and try to drink as much as possible throughout the day. About 30-40 minutes after drinking a large glass of water, your metabolism increases by 30%. It couldn’t be simpler and cheaper!
8 – Vitamin B12
B12 helps your body in various ways to promote metabolism and fat burning. It is necessary for the conversion of fats and proteins into energy via the metabolism. Oxygen is required for the reactions required for this to take place in all cells. Vitamin B12, together with folic acid, ensures the production of red blood cells that transport oxygen from the lungs to every body cell. Without B12, red blood cells would be deformed and unable to efficiently transport oxygen, leading to a slower metabolism, declining energy levels and health problems.
