How to Burn Body Fat Efficiently

Burn body fat with a combination of exercise and avoiding junk food.

Contrary to dieting claims, the key to efficiently burn fat is by eating more rather than less. According to Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz of "You: On A Diet," your body goes into starvation mode when it is deprived of food, which causes your body to store fat as a way to protect you from a lack of nutrients. While your meals shouldn't consist of pizza and burgers, frequently consuming healthy meals keeps your metabolism up which burns fat and improves mental alertness.

Instructions

1. Add complex carbohydrates to your meals. Whole-wheat bread and pasta are complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber, which curbs your appetite without the need to eat a lot of it.

2. Take a daily brisk walk. Thirty minutes of exercise that increases your heart rate burns calories and lowers the risk of heart disease and obesity. Swimming and even gardening for 30 minutes a day burns fat.

3. Train your muscles. Lift dumbbells two to three times a week to gradually build up your biceps. Start out with light dumbbells and increase the weight as they become easier to lift. Exercise machines that focus on your abdominal muslces, pectorals and quadriceps help reduce body fat. Use exercise machines two to three times a week to burn fat and increase muscle mass.

4. Perform planks to practice resistance training. Planks strengthen your core and simultaneously burn fat around the belly. Lie on your stomach and raise your body using the tip of your toes. Keep your forearms flat on the floor, and lower your hips until they are level with your shoulders. Suck in your stomach for 30 seconds, and release. Repeat this exercise 10 times, and increase the length of time you suck in your stomach as you improve the exercise over time.

5. Cut down on unhealthy cholesterol. Unhealthy cholesterol, known as low-density lipoproteins, contribute to health issues including obesity and heart problems. Low-density lipoprotein levels increase when you consume food that contains trans fat and saturated fat, which are unhealthy fats that stick to your arterial walls. Saturated fat is found in fatty food ingredients such as whole milk, butter, margarine, and trans fat is found in fried foods.

6. Increase good cholesterol. High-density lipoproteins are known as good cholesterol, and help your body clear bad cholesterol from your arterial walls. Fish, almonds, walnuts and vegetables raise HDL and decrease the risk of obesity.

7. Manage your caloric intake. You gain weight if you consume more calories daily than you are burning off. Check your food labels to determine the number of calories per serving and the number of servings to accurately balance calorie consumption.

References

• Mayo Clinic: High Cholesterol - Lifestyle and Home Remedies
• "You: On A Diet"; Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz; 2009
• American Heart Association: Good Vs. Bad Cholesterol
• Mayo Clinic: HDL Cholesterol - How to Boost Your 'Good' Cholesterol
• US News: Health - 10 Forms of Resistance Training That Strengthen Your Muscles