Want to Burn Fat? Don’t Do These 3 Things

Want to Burn Fat? Don’t Do These 3 Things

By: Marge

Sick of getting swept up in the sea of weight loss myths across the internet? Us, too. It can be overwhelming and confusing with all those ‘tips and tricks' floating around. 

Wondering how to burn fat the right way and unsure where to begin? We’ve got you covered. There are three main things you shouldn’t do when it comes to burning fat. Keep reading to find out what they are. 

Don’t Do This: Skipping Out On Meals

If you want to keep your engine revving on high to burn more fat, you shouldn’t skip breakfast. There’s a reason people say it’s the most important meal of the day. 

Breakfast is a key meal for normal metabolism, and skipping your first meal of the day can lead to things like: [1,2,3]

  • Low blood sugar can cause you to feel irritable, confused, and fatigued. 
  • Aggravated energy crashes or the dreaded afternoon energy dip. 
  • Overindulging at lunchtime meals because your body is signalling to you it’s hungry.
  • Cortisol production increases, which can lead to the inevitable “hangry” feeling.
  • Difficulty losing weight, as your metabolism is slowed down from skipping meals. 

Do This: Eat Breakfast Like a King 

Breakfast sets the tone for the rest of your day, especially when it comes to jumpstarting a fast metabolism. Instead of skipping out, make a delicious meal that’s rich in protein and has a wealth of essential vitamins and minerals. Not sure what foods qualify? We made you a list with a few options to get you started: [4]

  • Eggs: High in protein and contain nutrients like selenium and riboflavin.
  • Wheat Germ: High in fibre and contains vitamins and minerals like manganese, thiamine, and selenium. 
  • Bananas: High in fibre and low in calories. 
  • Greek Yogurt: High in protein. 
  • Fruit Smoothies: Fill them with veggies and low-calorie fruits to boost fibre and protein intake. 
  • Berries: Super nutrient-dense and low in calories. 
  • Grapefruits: High in fibre and water content, and low in calories. 
  • Oatmeal: High in fibre and protein, and low in calories. 
  • Green Tea: Studies show this beverage has metabolic and fat-burning benefits. 

For an extra boost to your day, add our Advanced Multivitamin to your morning routine. It’s crafted with 13 essential vitamins, plus additional minerals to establish optimal health. Our formula contains ingredients that are clinically proven to help boost energy, promote cardiovascular health, support immune function, improve metabolism, support better vision, maintain teeth and gum health, protect joints and cartilage, and more.

Don’t Do This: All-Or-Nothing Dieting

Remember how we mentioned the internet plague that is ‘weight loss myths?’ Here’s another one: "eat less and move more."

Though there’s a bit of truth to this idea, you shouldn’t be drastically reducing your calorie intake to achieve an all-or-nothing diet. This is not only dangerous, but it’s not even helpful. A drastic decrease in your daily calorie intake can slow down your metabolism, in turn doing the exact opposite of your main goal—burning fat. [5]

Do This: Understand That ‘You Are What You Eat’

Don’t suddenly stop eating. Instead, gradually cut down on heavy carbs (not calories). Why? 

Processed carbohydrates like white bread and sugar shoot your insulin levels up. An increase in insulin can lead to weight gain over time. Whole fruits and minimally processed grains are your new best friend, and don’t get it twisted—healthy fats are okay! Studies have shown that foods high in “good” unsaturated fats, like vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and fish, can help curb those big cravings for unhealthy carbohydrates. [5,6]

If you’re seeking long-term results, start focusing on food quality rather than calorie counts. How do you know if the food you’re eating is of high quality? [5,6]

  • High-quality foods: Unrefined, minimally processed foods like yummy veggies and fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, and proteins—check out the Eatwell Guide created by The NHS for England. 
  • Lower-quality foods: Highly processed snack foods, sugar-sweetened drinks, refined (white) grains, refined sugar, fried foods, foods with lots of “bad” saturated and trans fats, and high-glycemic foods like potatoes (skip out on those fries!). 

Again, the higher your metabolic rate, the more calories you burn. Enter our Omega-3 Fish Oil. Our powerful Omega-3 Fish Oil contains recommended doses of both Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), which are clinically proven to support optimal heart, eye and brain health. Plus, studies have shown that the powerful fatty acids in fish oil can increase the speed of metabolism. [13,14]

Don’t Do This: Kick-Start Intense Workouts

You’ve probably read on the internet that the more muscle there is on you, the easier it will be to burn calories while you’re at rest. So, you might be thinking—‘I just have to build up that muscle as fast as possible to burn as much fat as possible.’ This is a misleading myth a lot of people lean into. Not only will your weight loss journey take time, but you shouldn’t be diving head-first into high-intensity exercising every single day. 

Do This: Take Your Time

Slow down there!

If you’re hitting the gym four or five times a week, but not giving yourself any time to rest, you’re putting a ton of unnecessary wear and tear on your body. When you start exercising more, your body needs more time to recuperate, rest, and heal. So much intensity so soon is a recipe for burnout and disaster. [7,8] 

When it comes to things like exercising to burn fat long-term, try: 

  • Starting small. Begin with the lowest set of reps and weights. Work your way up to more rigorous workouts over time. Be patient with yourself. 
  • Resting at least two days a week. Split your workouts wisely. Schedule your workout days and your recovery days for the week in advance. For example, you can try training a muscle group only twice a week and then resting those same muscles for at least two days before training them again. 
  • Consulting with a trainer. Set realistic, attainable fitness goals for yourself, and check in with a personal trainer to avoid putting unnecessary strain on your body. 
  • Switching up your fitness routine. From time to time, switch up your workouts so your fitness journey is balanced, stimulating, and fun! Try new things to spice it up—yoga, barre, pilates, spin, boxing, running, long walks, swimming, and so much more. Find something you enjoy doing.
  • Rewarding yourself. Your weight loss journey is as psychological as it is physical. To stay motivated, treat yourself to occasional relaxing activities after a workout such as a long bath or a soothing massage. 

A Quick Recap (& A Few Extras)

It’s the age-old question - “What’s the most effective way to burn body fat?” We know you just want straightforward answers. 

To clear it up for you, we’ve broken down the basics: 

  1. Understand how much you are eating, and whether what you are consuming is of high or low quality according to your dietary needs and goals. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns. 
  2. Make sure your sleep isn’t suffering. Adults need at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Sleep deprivation can release excessive amounts of the stress hormone, cortisol, in your body, keeping you alert and awake at night (that means even more sleep loss). Research tells us that chronically high cortisol levels hinder your body’s ability to burn fat and lose weight. [9,12]
  3. Focus on building muscle mass slowly but surely. Building more muscle is a helpful element in burning fat. Building muscle raises your resting metabolic rate (RMR). A higher RMR will result in more calories burned at rest. [10,11]
  4. Supplementation is a helpful (and easy) way to give your body an extra boost. For example, if you’re starting to exercise more, turmeric curcumin is a great option for joint and body support. Collagen is another option for athletic recovery, as it has an impressive amino acid profile. For improved metabolic rates and a reduction in tiredness and fatigue, natural vitamin C complexes with concentrated doses are also a great option for fitness enthusiasts. [15, 16, 17, 18]

Searching for more ways to easily manage your weight loss journey? Click here to discover our line of natural, premium supplements carefully crafted with you and your health needs in mind. 

Resources:

  1. Ofori-Asenso, R., Owen, A. J., & Liew, D. (2019). Skipping Breakfast and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Death: A Systematic Review of Prospective Cohort Studies in Primary Prevention Settings. Journal of cardiovascular development and disease, 6(3), 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd6030030 
  2. Wicherski, J., Schlesinger, S., & Fischer, F. (2021). Association between Breakfast Skipping and Body Weight-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Longitudinal Studies. Nutrients, 13(1), 272. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13010272 
  3. Kylie J Smith, Seana L Gall, Sarah A McNaughton, Leigh Blizzard, Terence Dwyer, Alison J Venn, Skipping breakfast: longitudinal associations with cardiometabolic risk factors in the Childhood Determinants of Adult Health Study, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 92, Issue 6, December 2010, Pages 1316–1325, https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2010.30101 
  4. Link, R. (2018, September 3). 14 healthy breakfast foods that help you lose weight. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/weight-loss-breakfast-foods#TOC_TITLE_HDR_11 
  5. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2019). Cutting carbs, not calories, may be key to long-term weight loss. Hsph.harvard.edu. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/carbs-calories-weight-loss/ 
  6. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2022). The Best Diet: Quality Counts. Hsph.harvard.edu. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/best-diet-quality-counts/ 
  7. Stirbys P. (2013). How Much Exercise Is Too Much? Journal of atrial fibrillation, 5(5), 819. https://doi.org/10.4022/jafib.819 
  8. Haskins, J. (2014, September 2). Don't overdo it: Why too much exercise may be a bad thing. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-too-much-exercise-can-be-bad-042514 
  9. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Sleep Medicine and Research; Colten HR, Altevogt BM, editors. Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2006. 3, Extent and Health Consequences of Chronic Sleep Loss and Sleep Disorders. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/ 
  10. McMurray, R. G., Soares, J., Caspersen, C. J., & McCurdy, T. (2014). Examining variations of resting metabolic rate of adults: a public health perspective. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 46(7), 1352–1358. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000232 
  11. Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition (Second Edition). (2003). Basal metabolic rate. Basal Metabolic Rate - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/basal-metabolic-rate 
  12. Preiato, D. (2020, September 29). Does Cortisol Affect Weight Gain? Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cortisol-and-weight-gain#tips 
  13. Couet, C., Delarue, J., Ritz, P., Antoine, J. M., & Lamisse, F. (1997). Effect of dietary fish oil on body fat mass and basal fat oxidation in healthy adults. International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 21(8), 637–643. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0800451 
  14. Gerling, C. J., Whitfield, J., Mukai, K., & Spriet, L. L. (2014). Variable effects of 12 weeks of omega-3 supplementation on resting skeletal muscle metabolism. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme, 39(9), 1083–1091. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2014-0049 
  15. Gupta, Subash C, et al. “Therapeutic Roles of Curcumin: Lessons Learned from Clinical Trials.” The AAPS Journal, Springer US, 15 Jan. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3535097/. 
  16. S;, Daily JW;Yang M;Park. “Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.” Journal of Medicinal Food, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 19 Aug. 2016, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27533649/. 
  17. de Paz-Lugo, P., Lupiáñez, J. A., & Meléndez-Hevia, E. (2018). High glycine concentration increases collagen synthesis by articular chondrocytes in vitro: acute glycine deficiency could be an important cause of osteoarthritis. Amino acids, 50(10), 1357–1365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-018-2611-x 
  18. Tardy, A. L., Pouteau, E., Marquez, D., Yilmaz, C., & Scholey, A. (2020). Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence. Nutrients, 12(1), 228. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010228
Marge

Written by Marge