Staying healthy and fit is a way of life.
It’s not just something you dabble in here or there.
You should see it from the 10,000 ft view. That all the dots gotta be connected if you want real results.
So staying lean all year round isn’t exactly an easy task I’ll tell you that up front.
It can be done though.
It takes focus it takes discipline.
But it can be done.
Today we’ll give you 28 tips on how to stay lean all year round.
These are principles to live by that’ll keep the belly fat from creeping up on you no matter what your endeavors are.
Lets dive in…
Consume More Protein
Protein is the most satiating macronutrient. In addition to leaving you feeling fuller longer, increased protein consumption will also help you keep your lean muscle when you’re decreasing your caloric consumption.
That’s what you want because the more lean muscle you have the higher your metabolic rate.
Lean muscle=Less room for fat on your body=Higher metabolic rate
Win Win Win
Try To Eat Protein Every Four Hours
Frequent, relatively equal-portioned protein feedings are key to optimizing protein synthesis.
By frequent we don’t mean perpetual.
Spread your protein consumption out so you are getting at least a good protein source roughly every four hours.
The amount that you should consume will depend on whether you’re male r female and what your fitness goals are.
A rule of thumb generally is women getting 15-20g, while men get 25-30g.
Make Green Leafy Vegetables Your Friend
Green leafy veggies are filled with nutrients, but not calories. As an added bonus, they keep your body working at an optimal level by helping you maintain your system’s acid/base balance. If you’re looking to lose bodyfat, try to have green veggies at as many meals as you can. Collard greens can help reduce your cholesterol levels, kale is abundant in antioxidants and has cancer-preventing power, and bok choy is loaded with immune-system-supporting vitamin A.
Save The Starches For After Your Weight Lifting Workouts
Low glycemic carbohydrates such as green veggies, fruits, and beans ought to make up the bulk of your carbohydrate consumption.
That doesn’t mean starches are your arch enemy though.
Just conserve them for post-workout consumption.
Simple carbohydrates are important for the healing and muscle-growth process because, after crushing it in the weight room, your body is badly diminished of both glucose (usable energy) and glycogen (stored energy). This is the time to consume tempting high-glycemic carbohydrates (with an index of 70 and above) such as fresh fruits.
Eat For Volume
Consuming foods that are high in volume but not calories (nutrient-dense not calorie-dense) will keep you feeling full without stacking up your bodyfat.
Think cabbage, spinach, lettuce, and broccoli as foods that are high volume.
Can’t go on with mentioning the almighty egg. They’re full of protein and make you feel like you are eating a lot more than you are.
Gulch That H2O
Dehydration makes you physically and psychologically exhausted. When you’re feeling a little parched– a sign that you might currently be experiencing dehydration, ditch room temperature level H2O and get a glass of cold water. Drinking cold water has a minor thermogenic effect, permitting you to burn additional calories while you hydrate.
Do Not Drastically Decrease Fats
Consuming the right kind of fat will not make you fat, so don’t make the error of dropping your body fat levels too low when trying to lean out. Very low-fat diets are a huge mistake. Not only do fats provide your body with energy, they likewise help vitamins through your blood stream and absorb them into your body.
Essential fatty acids, like those in whole grains, seeds, nuts, and some fish, contribute to brain health and blood clotting. Balance your fat intake by eating saturated (butter, coconut oil) and unsaturated (olive oil, nuts, flaxseed) fats.
Eliminate Unplanned Snacks
Calories from unexpected snacking can add up quickly and can wreak havoc on your fat-loss goals. The message is quite easy: If you didn’t plan on it, don’t eat it.
Read Your Labels Carefully
Getting accustomed to checking out the dietary facts is a good habit to get into. But don’t stop at the protein, carb, and fat content, read the whole list of active ingredients. You’ll be surprised at how many foods are filled with America’s “favorite nutrient”: high fructose corn syrup. All that means is lots of sugar so avoid it.
Don’t Forget Your BCAAs
Branch chain amino acids (BCAA) are the building blocks of the body. They make up 35 percent of your muscle mass and need to exist for molecular development to happen. They help to halt muscle breakdown and activate protein synthesis. Drinking BCAAs throughout an interval cardio session can help you burn more fat when your carbohydrates are low.
Take ZMA Before Bed
ZMA is a mix of zinc, magnesium aspirate, and a hint of vitamin B6. It can be taken at bedtime to help you relax and get a good night’s sleep. We all know good sleep is necessary for good overall health, but it’s also necessary for enhancing fat-loss hormonal agents such as human development hormonal agent and leptin.
Extreme training can deplete your mineral stores. The zinc in ZMA will help keep zinc levels up, which is necessary for metabolic and immune functions, consisting of supporting testosterone levels.
Caffeinate Before Workouts
If you’re not too sensitive to caffeine, gulping down 200 mg prior to your workout. Whether it’s cardio or weights, caffeine can help free up some of your bodyfat. The extra energy increase from caffeine will also help keep your workout intense and help fight any tiredness you might be feeling from your reduced-calorie diet plan.
Supplement With Fish Oil
In addition to research pointing towards fish oil and omega-3 supplements as a means to help slow down the body’s aging procedure, fish oil decreases your resting heart rate. Why is this useful? A slower heart rate implies you’ll have to work with more vigor(i.e., burn more calories) to reach your target heart rate throughout your cardio sessions.
Boost Non-Exercise Physical Activity
When you’re trying to drop body fat, every extra calorie you burn takes you one step more detailed to your goal. Increase your activity and burn more calories. Begin by taking a few of these steps:
Park farther away at work or when shopping.
Instead of sitting, stand while taking telephone call at work.
Avoid the elevator and take the stairs.
Do not drive around the corner to the store….walk!
Gradually Increase Your Cardio
Going ultra hardcore on your cardio from the get go can be a recipe for plateauing very fast. There does a come a point when you won’t be able to push yourself any harder.
Basically the point is to gradually increase your cardio so that you give your body and mind room to improve. When you start to stall out you can adjust accordingly.
Always remember to try to keep your cardio sessions, just like your weight lifting, varied so that you body doesn’t become acclimated.
Use Sprinting In Your Cardio
Interval runs done as part of high-intensity interval training are another fantastic fat-loss method. Two or three 20-minute sessions can be a fantastic addition to your training program. Sprinting burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time and improves metabolism.
Try Limiting Rest Between Sets
Keep your training objectives in mind when you’re lifting. While minimizing your break time in between sets may suggest you can’t lift as heavy with each set, that’s OK. You’re not going after strength here. Rather, limiting your pause will keep your heart rate up and enable you to burn more calories.
Prevent Failure
When your focus is fat loss, you shouldn’t be pressing yourself to the outright max. If you do, your ability to recover will be jeopardized. Compromised recovery and training to failure do not mix. Always keep a few bullets in the clip.
Set Goals And Visualize Your Success
You’re on an objective, and every objective has a set end point. When setting objectives, identify what you want and write it down. Having something concrete will help keep you liable.
In order to achieve your objective physically, you need to have it drawn up mentally. Envision yourself the day you reach your goal. What will you look like? What will it feel like? Hold that image in your mind and achieve it!
Perfect Your Pre- And Post-Workout Nutrition
Looking lean doesn’t always mean getting rid of every single gram of sugar. For example, skipping your pre-workout or post-workout shakes because they contain sugar is a bad concept. The carbohydrates, whey protein, and BCAAs found in a solidly made smoothie do far more for you than they do against you. They help you recuperate faster, train harder, and develop muscle while dieting.
Be Sure To Take A Multivitamin
While it’s not directly related to fat loss, your daily multivitamin in your diet plan is necessary for total health. When your calories are low, you’re at a much greater threat for minerals and vitamin deficiencies. Taking a multivitamin or supplementing with whole-food extracts can help avoid possible issues and keep you fully operating.
If You Take Creatine, Don’t Stop Taking It
Some individuals drop creatine from their supplement stack when dieting to “drop water weight.” Bad idea. The water weight gain is intramuscular water, not subcutaneous water (water in the space in between your muscles and skin). It will help drive strength gains despite your calories being low, which could cause greater calorie burn and more fat loss.
== > For a guide on creatine for women click here
Supplement With L-Theanine
High volume training, low calories, and thermogenics can trigger considerate nerve system overload putting you on edge and making you tense. L-theanine is a special amino acid found in tea. It has a neurological calming effect, without eliminating from any of the benefits of stimulants.
Don’t Abandon Steady State Cardio
Do not dismiss the significance of steady-state cardio. High-intensity sprinting and periods are terrific for calorie burning. But when it concerns enhancing your overall fitness levels you’ll want to have a good mix of both steady state cardio and interval training. Doing steady intensity for a prolonged amount of time, 45-60 minutes of work at a heart rate of 130-140 beats per minute, enhances your hearts capability to pump blood so that you can train harder and recover better.
Focus On Your Actions
Unfortunate newsflash: You do not have absolute control over the rate at which you lose fat. There are a lot of different specific metabolic and genetic elements at play and you can’t possibly control all of them.
Don’t get obsessed with losing 1-2 pounds a week. Rather, focus on actions that are under your control. Stay with your diet and training strategy, focus on being consistent, and train with consistency. Train hard, train smart, eat right, and the weight loss will come.
Indulge Without Going Off The Deep End
Being a complete and utter Grinch when it comes to food and categorizing everything into “good” and “bad” foods works in the short term but it generally is a bad philosophy in the long run. Instead of eliminating entire food groups from your diet and running the risk of binging later on, work out a method to enjoy the foods you like in moderation. Take the “if it fits your macros” (IIFYM) route and eat treats occasionally in the context of your diet plan.
Sleep Like A Baby
Weight loss is generally an experience of more-more dieting, more training, and more cardio. One thing that’s continuously left off of the list: more sleep. Minimizing your sleep is a headache for weight loss. When you sleep improperly or too little, fat-loss and cravings hormones are avoided doing their thing, making your fat-loss efforts more tough. Avoid this by getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
Do Your Weight Lifting With A Consistent Tempo
Metabolic training is typically synonymous with quick lifting. That refers more to your rest periods than your lifting tempo. Keep a regulated and purposeful pace when lifting. Rather than simply leaving you winded, a consistent pace develops greater metabolic tension, which causes much better body composition modifications.