By popular, I mean someone I know actually quoted it once. And by quoted it once, I mean I sent that person the link and they read a few sentences in disgust before smashing their phone with a hammer and setting it on fire.
Regardless, it is time to brush the dust of this bad boy and provide you, my loyal readers, with a new and improved list of 10 Simple Ways to Minimize Body Fat.
I can only hope that it is as forgettable and unimpactful as the first version I wrote 6 years ago.
1. Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day - For example, drink 100 oz / day if you weigh 200lbs
2. Do not drink your calories - aside from Green Tea and Protein Shakes, water should be the only thing you drink. (If you are over 21, 1-2 glasses of red wine are acceptable. If that red wine is Merlot, you will be shamed mercilessly by friends, relatives, co-workers, and any bartender willing to serve it to you.)
3. Eat slowly - The faster you eat, the more you will eat before you realize you are full. A simple trick is to actually chew your food instead of swallowing it whole. It will allow you to do incredible things like taste what you are eating or talk to the person you are eating with.
In all seriousness, the simplest trick I can offer is to not take another bite of what you are eating until everything from your previous bite is completely out of your mouth. If you are really committed, you can put your fork down after every bite.
4. Eat a vegetable with every meal - Not only is this healthy for you, but it should also help fill you up more quickly so you don't eat too many other nasty things during your sitting.
5. Get 7-8 hours of sleep a day - believe it or not, but not sleeping enough will increase daytime cortisol levels and impair glucose control ... both of which can derail your efforts to lose fat.
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| Now you know why she was 8% body fat .. |
6. Do not go to bed on an empty stomach - Not only will it slow down muscle growth and recovery, it could also impact the quality of your sleep to the point you wake up feeling exhausted.
Your best bet is to have a small amount of slow digesting protein like turkey or chicken.
If whole foods are not available, consume a protein supplement that is mostly composed of casein protein as opposed to whey protein.
7. Build Muscle - At rest, muscle is believed to burn more than 2x the amount of calories than fat. If you are reading this blog, you probably don't need me to convince you to lift weights.
Just know that when I am forcing you to squat heavy, I am actually making you burn fat at the same time.
#youarewelcome.
8. Avoid White Carbs - This includes bread, rice, pasta and cereal. If you need carbs for energy, I highly suggest getting those carbs from beans and vegetables. (See point #4)
9. Have 20 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up. Protein has a satiating effect and will prevent you from overeating throughout the rest of the day.
One of the simplest ways to get protein for breakfast is to have eggs. Below is a picture of what I have for breakfast almost every day.
If eggs are not an option in your life, another good alternative is a Biotrust Organic Protein Bar.
10. Cheat once a week ... and love every second of it. For me, this is the only real way to stay so dedicated to points 1-9. Knowing that I can have a glorious "Cheat Day" once a week gives me the will power to stay strong when everyone around me is having a bagel for Joe's birthday or a beer to commemorate some nonsense fantasy football draft.
For those in fear that your cheat day will make you fat, fear not. It actually helps increase your leptin levels.
What is leptin?
That answer can be found in yet another popular, but unmemorable, article I wrote called "Cupcakes and Minimus".
Enjoy!
Note: I am not a nutritionist nor am I even close to being ripped. I am simply sharing with you some tips that have helped me in my own personal life to keep off excessive body fat. If you are planning on making changes to your diet and lifestyle, I highly recommend you consult your physician.
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