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The following are some common-sense strategies to help you lose the fat from your
waistline:
Slash the Fat.
Fat calories are more likely to be deposited as body fat. The
reason has to do with the thermic effect of food, which describes the energy spent to
metabolize (break down) food. Very little energy is expended to metabolize fat compared
to carbohydrates. The energy cost of metabolizing carbs and converting them to glycogen
for storage is rated at 25% percent, in contrast to just 4% to store fat. In other words,
your body works harder at breaking down carbs and using them for energy. This is not so
with fat. The body recognizes fat as fat and prefers to hang on to it, rather than break
it down for energy.
Preserve Muscle with Protein.
To lose fat while preserving muscle mass, you must have adequate protein in your diet. If
you go on a diet that is too low in calories, there is a good chance that your dietary
protein would not be used to build tissue but instead might be broken down and used for
energy much like carbs and fat are. Hint: Supplement your regular diet with a protein-rich
(20 grams or more of protein) sport nutrition bar. They make a great snack on a training
ride or after a run or swim.
Concentrate on Carbs.
Regardless of what you hear or read, carbohydrates are critical to fat loss for reasons
that bear repeating.
- Carbohydrates are required in the cellular reactions involved in burning fat.
- Carbohydrates spare protein from being used as fuel. Your body prefers to burn
carbohydrates for energy over protein. Protein is thus spared so that it can be used to
do its main job of repairing tissue and building lean muscle.
- Carbs restock the body with glycogen, which helps power muscles during exercise. The
more glycogen in the muscles, the harder you can train. Hard training burns body fat and
builds metabolically active muscle.
- When your body is digesting carbs, your metabolic rate is higher than when you’re
digesting fat. This phenomenon is due to the thermic effect of food—the energy cost of
breaking it down.
- Finally, carbs (namely, complex carbs) are loaded with fiber, which has its own set
of fat-burning benefits. More energy (calories) is spent digesting and absorbing high-fiber
foods than most foods. Fiber also keeps your appetite in check by stimulating the release
of appetite-suppressing hormones. Additionally, fiber accelerates the time it takes for
food to move through your body. The result? Fewer calories are left to be stored as fat.
Cut Down on Sugary Foods.
One type of carb to go easy on is sugar, and foods that contain a lot of it. Sugar-laced
foods have a fattening effect on the body. The reason is that many sugary foods,
particularly dessert-type foods such as ice cream, cakes and pies, contain a lot of fat.
Overindulging in these foods increases your risk of gaining body fat.
Don’t Skip Breakfast.
Skipping the morning meal is not a good way to lose body fat. In fact, it could fatten you
up! Most people who skip breakfast make up those calories, with interest, throughout the
day. Eating breakfast stokes your metabolic fires for the day. By contrast, going hungry
in the morning is just another form of fasting, which slows down your metabolism. Plus,
your physical and mental performance will suffer when you’re running on empty. If, like
most of us, you’re rushed in the morning with little or no time to prepare breakfast, eat
what you can. Something is better nothing. Hint: Because they’re high in vitamins
and minerals and low in fat, ready-to-eat cereals are a great choice for breakfast.
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