There’s nothing more frustrating than doing everything you can to lose weight only to struggle and not make any progress.
After a few good days or weeks, you decide to check in with yourself and bam! You’ve either stalled or gained weight, and you’re left thinking, what gives?
I can definitely relate.
You feel like you’re putting in the work and you start to see some noticeable differences yet, the scale may not budge (or it goes up).
Oftentimes it’s becaused we’re so focused on what to remove from our diet — from calories to junk food — that we don’t pay enough attention to what needs to be added in.
That’s why I’m sharing two important nutrients that you’ll want to focus on to lose weight, especially around the midsection, along with my other top tip for doing just that in this article.
3 Tips You Can Use Today to Lose Fat (Especially Around the Midsection)
Implement these three tips and you’ll see and feel such a difference in a matter of days:
1. Get Enough Protein
If you’re struggling to lose weight and belly fat specifically, and I had to take a guess without knowing you, you’re probably not eating enough protein.
And before you say… “But Devan, I’m not a bodybuilder, why would I need MORE protein if I’m trying to lose weight?”
I know it sounds crazy at first, but that could be because you’ve been brainwashed by diet culture — we’ve all been victim to it, including me.
I read ALL the magazines for health and fitness and it was all about being low calorie and low fat at the time.
But guess what, that’s not the best approach to take (or a healthy one for that matter).
For starters, you could hit your calorie limits and still feel hungry and, worse, are completely undernourished, which leaves you feeling sluggish, low on energy, and anything but ready to take on the day.
A better approach is to hit your protein goals each day and, most likely, you may need to bump this up.
Studies have shown that consuming as much as 1.2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight (about 80g of protein for someone weighing 150 pounds) can lead to weight loss and it can go as high as 2.2g per kilogram (which is my personal recommendation based on the research).
This looks closer to 150g of protein for someone wanting to weigh 150 pounds.
I prefer to use the simple equation of 1g of protein for your target goal weight.
So if you’re looking to drop down to 200 pounds, then 200g of protein would be your target for the day.
If you’re trying to reach for that 150 pound mark, shoot for 150g of protein per day.
And I know what you’re thinking, that sounds crazy high.
When you’ve been undereating protein for years, it certainly does.
But chances are, you could be eating that 200g in another macronutrient, such as carbs, and doing that is far worse for your health.
A high carb intake can lead to blood sugar spikes, fat storage (especially around the belly), mood swings, irritability, and so much more if you’re not properly using that energy.
Here are a few more reasons to up your protein intake:
1. Protein is satiating. Protein is going to help you feel satisfied after eating instead of ravenous for more.
This can help you cut down on snacking between meals or wanting something sweet after a meal.
2. It also helps increase your metabolic rate just by consuming it.
Protein has a higher thermic effect of food (TEF), which means it burns more calories than fats or carbs as it’s being digested and broken down.
Protein can increase calorie burn by as much as 15 to 30% while carbs and fat are just 5 to 10% and 0 to 3% respectively.
3. Lastly, protein is crucial for everyday processes, not just muscle building.
It helps with:
- Forming enzymes for important functions like digestion and metabolism
- Fluid balance and pH levels
- Transporting important nutrients throughout the body
- The physical structure of muscles and bones
- Cell signaling
Keep in mind too, your protein needs will adjust down as you lose weight so you may not be eating this much protein forever.
Track your protein intake (and ignore the calories part of the equation for now) for a week and try to hit your target or get close to it each day. You’ll be amazed at how good you feel when you do.
2. Don’t Fear Healthy Fats
Think of healthy fats like Energizer Bunny’s — they help keep you full for longer and they feed your hormones the nutrients they need to thrive.
Without healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, coconuts, fatty fish, and more, your hormones will struggle to function optimally.
You’ll see this in the form of stubborn weight gain that won’t budge, feeling tired and sluggish, always being hungry or cold, and the list goes on.
Our hormones need healthy fats.
And, for weight loss, they’re a pretty amazing tool too.
Again, I know it sounds crazy eating fat for weight loss but it’s not what you think.
I 100% am not advocating that you throw a giant wad of butter into your coffee and call that breakfast.
It’s the exact opposite.
I’m suggesting, based on what I’ve researched and learned in my NASM training, is that adding in 1-2 tablespoons of fat per meal is exactly what our bodies need to thrive.
Yes, that’s all it takes.
You could add a tablespoon of olive oil to your side of veggies or salad, snack on a handful of raw nuts (or add them on top of Greek yogurt), or slice up an avocado and have some with breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Eating healthy fats like these will also help to keep your energy levels stable and they make it that much easier to feel satisfied in between meals, which can also lead to less snacking and faster weight loss.
Lastly, but just as important, healthy fats like these are necessary for absorbing the all-important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K (which you can learn more about in that article).
As mentioned in that article, these vitamins can help with improving:
- Eye health
- Immunity
- Skin health
- Blood clotting
But those perks can’t happen without the presence of fat.
So even if you are eating healthy, but you’re not adding some fat into your diet, you could be missing out on some of the vitamins and nutrients from your meals.
Add some healthy fats and you’ll definitely notice a difference in your skin, hair, nails, and more.
3. Increase Your Steps and Walk More
Technically you don’t have to reach 10,000 steps per day to be healthy.
That figure actually came from a Japanese company who created the pedometer.
But…there is research to show that getting in more steps is beneficial to your health.
In research I did for this article for a client of mine, I learned:
- Study participants who hit 10,000 steps per day boosted their mental health and overall wellbeing
- Those results were even higher in people who reached 12,000 steps per day. Plus, this amount of steps per day lowers your risk for heart disease and cancer specifically
- Reaching at least 7,500-8,000 steps per day also lowers your risk of death
If you’re not reaching these step counts each day, don’t try to do so out of nowhere.
Instead, gradually increase your steps each day until you can eventually hit those figures.
A great, easy way to get more steps in is to go for a walk each day.
Walking is also the best exercise to help cut down on belly fat.
People discredit it because it’s so simple but it’s really an incredible tool for losing fat, especially belly fat.
Studies have proven that consistently walking can lead to a higher calorie burn and better waist circumference.
Walking can also improve:
- Your muscle and bone strength
- Mood
- Your risks for serious disease
So it pays to up your steps and daily walks for better health and weight management.
If you’re someone who is just starting out, or getting back into your fitness journey, walking is a great place to start.
Once you’re in a good groove, you can then add in some weight training and bodyweight workouts to target burning even more fat.
And if you’re thinking…who has time to go on a walk?
I encourage you to reconsider and figure out how you can weave in more walks throughout your days.
They’re incredibly beneficial for your mental and overall health, not just your waistline.
If you’re struggling to actually go on a walk, then make it your mission to increase steps throughout your day.
Whether that’s having to do laps around your office building, marching up and down the stairs a few times in between work calls, or simply walking more throughout your day, it pays to get more movement in.
Use These 3 Tips Today to Start to Losing Weight and Burning Body Fat
After reading this article, I hope you see just how important it is to consume enough protein and healthy fats when you’re trying to lose weight.
It’s also crucial that you don’t ignore how active you are throughout your day.
Staying active is a huge key to better mental, physical, and emotional health.
If you’re looking for more help on this topic, be sure to check out these articles next or, you can email me direct anytime: devan@behappynothangry.com:
To losing weight effortlessly,
Devan
2 Responses
Being active not just once.. but throughout the day.. totally agree! YES!
Right! It makes such a difference. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I hope you’re doing well!