10 Strategies to Burn Fat and Keep It Off

One of the most challenging wellness goals millions of people struggle with is losing weight and keeping it off. The truth is when it comes to burning fat and losing weight for good, there is no “one size fits all approach.” What works for your best friend may not work for you. Every person’s body responds differently to food, exercise, and the environment.

So what is the secret to truly burning fat and keeping it off? It might take some time and patience, and it will definitely require a focused commitment. However, there are 10 strategies that you can use to create a healthy foundation and finally burn fat and keep it off for good.

1. Eat fewer calories, but make them the right calories

A big issue with weight loss is the advice to “eat fewer calories.” Not all calories are created equal. For example, 100 calories of an avocado is loaded with healthy fats and vitamins that will keep you satiated and support good health. On the other hand, 100 calories of a cookie or donut don’t provide much else than a sugar rush (and a crash!). Eat to satisfy hunger by choosing nutritious foods with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats. In other words, make your calories count.

2. Practice mindful eating

When we are stressed and anxious, we tend to eat more. On top of that, we tend to eat more to celebrate a special occasion or when we’re on vacation. All of these special events or stressful days can lead to weight gain when we aren’t careful. Shift your mindset around food to practice mindful eating habits that nourish your body. To do this, start by recognizing potential triggers that cause you to overeat, such as:

• Stress at work
• Low energy
• Boredom
• Loneliness

Then the next step is to eat mindfully:

• Stop eating when you are full
• Pay attention to your food when you eat
• Avoid multitasking while eating
• Chew slowly and taste your food
• Make mealtime an experience at home

If your relationship with food is damaged, this may be difficult. It may even require professional help. Talk to your doctor if your relationship with food includes any self-harm characteristics (such as binging and purging).

3. Track your progress

Today, there’s no shortage of fitness or health apps. Make fat burning fun with these apps. Track the food you eat, your workouts, and set goals for yourself. Find an app you can use to compete with a friend or family member. Make tracking your progress fun!

4. Prepare your environment

If your kitchen is stocked with unhealthy foods, burning fat will be more difficult. Cook your own meals at home, prepare what you can ahead of time, limit the number of tempting foods at home. You might even be someone who can’t have any temptations around.

Making healthy foods more readily available is a simple solution. Stock your pantry with Teami Wellness Protein and keep your MIXit Portable Smoothie Blender out so it’s ready to make a nutritious smoothie at any time!

5. Incorporate strength training

A great way to burn fat is to turn it into muscle. Strength training helps increase your metabolism and build muscle. The good news about this is that muscles do burn more calories than fat. Even when you are at rest, your muscles burn more calories than fat does. According to WebMD, 10 pounds of muscle can burn 50 calories, and 10 pounds of fat can burn 20 calories.

Plus, after strength training, your body can continue to burn calories from it for nearly three days. This is called the “afterburn effect.”

6. Get more sleep

Yes – it’s sleep again! Studies have shown that people who sleep more per night (at least 6-8 hours) are more successful in their efforts to lose weight and burn fat. One reason for this is because being overtired impacts your decision-making skills. When you are tired, it triggers the craving for unhealthy foods. And because you’re tired, it’s easier to make unhealthy decisions in the kitchen. Plus, when you’re well-rested, you’ll have more energy to get through the day and your workout, more confidence that you can burn fat, and a better outlook overall.

7. Drink green or black tea

Green tea and black tea contain some caffeine, which is a stimulant. Although the exact impact is not known, there are studies that suggest caffeine tends to increase the number of calories you burn. This is because caffeine increases your energy level. In addition, the Mayo Clinic states caffeine may stimulate thermogenesis – or how the body generates energy from digesting food.

Need tea? Try Teami Boost for an extra kick. It contains matcha, which is known for its energy-boosting properties. It also contains yerba mate to enhance clarity. Another option is Teami Energy, which contains invigorating oolong tea that is enhanced with the stimulating herb Rhodiola rosea.

8. Drink enough water

Water is a simple solution to help your body burn fat. Simply put, your body needs water to run optimally. Every function is more efficient when your cells are hydrated. In fact, water is actually necessary to burn fat. Without water, your body would be unable to properly metabolize fats and carbohydrates. In addition, when you’re hydrated, you aren’t as hungry. Dehydration can also make your body think it’s hungry when you’re actually thirsty.

9. Increase cardiovascular exercise

Cardiovascular activity is a great way to burn calories and increase fat burn. Even low-impact activities can result in serious calorie burn. For example, Just Swim states that in just 30 minutes of swimming, you can burn nearly 250 calories! Cardio doesn’t mean you have to be gasping for air and out of breath either. A short job, a quick walk, or getting more steps per day can all play a role in your cardiovascular fitness.

10. Try a HIIT workout

Now, if being sweaty and out of breath IS your thing, high-intensity interval training (or HIIT) is known for its ability to burn fat. They are designed to help you burn more fat in a shorter period of time. HIIT is done in short bursts of intense training to get your heart rate up and burn fat.

How to keep fat off for good

After you have achieved the fat loss you want, it’s important to take steps to maintain it. The good news is you can keep using the same ten strategies listed above combined with a few extra steps, such as regularly checking the scale or measuring your body fat. Measuring body fat can be done in a few different ways:

• A specialized “smart scale” that analyzes your body
• An online calculator tool that evaluates your weight, age, and other factors
• Measure your waist-to-hip ratio
• Calipers measurement to evaluate subcutaneous fat (can be done at some gyms or by a doctor)

Keeping fat off for good after reaching your goal takes a lifetime of commitment to your health. There is no “one and done” solution. The best part is these changes can help you stay vibrant, active, and healthy throughout your lifetime.

What is your best fat-burning move? Snap a selfie and show us on Instagram using #thankyouteami – and don’t forget to follow us.