5 Ways to Reduce Body Fat

Losing weight takes a lot of effort, energy, and determination. There are no easy ways to get the body that you want, but there are tactics that work better than others. Understanding where to focus energy on reducing body fat is the first step to success.

There are some smart ways to target body fat for more rapid and long-lasting results. Consider the following suggestions:

1. Cold laser treatments. Unlike invasive cosmetic procedures like liposuction, the use of a cold laser has no pain and no recovery time associated with it. Laser fat reduction works by targeting fat cells and disrupting the cells’ membranes. The fat cells develop transitory pores as a result of the laser and the fat inside exits through them. Then, the body removes the fat through normal detoxification functions. Body sculpting with a cold laser focuses specifically on areas like hips, thighs, and the abdomen. For people that want an extra advantage in shedding body fat but no harmful side effects, the use of a cold laser is a smart decision.
2. Increase cardio. Working out aerobically is a tried-and-true method for burning fat. For people that are wary of joining a gym, there are plenty of cardio options that do not require a membership fee. The easiest is to implement more walking into your daily routine. Buy an inexpensive pedometer and do a test day where you figure out how many steps you take in an average day. Compare it to the daily recommendation for weight loss (10,000 steps; about 5 miles). Figure out ways to add in extra walking to reach that number. As you start to burn fat, you may have the confidence to try even more cardio activities in addition to walking.
3. Add strength training. Though muscles weigh more than fat, when a body is at rest more calories are burned through the presence of muscles. In other words—even if your weight is not dropping as quickly as you would like it to, strength training assists in a lean, fit body. Again, you do not need to join a gym to incorporate strength training into your fitness routine. Buy small hand weights or find Yoga tutorials online. Start with 20 minutes just three times per week, and slowly increase to 30 minutes up to five times per week.
4. Reduce processed sugars and carbohydrates. Simply looking at the amount of fat or calories in an item is not the only way to watch what you eat. In order to burn fat, keep an eye on sugar and processed, or refined, carbohydrates. Avoid things like pasta, bread, potato chips, and anything with corn syrup. Remember that sugar is not simply found in things like cookies and candy; items like cereal, barbeque sauce, and even potato chips often have a lot of sugar. Stick to lean proteins like chicken and fish, along with fresh fruits and vegetables.
5. Reduce saturated fat. If you are not sure what the difference is between saturated (bad) fats and unsaturated (good) fats, here is a good rule of thumb: Saturated fats are found in animal products and processed foods, while unsaturated fats are found in items like nuts, olives, and avocados. It is vital to understand this difference because saturated fats will raise cholesterol, but unsaturated fats will actually improve your heart health. Start small by removing items with saturated fat from your home, and replacing them with foods rich with unsaturated fats. Remember that not all fat is created equal; learn how to make the fat in food work to your advantage.