In all my 6 years of consistant fitness routines, working out & busting it out at the gym, I'm glad (and very touched!) that many of you readers and Twitter followers have thanked me for influencing yall do the same as well. 

 

So proud of you guys!!

 

 

If you're on Twitter with me, you would know how often I hit the gym and how much I try to keep to my healthy diet. Well, of course I admit that I do indulge once in a while, but the key is always moderation.

 

 

My bowl of salad for breakfast

 

What should I cook today?

 

 

Steamed veggies for lunch!

 

 

Popping in my baked fish & pumpkins into the oven for dinner!

 

 

 

Last week, I was asked to share a brilliant article on my blog and without hesitation, I willingly agreed 🙂

Why? Good things – and useful information! – ought to be shared, especially with all of you!

 

 

Today, I'm going to be talking about losing fat & feeling better.

Imma share with you some important facts & how-tos which has become part of my daily life.

 

Then you're doing it wrong, sweetheart 🙂

 

Before waging a never-ending war on losing weight & cutting the fat, there are several things you need to understand:

 

Weight gain occurs when :

the amount of calories we consume IS MORE

than the amount of calories we burn. 

So burn more calories to lose weight!

 

If you eat more than what your body needs (overeating) and don't exercise it away, be prepared for weight-gain!

But remember, crash diets & useless weight-loss techniques won't do you any good because they disrupt the body metabolism in burning away your fat. So technically, you're not helping.

 

Bottom line is: 

 

EAT LESS (calories) or EXERCISE!

If so, those cookies you stole from the cookie jar wont make you fat.

 

Yes, Cookie Monster, you heard me 🙂

 

 

Things you need to know about fat loss 

 

You cannot 'spot reduce'

Exercise routines such as sit-ups, leg-raises or dumbbell raising only target the muscle underneath your layers of fat. Although these exercises help you burn calories, strengthen your body and tone up, it does not magically make you lose fat at a specific part of your body.

You can't lose fat in specific areas, fat-loss happens overall in all areas of your body!

 

Unlike my male gym buddies, I aim to tone up and train my lean muscle, not to build muscular mass

So I carry lighter weights, about 4KG ones and do more reps instead

 

This is a really old picture LOL

I hardly take any photos of myself while gyming but I found a rare few

 

So always remember, lose the fat first before your weight training!

If not, you'll only end up looking bigger and bulkier. Unless that's what you want 🙂

 

 

Lighter is NOT better.

This is what I always tell newbie-gym members or whoever I train.

The weighing scale isn't everything. You can be 70-80kg but that doesn't mean you're fat.

Did you know that muscle weighs 4 times more than fat? So does bone structures & bone densities.

 

 

When I started my intense workout of strength training, circuit training, core muscle training & weight-lifts religiously, I gained weight. 

See? The weight I gained was all attributed to muscle and mass gain, not fat 🙂

 

 

Carbohydrates do not make you fat

Consuming carbs doesn't make you fat, excess calories in sugar & fat does.

In fact, eating healthy carbs helps you stay in shape by filling you up & keeping you full for longer.

However, if you indulge too much in unhealthy, unrefined flour (white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, white rice, potato chips, jelly) without exercising, then yes, it will not be burned off but instead stored as fat.

Pro-tip : Don't eat white bread or white rice. I swear by that!

My alternative is always wholemeal bread, brown rice & oatmeal

 

 

Start burning!

Increase your activity levels

If you're not a member at any gym, build your fitness with a 30minute walk or a jog everyday to burn calories & increase cardiovascular activity.

For me, I hit the gym every alternate day and part of my workout includes a 5KM run with a speed of 8km/h.

 

I go running/jogging often

 

Hiking & jungle trekking sessions!

 

For indoor activities, I DDR (dance dance revolution) a lot.

Helps you sweat it all out and it's an excellent cardio activity!

 

Reduce your calorie intake

Losing weight (fat) is all about losing the calories. Count calories if you may.

My targeted daily calorie intake is at 1200 calories, with exercise.

 

The recommended calorie intake for men is 2000 calories per day & 1500 calories per day for women

Take a look at this, to help you estimate :

 

 

And fellow Malaysians, you might wanna know this *giggles*

 

CRAZY AMOUNT OF CALORIES, EY? 😛

 

Avoid second helpings.

You're just greedy, not hungry. Your body doesn't need that extra junk 🙂

But if you insist, then double your vegetable intake and halve your meat intake.

 

Swap sweetened/carbonated/sugary drinks like cola, soda water, cordial and syrup to plain water

If you drink milk, like me, opt for low-fat milk.

 

 

Stop being sucha fatty dessert person. Cut the ice-cream, cakes, candies & sweets.

I'd love to have yummy desserts too, but I'd want a yummy body more 😉

 

Cut down on your alcohol intake.

You're not only doing your liver a favour but your body will thank you for not forcing down mad calories in it.

Haha! I love my alcohol, trust me. But then again, I love my body more so I try to ensure I drink no more than 3 glasses when I go to events or clubbing/partying.

 

Let me be the bad guy and show you how much calories you consume at a party:

 

 

Never skip meals

You might think it helps, but it doesn't. Your body goes into starvation mode & sugar levels drop.

Skipping meals disrupts your body's metabolism & you'll be tempted to snack/overeat later.

For me, I strictly eat every 4 hours. Don't ask me why, it's how I've trained my body calorie intake cycle.

 

 

All those I've said above are sure-ways to be healthier and trimmer.

Take my word. Give it a go (with determination & discipline!) and you can say hello to a healthier and fitter new you in no time! 

 

This article is brought to you by TheJessicat and Great Eastern life 🙂

 

 

 

 

For more information, visit Great Eastern Life's wellness 'Live Great' website here on how to live life healthier and better!

Share: