Habits That Make You Fat

Losing fat can be very frustrating, it’s a tough physical and mental challenge. Losing as much fat in the least amount of time requires excellent diet choices and a well built training program, but even with that some people still struggle to lose any fat.

Everyone loves to party, especially while in college and during the summer,

The lack of sleep associated with partying also affects the rate of fat loss. A lack of sleep will cause a reduction in both testosterone and growth hormone, two of the most powerful muscle building & fat loss hormones. Reduced sleep quality causes impaired recovery which leads to skipped workouts. Ever wonder why there is no rarely any ripped people at the bar or club, now you know why.

After a meal most people like to nibble on something sweet like ice cream or chocolate, it may seem harmless at first but it usually leads to more. Often even tasting a spoon of ice cream will make you want to eat half the tub, studies show that having dessert actually increases cravings.

Most desserts are high in simple sugars and fat, this destructive combo causes a fat storing insulin spike which will make you feel lethargic and often bloated. Skipping dessert can save you thousands of calories each month. So next time you reach for that Ben & Jerry’s, remind yourself of your goals and how far you have come already.

There’s nothing wrong with having a bowl of cereal and a apple for breakfast, but if your main goal is to lose weight, your main focus should be a breakfast high in protein, moderate in carbohydrates and low in fat.

Most conventional breakfasts are high carbohydrate, high fat and low protein, which is exactly the opposite of what you should be eating. Opting for oatmeal, whey protein and some eggs will provide you with exactly what you need in the AM.

If your getting to the point where every calorie counts, you should have your coffee black without sugar. Over the course of a month, the sugar and milk add hundreds of calories, depending on how much coffee you drink. If you can’t stand black coffee, use skimmed milk and a natural sweetener such as stevia.

While on a strict fat loss diet you have no business eating fast foods, takeaways or at a deli. You will rarely know the nutritional content and most fast food is highly processed, high fat and high carb. Bring pre-packed meals to work, college or school, doing this will also save a great deal of money each week.

These “health marketed low fat foods” are usually highly processed and contain an array of chemicals you have never even heard of.

These “low fat foods” will likely only save you a couple of calories, but they replace perfectly harmless fats for low quality, fast digesting carbohydrates, these carbohydrates cause sugar rushes and unstable blood sugar levels. Most of these “low fat foods” won’t keep you feeling full very long.

Believe it or not, diet soda is no better than regular soda. The average american consumes over one gallon of soda each week, that’s comes to 1342 calories.Even though diet soda has no calories, it does contain artificial sweeteners and chemicals. Research suggests that artificial sweeteners increase hunger and appetite levels.

Instead of white rice, white bread and potatoes choose brown rice, brown bread and sweet potatoes. Slow digesting carbohydrates such as brown rice take longer to digest, so they keep you feeling full longer and maintain stable blood sugar and insulin levels. Opt for wholemeal and wholegrain choices.

Water is essential for our body to function at maximum capacity, so why are you not drinking enough of it ? The more water you drink the better.

Drinking lots of water will keep you feeling full, so you avoid snacking, improve your performance in the gym and keep you well hydrated.

A recent study in Utah university, examined the weight loss effects of water. The group who drank 2 cups of water prior to each meal lost 30% more weight. The second group added 2 cups of ice water prior to each meal lost 50% more weight than the control group, who didn’t drink any water.

Eating late can cause significant weight gain if you choose the wrong foods. Consuming carbohydrates late at night, without leaving time for them to be burned off may lead to fat gain.

Studies also suggest that eating carbohydrates late at night causes elevated insulin levels, which may interfere with the release of growth hormone during sleep. Growth hormone is one of the most powerful fat burning hormones in the body, so you definitely don’t want to be interfering with its release.

Eating late at night may also reduce the quality of your sleep, it’s much harder to fall asleep while your body is digesting food. But if you do feel hungry at night, have a whey protein shake, cottage cheese or some vegetables. Low carb, high protein is key at night.

Juices seem healthy to the average person, but in reality a fruit juice is just like a soda, just a bit thicker. Fruit juices are packed with sugar and some even contain artificial colors.

Homemade smoothies are just as bad. Consuming food in liquid form is less fulfilling, it’s much easier to blend 4 bananas and drink them, than it is to peel and eat 4 bananas.

Fruit is also packed high in simple sugars, which should be avoided while on a diet.

Studies have found that those who watched TV while eating consumed an average of 228 calories more than those who did not.