Overlooked Fat Loss Factors

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Overlooked Fat Loss Factors

Losing weight is about more than reducing calorie intake. Fitness expert

n lets us in on some overlooked fat loss factors.

By n, Fitness Expert

Page 1: Overlooked Fat Loss Factors

These overlooked fat loss factors need to be addressed

We're often told that losing weight is a simple mathematical equation of

calories in, calories out. Burn more calories than you eat and you’ll lose

fat. However, is it really that simple? The truth is that the actual

“number†of calories you consume is not the only factor that affects your

fat-loss efforts. In this article, we’ll discuss five other things that should

be considered when determining the effect of your diet on your waistline,

primarily overlooked fat loss factors. Incorporate this knowledge into your

workout and nutrition routines and soon you'll be ripped like Reynolds --

and attracting looks from fitness babes like Amy Weber and Eason for it.

1- The thermic effect of the food you eat

The thermic effect of food (TEF) measures the amount of energy that is required

to support the processes of digesting, absorbing and assimilating food nutrients

as well as the energy expended as a result of the central nervous system's

stimulatory effect on metabolism when food is ingested. Of the three

macronutrients, protein carries the highest thermic effect. Eat more protein;

burn more calories.

2- The fiber content of the food you eat

Due to its chemical makeup, fiber is classified as a carbohydrate; however, it

is unlike other carbohydrates in that it is an indigestible nutrient. Even

though each gram of fiber contains four calories, these calories will remain

undigested and will not be absorbed. Therefore, if you were to consume 300

calories of red beans (a food in which nearly 1/3 of the caloric content is from

fiber), approximately 100 of these calories would pass through your intestinal

tract undigested.

3- The glycemic and insulin indices of the food you eat

The glycemic and insulin indices are scaled numbers that refer to how quickly a

particular carbohydrate source enters the bloodstream as sugar and how much

insulin is needed to rid that sugar from the bloodstream, respectively.

Generally speaking, there is a positive relationship between the two; the

quicker sugar enters the bloodstream, the more insulin is needed to rid that

sugar from the bloodstream. When high levels of insulin are present within the

blood, fat burning is brought to a screeching halt, which is anything but

desirable for those whose goal it is to obtain a lean, muscular physique. Don't

let this be an overlooked fat loss factor.

4- The different macronutrients present in the food you eat

Although insulin's primary function is to shuttle glucose (sugar) into skeletal

muscle, it also carries many other nutrients to their respective storage sites

-- this includes lipids (fat). Since carbohydrate ingestion stimulates a large

insulin response and fat ingestion gives rise to blood lipid levels, when the

two are consumed together, they promote the greatest fat storage.

There's one more overlooked fat loss factor you need to know, along with some

other great weight loss tips...

Page 2: Fat Loss

5- The size, frequency and time of the meals you eat

Large, infrequent meals tend to promote storage of the ingested nutrients, as

the body is unsure as to when the next feeding will take place. Conversely,

consuming smaller, more frequent meals will result in an increase in metabolism

and utilization of the ingested nutrients. Also, ingesting a large amount of

carbohydrates before bed spikes insulin, deters nocturnal thermogenesis and

increases fat storage during sleep. On the contrary, consuming a great deal of

calories early in the day does not bring about this problem; rather, these

calories are likely to be used as energy to support daily activities.

fight the fat

As you can see, someone could be eating a relatively small amount of calories

daily, but at the same time be promoting a great deal of fat storage by: 1)

Making poor food choices; 2) Combining macronutrients in a nonproductive fashion

and; 3) Consuming food infrequently and at inopportune times. To illustrate this

further, let's take a look at a recent study that analyzed the diets of 38

police officers. This study discovered that although the officers were consuming

a hypocaloric diet (fewer calories than they burn), they all had unhealthy

levels of body fat and had been gaining fat mass over the past five years. If

all you had to do to lose fat was consume fewer calories than you burned, then

these individuals would be losing fat, not gaining it.

To confirm the importance of the factors that I previously mentioned, let's take

a look at some of the other things this study noted:

Only 15% of their diet consisted of protein, the macronutrient with the greatest

TEF.

Their diet contained very little fiber.

Over 50% of their carbohydrate intake was derived from simple sugars, which have

very high glycemic and insulin indices.

They didn't note this, but I'm willing to bet that they didn't avoid the

fat-carb combo.

They ate infrequently -- only 10% of their caloric intake was consumed at

breakfast and over 50% was consumed right before bed.

By now, it should be obvious that fat loss isn't just a matter of calories in,

calories out. And while it’s a little more complex than that, you can easily

use the tips in this article to ensure you’re getting the most from your

dieting efforts.

n is an internationally recognized fitness expert and the author of

The Cheat to Lose Diet (Random House, 2007). To learn more about ’s

top-rated Body Transformation Coaching program and to download a free copy of

his latest fat loss report, The Secret Fat Loss Hormone, visit

www.nCoaching.com.

http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_200/248_fitness_tip.html