Stock up on nutrients
All the food that you eat can be broken down into 3 categories known as ‘macronutrients’. They are protein, carbohydrate, and fat. The important thing to note is that these macronutrients each have a different effect on your body. Put extremely simply; carbohydrate is the main source of your body’s energy, and fat is the secondary source. The problem with these two macronutrients is that most people eat too many carbohydrates and fats, which means you are supplying your body with more energy than you will use. The body deals with this extra energy by converting it, and storing it in your body as adipose tissue, otherwise known as fat.
Protein, however is used predominantly for the growth and repair of muscle and other body tissues. Protein is far less likely to be stored as fat on your body, and it is also much harder to overeat as it makes you feel very full very quickly.
Protein helps to supply essential and non-essential amino acids such as threonine, leucine and cysteine. Often the body can not synthesis these amino acids on its own, and thus they must be extracted from elsewhere – protein is the perfect candidate! Protein also helps us to heal wounds and replace dead cells. Sufficient protein intake is particularly important for the growth of healthy hair and nails!
Protein also forms a major building block of muscle development, meaning that not only will you be able to blast away fat, but you will be taking the important first steps towards getting ripped!
Action Plan: Double the amount of protein you put on your plate for every meal. Chicken, steak, eggs, fish and most nuts are a great source of protein. You will find yourself being fuller for longer, and your muscles and body will gradually become stronger. As an additional benefit from doubling your protein you will be eating less carbohydrates, which are known to make you feel lethargic and tired throughout the day.
Simply carrying around a small container of nuts is a great way to get your protein fix. These make for a good snack to keep you going between meals, but it is best to avoided salted nuts.
Warning! Something to remember when dealing with all of these Shape-Up Shortcuts is that you should do everything in moderation. Excessive consumption of protein is known to cause excessive excretion of calcium. This can lead to osteoporosis in later life, and thus you should make sure that there is always variety in your diet. Food sources high in protein are also often high in saturated fats, and thus you need to use your discretion when deciding how much protein to incorporate into your daily diet.
Fish oil
In fact, there was a recent study on the benefits of fish oil, where subjects took 2 grams of Omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA (the healthy compounds abundant in fish oil) daily for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment the people who took the fish oil lost an average of 3 entire pounds more body fat than the subjects who didn’t take it. Again I am repeating myself to stress the point. The subjects simply took the fish oil tablets and did not change their exercise or diet routines to lose this extra weight!
Omega 3 fatty acids also help to reduce the likelihood of heart disease, cancer and many other chronic diseases. Fish oil can reduce cholesterol levels, stave off rheumatoid arthritis and can even help reduce pain brought on by periods!
Action Plan: Find a fish oil brand that is high in EPA and DHA (compare the nutritional labels on the back of the bottles) and take 2-3 capsules every morning with your breakfast.
Fish oil is also well known for preventing macular degeneration, high blood pressure, and even increasing your cognitive function.
Sensible meals lose to Weigth
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