So you’ve been going along, exercising and eating “healthy”.  You think you’re doing all the right things to lose weight, but it just won’t come off.  You’re starting to get frustrated, losing motivation and you may be thinking, “Okay, I give up!  I’m just going to go back to living and eating the way I did before because all my efforts just don’t seem to be working.”

If this sounds like you, trust me you’re not alone.  This is the most frequent complaint I hear.  Here are my 7 secrets for torching body fat:

  1. Meal timing and size. By eating within 30 minutes of getting up in the morning, you’ll get the motor running right away.  When we don’t eat, the body thinks it’s being starved and the metabolism slows down to conserve energy.  Eating smaller meals more frequently helps to rev up the metabolism because the body only gets what it needs for energy without extra storage.  This will also allow you to avoid a large dinner and then feel hungry in the morning.
  1. Eat for your body type. The three basic body types are the ectomorph (slender), mesomorph (muscular/athletic) and endomorph (fuller/more rounded), and they each tolerate macronutrients differently.  Ectomorphs can tolerate more carbohydrates because they tend to have a faster metabolism, mesomorphs need more of a balanced approach of proteins, carbs and fats, and endomorphs tend to thrive on a lower carb diet.  See what works best for your body.
  1. Eat mindfully and only until you are 80% full.  Mindless eating is a fast track for weight gain.  Eat slowly and practice being in the present moment with each bite you take, fully enjoying the taste of your food.  If you’re paying attention to how you feel as you’re eating, there will come that time when you feel completely satisfied.  STOP THERE.  Don’t clean your plate just because there’s food on it.
  1. Build muscle. More muscle means a faster metabolism that will burn more calories at rest.  Ladies – unless you’re taking steroids, don’t worry about getting too big.  As long as you’re eating clean and losing body fat, you’ll create that lean and shapely physique you’re looking for.
  1. Train smart.  High intensity cardio intervals are the #1 type of aerobic exercise for burning fat, both because it requires more energy during the workout and it elevates the metabolism for the rest of the day.  If you are a real fitness enthusiast and can train twice in one day, do low-intensity, steady-state aerobics on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, and then hit the weights later in the day.
  1. Bump up your Omega 3’s. The body needs fat to burn fat, but it needs to be the right kind.  Limit your fat intake to fish oil (via supplement or fresh oily fish), nuts, avocado and coconut oil.   
  1. No carbs late at night.  Consuming carbohydrates at this time stimulates fat-storing hormones.  If you are actually hungry before bedtime and want a snack, have some whey protein mixed with water, or some low-glycemic fruit like berries.