Any successful weight loss program has three essential components: change in diet, a cardio training program, and weight training. In order for these components to effectively help you lose fat, you must factor in the mathematical principles associated with each regarding fat intake management and the fat burning effects of exercise. 

Eating appropriately is the foundation of successful fat loss. To truly eat right, it’s important to understand the macronutrients that can be responsible for excessive fat storage in the body. Our bodies mainly get calories from three sources: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. All three of these are necessary for fueling our bodies. When we eat excessive amounts of calories, our bodies store these as fats. You can lose fat by cutting back on calories and managing your intake of carbohydrates.

How often you eat is another essential component of dieting and fat loss. You should eat smaller servings more frequently to continuously fuel the body’s metabolism. A body with an active metabolism is constantly burning fat. Fueling your body with lean whole foods is ideal as this is the easiest and most nutritious way to curb calorie intake while still getting the essentials you need.

Cardiovascular training is crucial to lasting fat loss. Cardio not only helps boost fat loss but it also strengthens the heart and lungs. Creating an interval program means you optimize on all these benefits and need a shorter time to do it in. Interval training means you do short spurts of intense cardio followed by longer spurts of low intensity cardio. This burns fat faster and easier as it doesn’t allow your body to go into a “steady state” where it begins to reserve calorie burning.

Weight training is a third essential component to a successful fat loss program.  In fact, this is just as important (if not more) as cardio and shouldn’t be ignored. You don’t have to think bodybuilder here to see results. Simply incorporate a routine that suits your goals and fitness level and commit to it at least 2-3 days a week. Be sure you allow yourself to have recovery days as muscle building and fat loss burning occur after the workout is finished!

It’s key to remember that in order to have a truly successful, and lasting, weight loss experience, you must incorporate all three of these components into your plan for change.