Extra body fat does more than make your clothes tighter and your self-consciousness more pronounced; it also places your health and well-being at risk. For example, being overweight increases your risk of heart disease and stroke — two of the leading causes of death in the U.S. Excess fat also increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and has been linked to increased mortality rates among patients with all types of cancer.
If you’re already eating healthy and exercising regularly, you’re no stranger to the quest for the ultimate fat loss routine. You’re probably just as familiar with how stubbornly those last few pounds or inches of fat can cling to certain areas. To help you get over the hump, four of the world’s leading health and fitness specialists offer their expertise on how to burn the most fat and keep it off:
Brad Arnett
For more than 20 years, Brad has trained athletes of all ages and from every professional organization, including the NFL, the NBA, the MLB, the NHL, the PGA, the LPGA, the UFC, and the Arena Football League, as well as several Olympic athletes, eight of whom have individually medaled.
“Increase your lean mass; it helps burn more calories for both genders. Barring any physical limitations, an easy way to achieve this is to pair lower body exercise with an upper body routine to keep your heart rate elevated. This will elicit a cardio effect without the constant pounding of running. Try pairing kettle bell goblet squats with chin-ups, pull-ups, inverted rows, or lat pulls. Or switch it up by pairing supine push-ups with a Romanian dead lift, glute ham raise, or supine leg curl.
“I’m also a proponent of making sure your diet contains good fat sources, like olive oil, avocado, and omega-3 fish oils, as well as healthy amounts of vitamin D. This will increase insulin sensitivity to boost your metabolism and inflammation control, improve thyroid function to assist in fat loss, and curb your appetite to improve overall eating habits.”
Joe DeFranco
Joe is the founder and owner of the world-famous DeFranco’s Gym at the Onnit Academy in Austin, Texas. For over two decades, Joe has trained athletes from around the world, including players from all 32 NFL teams, the MLB, the NBA, the WWE, the UFC, several Olympians, and high school and college all-Americans. His training techniques have been featured on ESPN, Spike TV, the NFL Network, and the WWE Network and in Men’s Health Magazine, Men’s Fitness Magazine, and The New York Times bestseller “The 4-Hour Body.”
“When someone asks me what I consider the best form of fat-burning cardio, my answer is always the form of cardio that he or she is not currently doing!
“When it comes to losing body fat, variety is the key to effective exercise. If you do an hour of cardio every day but you’re not seeing results, there’s a good chance your body is already efficient at that specific activity. To burn fat, you have to focus on what your body isn’t efficient at so it has to work harder and burn more energy.
“My suggestion is to choose three to four different cardio exercises, like sprint intervals, walking, battle rope circuits, and the stationary bike, and cycle through them every few weeks. The point is to keep your body guessing as the fat continues to melt off.”
Bryan Sauder
Bryan is the owner of Elite Performance Concepts. For more than 13 years, he’s been an exclusive strength and conditioning coach for high-performing athletes in hockey, track and field, and baseball. Bryan also works with top executives on optimal program design, nutrition, and supplementation.
“Take magnesium after each workout and before bed. It’s involved in hundreds of body processes but is also one of the most common nutrient deficiencies. Magnesium is associated with lower levels of fasting glucose and increased insulin sensitivity, which is vital for fat loss and improving thyroid output.
“Taking it post-workout and before bed lowers cortisol and increases anabolic hormones to improve sleep quality — two driving factors of effective fat loss. Rotating between chelated forms of magnesium such as magnesium glycinate, taurate, and orotate works best because of their high absorbability by various tissues.”
Jason Barbour
Jason is a highly sought-after strength and nutritional consultant for busy executives and has worked with professional athletes from the NFL, the NHL, the UFC (including four World Champions), and an Olympic medalist. Jason founded Metabolic Meals in 2009 and has grown it into one of the country’s largest healthy meal delivery companies with thousands of customers nationwide.
“Reduce carbohydrates, but increase proteins and healthy fats. It’s important to understand that the body uses nutrients to signal various processes in the body, and insulin is the hormone that influences body fat the most.
“It’s imperative to know about how many carbohydrates you should consume, what kind, and when to eat them, especially for people with higher body fat levels. Keeping carbs between 50 and 75 grams per day (mainly from fibrous vegetables) is the fastest way I know to dramatically drop body fat while simultaneously improving insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and other cardiovascular risk factors.
“I’ve also seen many people dramatically change their physique by eliminating certain foods that they’re sensitive to, which helps lower inflammation. Increasing fiber and taking a high-quality probiotic (or eating foods that contain good bacteria) will improve your body’s ability to absorb valuable nutrients that aid in fat loss and boost your overall health.”
Take the advice of experts who’ve made highly successful careers out of helping athletes fine-tune their bodies; fat loss can be as simple as making a few tweaks to your exercise routine and nutrient intake. It can also be as beneficial as improving your quality of life and reducing your risks of chronic health issues in the future.
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