Ever heard the saying "abs are made in the kitchen"? Well, it's true. If you haven't heard that phrase before, you are in for a revelation.
Contrary to what many so called "fitness experts" say, we cannot tone our bodies and muscles or lose fat by choice. I'll explain what this means.
You cannot simply say "I want to have skinnier arms" and go on to burn some body fat off your arms. That is called "spot reducing" and is simply not possible on a biological level. The reason for this is that our bodies can only gain mass (weight) by having a calorie surplus or a calorie deficit. So if you want to gain weight (put on muscle mass), you'll need to consume more calories than you burn each day, and vice versa if you're looking to lose weight.
Now the basic method is out of the way, I'll tell you a powerful "one-two" method that I recently published on socialgirlworld.com that uses some neat and effective "tricks and shortcuts" to getting a summer-ready body.
No Need for Navy Seal like Intense Cardio
There are a few workout programs out there, such as the Insanity workout that is a variation of the traditional HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) that promises you a lean body in just a couple months. While that is very true when accompanied by a consistent diet, it is not necessary.
You can just do 3-4 times of cardio a week (ideally every day) for 30 minutes at your normal pace, and that will be enough on the cardio side. Be sure to get on the kind of machine that you find enjoyable. Some people prefer the exercise bike over the treadmill, for example. That little enjoyment helps over the long run in terms of motivation.
Keep in mind that your diet is more important than your workout when it comes to shaping it. It may be hard to believe, but ask any bodybuilder or even your friendly trainer at your local gym. We really "are what we eat"
Lower the Carbs, Up the Protein
I'm not telling you to go on the Atkins diet, but try to lower your carbs by at least 50g per day. We all have our own eating routines/patterns. Find the highest carb foods and eliminate them. Substitute carbs with protein. I highly recommend buying a tub of whey protein.
You'll need to find your caloric maintenance rate (The amount of calories you'll need to consume every day just to maintain your weight) and eat 200-300 calories less daily to lose your body fat. You can go even less if you want quicker results, but keep in mind that you run the risk of losing muscle mass and as a result, overall body shape. For example, a man might lose some mass on his lateral/upper back muscles, which will lose him that "V taper" shape. The same goes for women. Ever seen those women who are lean but lack the shape?
You'll need to fill in the caloric requirements with protein and fats instead of carbs. There are no strict percentage ratios, but highest protein, moderate fats, and low carbs will help you see some tremendous results in a quick amount of time.
Carbs are still very important to our bodies as a long lasting energy source, and it's important for you not to eliminate too many carbs you eat every day.
There you have it. I gave you an effective one-two combo of fighting body fat as fast and safe as possible.
