What is the best diet to loose body fat?
 

Hi,

I am new to this site, just joined today :)

I have been on my weight loss journey for a while now and have lost 22kg in total but now just have 6kg to go.

What i realised this week is that even though i am so close to my goal weight i am still holding ALOT of body fat (33%)!

So my question is "what is the best diet i can do to loose body fat?"

I do aerobic cardio about 4 times a week for atleat an hour each time and some weights, is this enough?

Any thoughts would be much appreciated

Cheers,
Lisa :confused:

And the "Best Diet" is...
 

Hi and welcome to FitDay.

As far as I'm concerned the best diet is to "Eat Clean" and use calorie tracking to aid in that goal. That's how I've done it and my % body fat continues to drop even though I'm no longer trying to lose weight.

For more information check out these threads, especially the Tips for Weight Loss:

FitDay's Best of Series

Hi. I am also new to the site and have about 25kg to loose. If you are loosing weight and your body fat percentage is still high it could indicate that you are loosing lean muscle and not actual fat. To correct this you need to eat more protein at each meal. There are many sites that will help you calculate your daily protein needs.

You could also maybe have a look at the zone diet. It has a 40:30:30 ratio for each meal (Carbs: protein:fat). Also, you may want to look at doing some resistance training to build some lean muscle which in turn will burn body fat.

Hope this helps.

I agree with frgnprnces that getting a higher percentage of your calories from protein would be a good thing. I would recommend you restructure your workouts to include less cardio and more weight training. Cardio is great for burning calories but unfortuneatly some of those calories burned are muscle and not fat as we would all perfer. Lift with enough weight so you can only perform 6 repetitions before you lose form or cannot complete the movement. Do 3 to 4 sets of each movement. This will help you build a lean muscle base (but you have to get enough protein).

I did some calculation to show just how lacking I believe you are in muscle. I have made some assumptions because I don't know your current weight or your goal and I have converted the numbers to pounds from Kg. Assuming you are moving toward a goal of 125 lb/56.8kg. A good Bodyfat percentage for a woman (I assumed this from your user name) would be 18% or 22.5lb/10.2 kg fat and 102.5lb/46.6 kg of lean body weight.

You stated that you had 6 kg/13.2lb to go so guessing your current weight around 62.8kg/138.2lb. If you are currently at 33% bodyfat then you have 45.6lb/20.7kg of fat and 92.6lb/42.1kg of lean body weight.

That is almost 10lbs/4.5kg of muscle that you are lacking. To acheive 18% bodyfat with your current muscle you would have to weigh only 113lb/51.4kg!

You should be trying to consume approximately 100 grams of protein a day (1g per pound of lean body weight) to gain the needed muscle. Congratulations on your success so far.

Primal Blueprint / paleo / caveman diet / hunter gatherer
Since I started eating like a hunter gatherer I don't need to count calories, exercise less, am not hungry, no more cardio = insatiable appetite, and still am losing/changing. I initially lost 20lbs in about a month. Now 6 months in I am 10lb under my lowest adult weight, I have stagnated. But my body is still changing, pants fit looser, face looks slimmer, wedding ring getting loser. Best of all I don't feel bloated all the time like I use to. Once it warms up I will start walking daily again. I believe that will be enough to start losing again. . At 45years old it's the best I have ever felt.
1. Eliminate grains
2. Balance omega 3/6
3. Eat more grass-fed beef
4. Eat lots fresh veggies
5. Eat lots of fat - coconut, butter, animal fats - 50%+ of calories

Hey Lisa, I saw your thread and hope this helps. I was up to 210lbs a couple years back and managed to get down to 170 on the HGC diet. It worked great for me and came highly recommended from a couple friends as well. Oh and I've managed to keep it of too

I just restarted. Was on Weight Watcher over a year ago. Still weigh what I did before or weigh it again. What works best for me, doesn't for everyone. Tracking is essential. That's why I'm on Fit Day. WW calculations were not for me. Fit Day showed I was very low on Vit D and when I was tested, it was very right and I had to go on supplements. I like knowing where I stand nutritionally and tweaking it. This time I am commited to stick with it. Whatever you can do and stick with is right for you. I need filling food and food that sticks with me through the day. Right now I'm stressing protein, fruit and vegetables and only high fiber carbs,

Truer words were never spoken. Welcome to FitDay!

Not sure if I follow how spicy food will increase fat on the body...can you cite an article or report on this.

The best diet includes lots of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables and very less diary products. Sugar can be substituted by using natural sweeteners such as honey, stevia , maple syrup etc. A healthy meal should include food having carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and possible amount of fats.

Good Diet
 

Drink water as much as you can.
Green tea.
Green vegetables.
Salad, fruit, juice.

Hi, i am new i am about 5'7 and my weight is 138lbs .I just go to the gym and use the olyptical for an hour or more i am not fat but i could afford to lose some weight off my stomach sides i was wondering what else i can do to speed up this process. I understand diet is a big part, i try to eat healthy proteins, vitamins, minerals and regularly everyday, but i am wondering what type of cardio works is the best for lose weight rapidly.

If any one know [how to lose love handles fast and easy please suggest few tips?

Eating balanced diet is the key to take nutrition. You should go with it. You should try to drink plenty of water, take fresh fruits and green vegetables. These all are very helpful.

It sounds like you already know how to lose weight. The question is how to not lose so much muscle. You need to eat protein with every meal and it's better if your snacks are a quality protein too. IE a handful of nuts, a hardboiled egg, some peanut butter, or I make sugar free baked treats with chocolate protein powder (no flour-see youtube), sf jello with protein powder as my snack before bed if I need one. There's lots of ways to incorporate more protein into your diet.
Also, try adding more weight bearing moves to your routine. Squats, pushups, planks don't require equipment. Weight bearing moves should follow your cardio routine. I usually do and hour of cardio followed by 1/2 resistance training. The less fat you have on your body the more your muscles will pop too, you'll see more immediate reward for your hard work. Muscle burns more calories at a resting rate so your metabolism will speed up far more than when you're only doing cardio. All the best, keep up the good work!

no to sugar
 

Hi Lisa,

Avoid food that are high in sugar and continue to exercise.:)

Kato

The best ever diet contains fresh fruits.

you can cut your carbo, and add more protein food on your diet + you want more do exercise consistently

if you want to know more about friendly fat burning meals visit: Kid Friendly Meals

New Member
 

Hi there,

I'm a 50 year old female who was at 235 lbs on April 25th, 2014. I had a grand mal seizure on April 17th and a TIA (mini stroke, as my doctor told me). I ate horribly, consuming large amounts of sugar, salt, and caffeine in the form of tea. My husband has tried to help me stabilize for 9 years, trying to get me to use honey instead of sugar, and cut back on the bad things through substitution, but I was always cheating. I have had a lot of stress from my brothers, sister, and mother, and have let the anxiety ruin me for years. I also slept horribly and was always exhausted. I was admitted into the hospital for 4 days, and dropped to 235lbs because I ate little there.

Since I had my seizure, I have realized life is too short, and that I want to spend as much of it as I can with my immediate family and friends. I saw a doctor to help me with some emotional stuff, and am now on a good anti-anxiety medicine. My husband is thrilled I am finally moving forward for healthy improvement. He had me see a sleep specialist, and I will be getting a CPAP machine soon to help me sleep, since I have sleep apnea. I was told this will help me even more with energy and focus and will stop me from having seizures (since sleep apnea is the root cause).

I was forced into a mostly fluid diet into the hospital, so I thought I was going to eat like crazy when I was released. However, the new anti-anxiety medicine helps me feel less hungry, so I found it wasn't too hard to follow a diet my husband has devised for me (he is a Doctor of Management), and I am now down to 220.8 pounds in 21 days. This is mostly water weight, as my husband tells me, as I do not yet exercise, and he said I should not lose more than 10% of my total original weight when we finish the 30 days of Phase 1. I have already started to level off to losing 0.2 - 0.4 lbs/day, as my carb intake is still a little high. My diet is low sodium (no added salt), low sugar (but balanced for glucose needs), caffeine-free, low cholesterol, low-fat, and runs at 1500-1600 calories per day. My husband says we are working on a 5 phase diet and exercise routine he developed, to help me change my lifestyle and have healthy eating habits instead of just a short-term diet. He constantly tells me the key is transitioning. We always transition from one thing to another, instead of forcing a major change in diet or exercise. He said he would have had a different Phase 1 for me if I hadn't been forced into it from the hospital, but that the diet he has me on was a good transition from the hospital back to the real world. We will gradually boost my diet up to about 2000 calories per day as I progress through the phases. My goal is 190 pounds.

Here is what he has for me:

Phase 1 = 21 - 30 days, depending on weight loss
Drink 5-8 16.9 oz water bottles per day (I use Mio for flavor), with no more than 1 bottle every 2 hours. We live in Colorado.
Restricted diet to 1500-1600 calories
No real exercise at this phase, just daily activity of working

Breakfast
Dannon Light & Fit Strawberry Yogurt 1.33 servings
1 Banana
1 16.9 bottle of water

I also take a Woman's Silver One-A-Day vitamin and I take a daily 600mg Calcium supplement.

Every 2 hour period, drink 1 bottle of water

Lunch
Progresso Soup Chicken Noodle (or similar) - 1/2 can
1 hard boiled egg with only 1/2 the yolk (I can't stand to eat the whites alone yet)
1 16.9 bottle of water

Snack
Nature Valley Granola Bar (pack of 2) - The flavor changes based on the variety pack (Maple Sugar, Peanut Butter, Plain)
1 16.9 bottle of water

Dinner
Approximately 880-900 calories, but my choice of variety. I usually have:
boneless, skinless chicken breast - one 4 oz serving - Mrs. Dash
baked potato with cheddar cheese - 2 servings of each - Mrs. Dash
steamed brussels sprout or broccoli - 2 to 3 servings (I love these)
1 16.9 bottle of water

Dessert
Blue Bell Fruit Bar, Strawberry (70 calories)

My carb intake is in the 155 gram range for now. I have never been a big protein eater, but I am slowly transitioning to more protein and less carbs.

He said Phase 2-5 will end up having me only lose between 1 and 1.25 lbs of weight per week and will last 5 months, and I will be exercising appropriately, mostly walking 1-2 miles with friends 3 times per week (twice in a day). He is disabled and cannot walk with me, but him having me coordinate with friends to walk in the near future is proving beneficial all around. He will slowly increase my calories to 2000 during this time, modifying my diet to foods I like, but still healthy. We will also modify my exercise routine to include indoors exercising on my bike, since it gets pretty cold in the winter.

I am so thankful he has been here coaching me this entire time. He knows my body better than anyone else, and having someone who loves me to help guide me has helped me stay very focused (that, and my medicine). I am done cheating on diets, although at first I WAS frustrated, as I had to use the bathroom a lot within the first two weeks from all the water I was drinking. However, my body is finally adjusting to it, and it hasn't been as much of an issue anymore.

I hope this sounds good for helping others in my age category. I feel great, have lost almost 15 pounds in 3 weeks, and my jeans are loose enough that I now need to consider pulling out my older pairs I outgrew from years ago. I have plenty of energy and am now looking forward to exercising soon.

Drink more water...

Hi every one ..!
The best way to lose body fat is jogging and exercise.Eat fresh vegetables. Cucumber is also very helpful to lose fats.

Add some resistance training into your routine. Bodyweight workouts are great for beginners. Things like Burpees, pushups, Inverted rows, bodyweight squats are all fantastic exercises. The key to getting your body fat down is building lean muscle. Muscle uses fat for energy, so if you build lean muscle then the extra body fat that is being carried will burn as energy. Dieting will help you lose weight, but what you really need to KEEP the weight off is a lifestyle change. Instead of DIETING, make clean, healthy eating an everyday routine. If you do a 30-40 minute resistance training routine 3times per week along with 40 minutes of cardio (running, biking) everyday and eating clean, you will see your body fat drop and you will feel and look great in no time. If you need ideas on nutrition or exercise, message me. I have y own training facility in Wilmington, De and I love helping people.

Hey there everyone. I started Phase II recently of my diet.

Here is what it currently consists of:

Phase I - 25 days total (from an estimated 21-30 days)
The same 1500 - 1600 calories diet as Phase I
5-8 16.9 ounce bottles of water every 2 hours throughout the day (Mio for flavor) + 2 16.9 ounce bottles for exercise

Phase II - 30 days
+250 calories for each day (twice/day 125 calories for each period) exercising
Exercise on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat. / Rest days on Tues, Thurs, Sun.

Exercise at this time is 30 minutes on stationary bike (due to lots of rain recently) in the morning and then 30 minutes of walking in the late afternoon with my friend.

The extra 250 calories is easily (mostly) digestible for quick energy and to help curb cravings.

For the morning, I increase my yogurt to double its intake, and then have 1/2 extra banana. I also have one extra bottle of water (with Mio). Any fatigue I have from exercising disappears within an hour.

For the late afternoon, I have an increased dinner with a higher serving size of potatoes, vegetables, and increased protein. The total increase is approximately 125 calories, with more focus on protein for muscle repair. I also have one extra bottle of water (with Mio) after exercising. Any fatigue I have from exercising disappears within an hour or so.

I have been on Phase II for 5 days, and I have lost .8 pounds, so I am right on track. I have lost a total of 16.8 pounds since starting 35 days ago. My legs get a little tired, but I do not get the stiffness or pain from exercising that I used to when I would try similar exercising. My goal is 1-1.25 pounds lost per week and I am right on track.

Although I have slowed on weight loss, the inches are still getting smaller around my waist and hips.
I've lost two sizes so far with my jeans and I feel great!

I hope this helps other people in my age category for considering a diet that works for them.

--------------
Update:
May 27, 2014
It has been 2 extra days on Phase II and I gained almost a pound.

At first I was upset about it, but my husband reassured me that it is a combination of weight and inches I should be worrying about, and not to get too caught up on the numbers for weight. Sure enough, I found my jeans fit even looser today and my measurement showed I had lost another .25 inches around my hips and another 3/8 inches around my waist since Saturday. Sometimes it is so easy to forget there are going to be plateaus. My husband says it is because the exercise, even with this short duration, is building muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat. I can definitely feel it. My legs seem to have some increased strength and my endurance has definitely improved. It is such a blessing to have him to reassure me, as I was severely tempted to take "a break" from my diet and exercise since I seemed to go up .9 pounds. However, as long as we keep going together, I know I can make my goal by October.

I'm mainly posting this here to remind people not to give up on their diets so easily (as it really can be so simple to stop!) and to remember the long term goal does require effort and focus to reach it. I hope people can see my story and help remember that the journey is as important as the destination for these kinds of plans.

Hi Lisa,
Stick with your physical activities and add whole grain bread, salmon fish, eggs, oatmeal, berries, broccoli, lean chicken, low fat dairy, almonds, brown rice and olive oil more in your daily meals.

Try Atkins diet is best diet for weight loss program because this contains low carbohydrates. It involves restricted use of carbohydrates to switch the body’s metabolism from metabolizing glucose as energy over to exchanging stored body fat to energy. So try to engage with this diet plan, if you really wish to lose body weight or maintain proper body structure.

In my opinion the best diet for lose weight is hcg drops diet and plan from Dr.Atkins

Detox!!
 

For quick and sustainable(!!) weight loss and, more importantly health, I would recommend a detox. I feel great after mine. I wrote a blog on my experience, if anyone wants to read just PM me :)

Vegetables, salad, shakes the best diet is for weight loss. Eat fresh Cucumber is also very helpful to lose fats.

I think best diet for lose weight is hcg dropsdiet I just love that diet

I agree that whole foods plant based is the way to go. Drop the diet and adopt a lifestyle that you can maintain for long term. What's the point of losing if you're just going to gain it all back again? Increase activity and lower calorie intake by cutting out animal foods, oils, and processed foods. Find healthy substitutes that you enjoy.

Hey lisa...
Lost 22 kgs in one go.. Well i must appreciate and congratulate for this. Not bad...!!! And according to me aerobic cardio and doing weights is enough for you. Excessive exercise and workout can cause negative effect on your body.As far as the best diet is concerned eat healthy and fibrous food. Avoid junk and oily food as it increases your body fat, causing various diseases.
A few months back, i was also trying to reduce my weight.But i opted for skinny fiber , a daily dietary supplement. I was able to loose 10 kgs within three months without any side effects. And actually my diabetes and blood pressure problems also reduced. I would suggest you to try it once.
good luck..

Weight Loss Session
 

Everyone has their own goals for their health and wellness. The best diet includes for weight loss like as lots of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables and dairy products. A healthy meal should include food having carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and possible amount of fats.

Breakfast is usually the hardest meal for most to modify, as we’re a country of toast and cereal-eating junkies. Moving to slow carbs and protein requires a more lunch-like meal for breakfast. This is easier when you realize that breakfast can be a smaller meal, particularly when followed by a lunch 3-5 hours later. Try it for 5 days and you’ll see the difference. Not only will the increased protein intake in your first meal decrease water retention, it will also increase resting metabolism about 20% if your breakfast calories are at least 30% protein.

I wold say the best diet to promote fat loss is one that promotes the body burning fat rather than other sources of fuel. So basically a diet with little to no carbohydrates. Any diet with a lower calorie intake than output will cause weight loss. But strictly speaking fat loss, ketosis is your best bet.

By Frank there is a lots of confusing terms in weight loss department for a newbie (like me). "Body fat","water wait","calories","workout theory","cardio rules" etc,etc,etc....

So first i need to know about "calories". How can i measure my calories intake? Whether i need to memories all foods calories? are any other way to measure? any cheap equipment ?

This may be a stupid query sorry..but this is the things comes in to mind while deal with calories. How to calculate my intake calories?

When you eat, first measure what you are going to eat. Enter the item in the food log (the 'FOODS' tab above). It tells you the number of calories in your food. At the end of the day, if you have entered all the food that you have eaten, you have an approximate idea of how many calories your body took in for that day. Do that every day and you will have a pretty good average.

I've to reduce my body fat (a bit of stomach flab) but gain 10 kgs, what should I do?

Talk to someone knowledgeable at your local gym. It sounds like you are talking about gaining weight but losing fat. To me, that sounds like gaining muscle - which can't be done without rigorous exercise. Ask your doctor about this, also.

My doctor prescribed a major reduction- in lethargy :P
On a serious note, I've started working out at home, and I wish to know whether it is necessary for me to pay a visit to the local gym or what I do at home would suffice?

Fat loss mostly has to do with calories consumed vs. calories burned. If you're doing cardio 4 days a week but only burning 150 or so calories each time and you're eating 3000 calories a day, you aren't going to get much fat loss.

you should measure your food and log it into the food tab here on fitday to see exactly how many calories you are consuming per day. Then use the activity tab to get an idea of how many calories you are burning. you need to burn about 3000 more calories that what you consume to lose about 1lb of fat.

This means that if you burn about 3000 calories on an average day, you need to adjust your intake based on your goals so that you can lose the fat.

You may also need to step up your exercise so that you are burning more calories during your workout. My wife, for example, was burning only 150 calories with 30 minutes on the treadmill. I told her to continue to up the incline and/or speed a little bit each week. If she failed to make it through the work out, I told her to keep working at those settings until she was able to make it, and then go up again. Don't let your body get used to doing the same thing. It's been several months and now she does two 30 minute sessions, burning about 350 or so calories each session, with a rest in between. that's 700 calories per workout and it's just walking with an incline.

If you are trying to build muscle and are OK with your weight, take a weight training class or get instruction at your local gym.

Firstly set your diet plan and then start exercises according to your body. Also start drinking Lukewarm water in your daily routine and always prefer stainless steel bottle or glass bottle for drinking.