You don't have to run endlessly day in and day out, you also don't have to go to the gym everyday, you do of course need to burn more than you consume to help achieve your weight loss goals. But maybe you're frustrated at why you can't seem to budge your progress any further.
Here are 20 ideas to help ignite that fire, passion or motivation and burn more calories, to torch some fat - time to reach your goals!
1. Combine Cardio and weights
Try body weight squats between sets, prowler, skipping rope or string together 3-4 exercises for a mini circuit.
2. Eat more avocado
Loaded with healthy fats that your body needs to burn more fat, plus it’ll keep you satisfied longer after a meal.
3. Brush your teeth
An hour before bed time – stop cravings in their tracks, late night munchies can be stopped when your breath is fresh.
4. Green is good
Swap a side of rice or potato when eating out with a salad or steamed veggies, you’ll save up to 200 calories per serve. (*Only if you are trying to cut your overall intake)
5. Find a workout friend or train with your partner
Working out with someone else is great motivation to both push harder than you normally would, even find someone slightly stronger than you. Maybe you have a four legged friend, dogs make for the best workout partners - morning walks can increase your burn by 200 calories!
6. No rest
Try a session at the gym with half the amount of rest between sets as you normally would, working your muscles under fatigue will increase energy expended and burn calories for longer.
7. New training gear
New clothes means more motivation – show them off!
8. Train like a Pro Boxer
Include plyometric (jumping squats, jumping lunges) movements and supersets, keep your rest short or include skipping to maximise your workout in shorter amount of time.
9. Cut the cheese.
I know it’s delicious (and yes I said add some fat's to your diet), however when eating out ask for no cheese, you can potentially save up to 150 calories. Feel adventurous? Try a pizza with no cheese – enjoy the flavours! - For me, cheese is a great additive when I know exactly how much I am including in a meal.
10. Spicy dinners
Adding chilli to your meals can speed up your metabolism, if it’s super hot may also help you eat slower, causing your body to become full before you realise.
11. Keep your house free from Junk!
This means, remove temptations from the pantry and fridge. If you can’t trust yourself around biscuits, chocolates, lollies and ice cream – don’t buy it, throw it away, or hide it (this doesn’t mean eating it all so it’s gone!)
TIP: Having some dark chocolate chips in the fridge is a great way to cure sugar cravings, 4 or 5 chips after dinner is super satisfying!
12. Eat legumes
Beans, chickpeas, lentils are high in fibre and protein packed will help keep you full and burn fat.
13. Berries are berry-nice
Add strawberries, blueberries, raspberries to your oats, yogurt, smoothies, shakes, pancakes and even salads. Super low in calories per 100g and high in antioxidants and fibre – always have a frozen bag of each in the freezer ready for anything.
14. Freshen your breath
Chew gum after a meal, cleans your teeth and keeps your mouth fresh.
15. Burpees ARE good
We all hate them, but learn to have a love hate relationship with them, include them twice a week during your workouts to increase the burn! Add 50 minimum!
16. Mindful eating
Eat at the table, not on the couch; focus on eating – not watching something or looking at your phone; enjoy your meal and include a wider variety of nutrients.
17. Be a stair master
Use every opportunity to avoid the lift and take the stairs, walking an extra few flights per day could burn at least 100 calories extra per day.
18. Eat Greek
Swap low fat and non-fat yogurt varieties for low fat or no fat Greek Yogurt, packed with protein and no added nasties or sugars, flavour with cinnamon and berries. Greek Yogurt can also substitute sour cream or mayonnaise.
19. Include squats, deadlifts and pull ups
Lifting heavier and lifting body weight will burn more calories than any other movements, engaging almost all your muscles in your body add these to your daily workouts. Once your form is perfect, increasing weight will encourage the use of more muscle fibres – burning more fat for long after you finish your workout.
20. Speedy and fast
Include 10 sets of sprints once a week, this can help burn up to 500 extra calories. Don’t like sprints? Take it to the rower machine, spin bike or cross-trainer. Work towards a 1:1 work and rest rate, increasing the amount of working sets each time.
So, what are you going to add today?