Weight Loss without Dieting

Weight loss is a matter of energy consumption (calories you are eating) vs. energy expenditure (calories you are burning). To lose weight you need to burn more calories than you are consuming. Energy expenditure is composed of daily activity, resting metabolic rate (how many calories you burn at rest), and thermic effect of food (the energy expended by eating).

Daily Activity
Basically this means becoming be more active, because physical activity burns calories resulting in weight loss. 45 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 times per week has been shown to maximize weight loss. However, if you don’t have 45 minutes you can get greater benefit in less time with interval training which is bouts of high intensity work followed by periods of rest or low activity…more on interval training later. If you are currently inactive remember to start slow and build up. If you can only walk 10 minutes before you get winded, start there and increase by a few minutes every week. A little is better than none at all. The goal is to move more, which results in greater energy expenditure.

Resting metabolic rate
To increasing your resting metabolic rate make sure you add circuit style resistance training and interval training to your regime, as both are important tools to increasing your metabolism at rest. A study at Ohio University took a group of men through a circuit consisting of three exercises for four circuits (12 total sets) in 31 minutes. Their metabolism remained elevated for 38 hours after the workout was complete.

Interval training has been proven to result in greater fat loss than steady state aerobic training. The beauty of interval training is not only the calories you burn during the workout, but the extra calories that are burned after your workout is over. For more on interval training see Burn Fat Fast.

Thermic effect of food
A study done in the UK looked at the impact of meal timing and thermic effect of food. They found when meals were irregular; thrermic effect of food was decreased in healthy lean women. Those who had a regular meal pattern (six meals per day) had a higher thermic effect of food, which resulted in burning more calories even though they consumed the same amount of calories. To increase your thermic effect of food, aim to eat six meals per day. The key is to keep the meals on the smaller side. Remember you aren't trying to eat more calories, but the same amount spread throughout those six meals.