Secret 1: Reduce nighttime carbohydrate intake
Weight training requires energy from glycogen stored in carbohydrates. However, research shows that carbohydrates consumed at night, especially after 8 pm, are less likely to be used and instead are stored as fat due to decreased chances of being burned during rest. Additionally, eating carbohydrates at night leads to increased insulin release, which promotes fat storage. Most of these carbohydrates will be converted into stored body fat.
Secret 2: Plan aerobic training appropriately
Aerobic training is helpful for weight loss, but it is important to exercise in moderation. Many people tend to increase their exercise volume too quickly in an attempt to lose weight, which can lead to overuse injuries, affect overall health, and hinder muscle growth and metabolism. It is recommended to engage in aerobic training three times a week. Ideally, perform aerobic exercises before meals as the body will utilize fat reserves instead of carbohydrates for energy. However, avoid doing aerobic exercises before breakfast and preferably schedule them before dinner. Additionally, keep your anaerobic weight training sessions to under 30 minutes and focus on high-intensity training to maximize carbohydrate consumption.
Secret 3: Increase fiber intake slightly
Moderate fiber intake helps reduce direct fat intake in the digestive tract. Fiber also slows down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, which reduces the release of insulin. This is beneficial in preventing weight gain since high insulin levels signal the body to store fat.
Secret 4: Eat fish
Eating fish can help increase muscle mass and reduce body fat due to its high content of beneficial fats. Cold-water fish, such as salmon, provides omega-3 fatty acids that make muscles more sensitive to insulin. This sensitivity is advantageous for muscle growth and fat reduction. Furthermore, fish promotes glycogen storage and amino acid uptake in muscles, which helps maintain glycogen reserves. Eating salmon three times a week will provide sufficient omega-3 fatty acids. However, be mindful of portion sizes when consuming fish.
Secret 5: Exercise twice a day
Regular exercise, as long as it is not excessive, stimulates the production of hormones and enzymes that promote muscle growth and fat reduction. Engaging in high-frequency exercise twice a day stimulates glycogen consumption, preventing the conversion of excess calories into stored fat.
Secret 6: Use ephedra
Ephedra is an herbal supplement that has similar effects to ephedrine. Both ephedra and ephedrine promote fat reduction by accelerating metabolism. Importantly, they can reduce body fat while preserving muscle mass since they only affect fat metabolism and not protein. Ephedra is typically taken before training, with a recommended dosage of about 334 mg. However, individuals with thyroid disorders, high blood pressure, or asthma should avoid using ephedra. In fact, ephedra is safer than artificially synthesized ephedrine as it converts into a chemical called ephedrine sulfate in the body, allowing for faster absorption and more effective action.
Secret 7: Alternate between high and low-calorie intake
Reducing calorie intake helps decrease body fat, but it also leads to a decrease in muscle mass. This method prevents such a drawback. After three consecutive days of low-calorie dieting, follow with a high-calorie day. During the three days when some muscle loss may occur, consider taking supplements like branched-chain amino acids and ephedra to prevent muscle breakdown.
Here is a simple formula: Consume 50% of your typical calorie intake on low-calorie days and add 30% to your typical calorie intake on high-calorie days. For example, if you usually consume 300g of calories, reduce it to 150g for three days and then increase it to 390g.
Secret 8: Distribute carbohydrate intake wisely
Indeed, reducing carbohydrate intake can lead to decreased body fat. Here is a good strategy: Add up all the carbohydrates you consume in a day, let's say it's 300g. Then, consume most of the carbohydrates during breakfast and after training when the chances of storing calories as fat are lowest. At these times, blood sugar and liver glycogen levels are low, and most of the calories are used for "recovery" work.
Secret 9: Follow a low-fat diet
The three main causes of increased body fat are excessive calorie intake, excessive dietary fat, and excessive carbohydrate intake. If the previous eight secrets do not yield the desired results, the only option left is to directly reduce dietary fat. For young individuals who want to lose weight while maintaining a fit physique, the only way to do this is by choosing fat-free protein sources such as egg whites, fish, and high-protein powder. After 6-7 days, slowly reintroduce some fat into your diet by substituting lean meats like chicken for fat-free protein sources. This will increase your fat intake and provide essential fatty acids, which are necessary for muscle growth.
