5 Responsible Ways to Shed Body Fat

February 18, 2024 by Lazer Brody

Mark went on a diet. He dropped 30 pounds, from 190 to 160, in a relatively short time. But, he didn’t look any better. What’s more, at 190, he could do 50 pushups but now at 160 he can barely do 32. What did he do wrong? Fad diet? “Guaranteed quick weight loss”? Both, and more. Mark lost weight irresponsibly…

Don’t make the same mistake. Here’s some advice that with Hashem’s help, will help you look better and feel better.

Calorie Deficits: Beware!

The classic weight-loss mantra says, “Burn more calories than you take in, and fat comes off.” That’s not necessarily true. If the calorie deficit comes from merely eating less calories than you burn, your body will lose weight. But what gets lost?

Without incorporating exercise into the equation, the body will relinquish muscle mass quicker than it will burn fat. What’s more, muscle weighs much more than fat! So, don’t let the scale fool you. Your quick weight loss is often a sign that you’ve lost muscle mass. That’s counterproductive. Losing muscle mass both makes you weaker and slows down metabolism. A slower metabolism makes future weight-loss all the more difficult.

Indications of Lost Muscle Mass Rather than Fat Loss

Here are you several key signs that you’re losing muscle mass rather than fat:

  1. You feel sluggish and your every-day functioning is impaired;
  2. You’ve lost a lot of weight in a short time;
  3. Your body has shrinking circumferences, but your pinch-fat is the same. Since you’ve lost muscle mass, your body-fat percentage is even higher than it was when you weighed more and you’ve actually lost strength (#1, above). What’s more, when merely losing weight (muscle mass) rather than fat, your body won’t be more attractive; quite the opposite.

To avoid the above three signs, our goal should be losing fat, not losing weight. The tightness of your skirt or trousers is a much better indication of fat loss than the bathroom scale is. Stay away from crash diets that offer quick results of weight loss. So, instead of losing weight, let’s talk about losing body fat, and doing so responsibly.

Five Responsible Ways to Lose Fat

  1. Lift weights: lifting weights builds muscle and muscle is catabolic, meaning that it fuels metabolism even when it’s not toiling. I prefer body-weight and free-weight exercises to weight machines. You don’t even need weights – go hiking with a backpack, carry home the grocery bags or 6-packs of mineral water from the supermarket.
  2. Get daily cardio: walking or riding a bike for 30 minutes daily is great, but the more cardio is versified, the faster the fat will fall away. Try sprinkling your walks with wind-sprints or running up hills or sand dunes at least once a week. Incorporate plyometric exercises like burpees and HIIT at least once a week and you’ll further fuel your metabolic fat-burning capability, but don’t be gung-ho vigorous until you consult your physician.
  3. Split your meals: rather than eating humongous meals, take the Rambam’s advice and eat well below your stomach’s capacity. The four or five smaller meals are preferable to the two or three tremendous ones, for the body will burn the smaller meals’ calories much more efficiently.
  4. Drink cold water, and lots of it: water has no calories! If it’s cold, your body will have to burn calories to maintain its 36.8C (98.6F) body temperature. What’s more, water is essential for your brain and heart’s proper function, your energy level and for keeping your body waste-free.
  5. Consume healthy foods: Make fruits, veggies and high-fiber foodstuffs the bulk of your diet. Get plenty of protein and limit carbs to complex carbs, such as whole grains. Healthy fats, such as salmon, avocado and cold-pressed olive oil are important. Ridding your diet of white sugar and white flour is critical to losing fat.

Wait and see how quickly and favorably your body reacts to the above five points. The results will be encouraging, but be patient and don’t give up! There’s no reason in the world that you shouldn’t look and feel great. Blessings for your success, and let us know how you progress! Yours always, LB

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