10 ways to burn more calories

Want to burn more calories? Here are 10 simple weight loss tips to try today!

1. Eat a healthy breakfast

Research shows that people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight than those who skip it.

---

2. Monitor portion sizes

Even overshooting slightly at each meal can add up to a hefty calorie excess over weeks or months – and it's easier to skip half a spud than try to claw back a couple of kilos.

---

3. Choose smarter snacks (they can still be scrummy)

For instance, swap a blueberry muffin for two slices of lightly buttered thin raisin toast. You'll save around 800 kJ.

---

4. Get creative with comfort foods

Need something hot and saucy? Instead of the sticky date, try porridge with reduced fat milk and fruit.

---

5. Beware high calorie bevs

While you'll hardly notice the difference between hot chocolate with skim and full cream milk, the former will spare you up to 800 kJ. Each teaspoon of sugar you skip saves another 70-odd kJs. Also consider having one 'luxe' hot drink a day and trading coffee two and three for herbal or black tea. They have almost zero kJs.

---

6. Give desserts a dressing down

As with the pudding, you can still get key elements of favourite treats without tipping the scales. Instead of apple crumble, try a baked apple with reduced fat custard – and maybe a dash of cinnamon.

---

7. Make exercise easy

Find a stack of free workouts spanning cardio, strength and resistance, intervals and yoga right here on our website!

---

 

8. Keep a food diary

Become more mindful of your eating and exercise routine.

---

9. Get an accountability partner

Sticking to your plan (when you're miserable and feel like you deserve the extra half spud, dammit) can be as simple as having a friend or relative who knows what you're doing. Even if you don't text or call them when you're struggling, just knowing you'll have to report in can keep you honest.

---

10. Reward your wins

If you do keep your weight on an even keel over winter – and we know you will – treat yourself to things you love like a massage, manicure or long bath. Just make sure your gift-to-self isn't choccies!

Adapted from tips from the Dietitians Association of Australia.

{nomultithumb}

 

4 exercises to blast cellulite

Learn how to reduce the appearance of cellulite on your thighs and butt in time for summer. Here are 4 home exercises you can do right now.

Image: Nikki Fogden-Moore

Did you know, according to a study in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, nearly 85% of women over the age of 20 have cellulite? (And yet, only 10 per cent of men are prone to cellulite). However, just because it's common, that doesn't make us crazy about wearing swimmers with dimply thighs on show. The key to removing cellulite is to decrease fat deposits.

1. Stair climbing

If you're stuck at work and don't have time to get to the gym, take advantage of the office staircase. Sure, you'll look a bit strange to begin with, but by upping your movement on the stairs you'll automatically target areas prone to cellulite. Simply walking up and down stairs burns at least 10 calories a minute according to the National Wellness Institute. 

---

Model: Angela Jackson

Image: The Picture Box Cairns

2. Squats

Squats not only burn calories, they also produce muscle. By doing squats you will work all of the leg muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings and lower leg muscles.

You can add dumbbells to traditional squats to intensify this exercise further. 

Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold dumbbells (optional) down by your sides, palms facing in. Keeping your back straight, bend from the knees and hips as though you are sitting down. Don't let your knees move forward over your toes, then return.

Perform 1-3 sets of 8-15 repetitions, depending on your fitness level.

---

Model: Hayley Roper

Image: Matthew Parkes

3. Lunges

Both walking and stationary lunges target all the lower-body muscles. 

Start by taking one large step forward and lower your body so both of your knees form 90-degree angles, keeping your front knee over the ankle. Return to the starting position.

Aim for 8-12 reps on each leg.

 

---

 

Model: Valeria Ramirez

Image: Blake Pearl

4. Surfer burpee

A surfer burpee will not only challenge you physically, but will also improve mobility in your hips and back. 

Bend over or squat down and place your hands on the floor in front of you, just outside of your feet.

Jump both feet back to a plank position.

Drop to a push-up—your chest should touch the floor. You can also drop to your knees here to make it easier if required.

Push up to return to a plank position while jumping feet to your left side (pictured), aiming to land on your mat standing side on, like you would on a surfboard.

Don't worry if you land off the mat, your challenge is just to eventually get there. Just keep practising!

Jump back into a plank position and repeat on the other side. 

Repeat for 10-15 reps on each side.

NEXT: 5 easy home workouts (video)

 

{nomultithumb}

 

 

Eco-Atkins Diet (vegan)

Looking for vegan diet plans? The high-fibre Eco-Atkins diet could help boost weight loss and curb heart disease.

THE HYPE

A vegan take on the low-carbohydrate Atkins diet could induce weight loss and curb heart disease by up to 10% per decade by lowering bad cholesterol LDL, suggests research published in British Medical Journal Open.

It sideswipes criticisms levelled at the copious animal protein in standard low-carb diets, which may raise cholesterol. Participants in a six-month study lost two more kilos on the high-fibre Eco-Atkins than a cohort on a high-carb low-fat diet. Keen to try?

THE RULES

Aim for 26% carbohydrates, 31% proteins and 43% fat (primarily vegetable oils).

THE LIST

Carbs: oats, barley, low-starch vegies (okra, eggplant)

Protein: soy, nuts, cereals (think quinoa)

Fats: nuts, vegetable oils, soy products, avocado

 

{nomultithumb}

 

11 reasons to lose weight

 

Struggling to lose weight? Here are 11 reasons to drop a dress size.

The pros of weight loss extend far beyond being able to flaunt your new look in skin-tight jeans. Think:

1. Glowing skin

2. Relief from arthritis

3. Improved moods

4. Better memory

5. Improved sleeping patterns

6. Decreased risk of type 2 diabetes

7. Lower risk of dementia

8. Depression prevention

9. Improved breathing

10. Lower cholesterol levels

11. Increased libido

The cons? You might have to go shopping for some fabulous new clothes to suit your smaller frame.

NEXT: 15 ways to burn more fat>>

 

{nomultithumb}

 

How to eat more than you burn (without gaining weight)

It almost sounds unbelievable, but science has found a way to eat more calories in a day than you burn without gaining fat. The kicker? It can't be doughnuts.

What's the secret?

The secret comes down to macronutrient choice and here, you need protein. As I detailed in Season 2, an experiment in which subjects consumed a caloric surplus of 800 calories (3,360 kJ) for eight weeks gained an average of just 1.7kg, and it was fat-free mass (the good stuff like muscle, skin and water).

The conventional equation of 29,400 kJ in a kilo of fat would have them gaining 6.4kg! The raised eyebrows in the global fitness community homed in on the source of the surplus – slow-release protein casein. Therein lies the secret.

Why?

You know the saying 'A calorie is not a calorie'? While they may in theory behave similarly in terms of fuel and body mass, calories behave differently depending on whether they come from protein, fat or carbohydrates. The super science is thermogenesis, which basically renders many calories missing in action (like magic). In fact, it's not as mysterious; simply, it takes a greater percentage of energy from protein to produce energy or heat than it does carbs or fat – think 30 per cent versus carbs' five to 10 per cent and fat's two to three. That is, almost all calories from fat are fair game for storage.

Apply this disappearing act to the surplus above and you can see where we're going. When you're hungry, you can go over your daily calories via a whey or casein protein shake and not stress about fat gain. But caveat calorie cheat – it only applies to the protein portion of the surplus calories, so don't go mistaking a T-bone as 100 per cent protein; the fat portion still complies with regular laws of physics.

To get maximum bang for your extra food-budget buck, find a protein source with negligible carbs and fat. It's that simple.

Dayne Hudson (pictured) is a sports nutrition specialist. He also hosts FIT'N'FLEXED on the TEN Network.

NEXT: How to lose fat and keep muscle>>

{nomultithumb}

 

5-day 'mindful eating' meal plan

Choosing to be mindful with your food not only prevents absent-minded overfeeding, but increases satisfaction levels as well. Here's your 5-day diet plan.

Day 1

Breakfast:
Traditional oats porridge with sliced fresh fruit such as kiwi fruit or strawberries

Lunch
Grainy bread sandwich with plenty of salad and tuna, salmon or lean meat

Dinner
Spaghetti bolognaise made with kidney beans on their own or with lean mince

---

Day 2

Breakfast:
Raisin toast with a thin scrape of margarine

Lunch:
Wholemeal pasta salad with 4-bean mix

Dinner:
Chickpea and chicken stir-fry with plenty of vegies

---

Day 3

Breakfast:
Grainy English muffins with a thin scrape of 100% fruit jam.

Lunch:
Chunky vegetable and barley soup.

Dinner:
Hearty pumpkin soup with red lentils.

 

---

Day 4

Breakfast:
Baked beans on grainy toast

Lunch:
Lentil pattie with fresh salad

Dinner:
Lean lamb casserole with cannellini beans and chunky vegetables

---

Day 5

Breakfast:
Smoothie made with half a cup low fat milk, half a cup natural yoghurt and soft fruit like banana

Lunch:
Sweet potato and chickpea couscous

Dinner:
Fish and lentil curry served with basmati rice.

NEXT: Fasting – is it sustainable long term?

{nomultithumb}

 

Fat burning supplements: do they REALLY work?

Fat burners are the supplement industry's fave buzz word, but do they work and are they safe?

Supplements in the stimulants category may enhance fat oxidisation depending on the goals of the exerciser (and who you're talking to).

According to personal trainer David Bayens (primalpt.com.au), "The benefits of caffeine are well known for fat oxidation and training drive. Green tea extract is also excellent as well as anything that supports the thyroid such as iodine."

Consider your overall health

If you do choose to use supplements, consider what they're doing for your overall health, not merely your fat-burning capacity.

According to Mark Ottobre, owner and director of Melbourne's Enterprise Fitness, supplements should be viewed within the context of optimising body systems that domino into fat burning.

"You improve someone's health; you improve their ability to burn fat. You're balancing a deficiency in something that is required for so many functions in the body. Why would the body worry about burning fat if you're not healthy?" Bayens says carnitine can help to ferry fatty acids into muscle tissue to be used as energy during training.

Be wary of excess calories & sugar

Maston, on the other hand, does not recommend supplements. "...The increase of fat oxidation is minimal and negated by the fact it makes people hungrier and anxious," she says.

Supplements nested in shakes and gels can also counteract a fat loss goal. 

"Some of the supplements have calories in them adding to the total intake for the day. Supplements like this also often consist of sugar or artificially sweetened ingredients that also contribute to fat mass," Maston warns.

Pre- and post-workout protein shakes

According to nutritionist Rosie Mansfield, fat burning can be manipulated with a strategically chosen pre- and post-workout protein shake.

The optimal shake to prime the body to burn maximum fat is "a low-protein blend of soy isolate and whey protein".

Dietitian Duncan Hunter says intake timing also affects how much fat gets burned.

"The best time to have a protein drink is within 30 minutes of finishing exercise (for example, a full body workout or weights). If it is an easy walk, it is best just to go for a whole food snack or just eat your next scheduled meal if it is within the next hour or so."

To ensure you're not cancelling out your workout with calories, 
keep each shake to 
around 480kJ.

{nomultithumb}