Hello everyone. I am writing this post because I see way too much information on this message board with bits and pieces of advice (some good, some bad) and not enough cold, hard truth. Here, I will shed the light on burning fat.
Fat Burning
1. Take in less calories/balance your carbs and protein
2. Take in the right calories
3. Include 1 to 2 portions of EFAs (essential fatty acids) per day
4. Drink lots of water
5. Eat every 2-3 hours
6. Supplement properly
1. Take in less calories/balance your carbs and protein - One way to lose weight is to eat less calories then you burn. However, if you take in less of pretty much everything, and your diet is primarily junk food, although the lack of calories you still help you to lose weight, you will not be properly fueled to workout or fight. This is why WHAT you eat is so important. Needless to say, you must take in less calories than usual. Stick to about a hand-sized portion of carbs and a hand-sized portion of protein, every 2-3 hours.
2. Take in the right calories - As mentioned above, WHAT you eat has a significant effect on how you perform. It has an effect on how you look and feel throughout the day. Here is a list of what you should be eating:
Protein:
Egg whites or egg beaters
Top round sirloin
Haddock, swordfish, flounder (watch the mercury in certain fish)
Fat free cheese
Protein Powder
Fat free cottage cheese
Skim milk
Turkey (skinless)
Chicken (grilled, not fried)
Carbohydrates:
Whole wheat, pumpernickel, or rye bread
Whole wheat pasta
Steamed brown rice
Fruits and vegetables
Fats:
Olive oil
Canola oil
Flax seed oil
Avocados
Fish oil
Nuts, natural peanut butter
3. Include one - two portions of EFAs (essential fatty acids per day) - Essential fatty acids are fats that the body cannot manufacture on its own, so you have to get it from certain sources, such as the sources listed above under the "Fats" menu. A lot of "weight loss experts" out there today are on a "no fat" craze, even with all of the information out there on the benefits of good fats (EFAs). EFAs rais your good cholesterol levels (HDL) and lower your bad cholesterol levels (LDL). They help burn fat, increase your level of pump-producing nitric oxide, as well as help your hair, skin, and nails.
4. Drink lots of water - This is a no brainer, but for some, this is last on the list. This definitely should be a priority to anyone, especially those who wish to burn fat and/or build muscle. Not only does drinking water help cure those hunger pangs in between meals as well as hydrate you, but there is evidence in numerous periodicals that suggests water helping to flush your system of fats and toxins. How true is this? No one knows for sure, but it is however one more reason to drink more water. Shoot for a gallon per day if you are in training.
5. Eat every 2-3 hours - This is a tough one for most people due to lack of convenience. However, if you wish to burn fat, this is a must. Eating more frequently regulates your blood sugar levels and supplies your body with a steady stream of nutrients throughout the day. It speeds up your metabolism and keeps you satisfied since you are basically snacking all day long.
In
Body for Life by Bill Philips, he makes the distinction between the fat and the fit of the animal kingdom in terms of WHEN they eat. He says a bear, that eats about 2 large meals per day and sleeps on them, has a lot of muscle, but also a large amount of fat. But an animal that grazes like the gazelle, is lean and muscular. The same is true for most humans. Eat more frequently, it is a must.
6. Supplement Properly - Last but certainly not least, certain supplements may be essential, like a multiple vitamin.
Multivitamin
It is almost impossible to get all of the nutrients you need from food alone, regardless of how much you eat everyday. This is why supplementing with a multivitamin is so important. Think about it, it is recommended that even small children should be taking a multivitamin, so why is it less important that you (especially since you are in training), should stop taking a multivitamin? It isn't. The answer is that it is MORE important for you to be taking one as a growing person who is training hard. And I'm not talking about centrum of those "one-a-days". Those are simply not good enough. I'll recommend where you can get all the supplements I talk about later.
Thermogenics
Fat burners that speed up your metabolism by heating up your body (hence the prefix "thermo") to burn stored fuel (fat) for energy. Thermogenics have been getting a very bad rep every since the ephedra ban. Some people loved it, some people hated it, some people say nothing works without it. The truth is, there still are fat burners that work even without ephedra. They may not work as good as the ephedra, but they do in fact work. I'll give my recommendations on them later.
Creatine
I don't know how many times I hear people say "is that stuff safe." Especially the parents of high school athletes, who have every right to be concerned. Let me break it down for you, creatine is found in red meats, and is a combination of three amino acids - glycine, arginine, methionine. When these aminos are put together to form creatine, they pull water into the muscle cells. The muscle cells now have to expand (think of a water balloon underneath a faucet) in order to accomidate this new amount of water flooding them. The result - increased size of the muscles, strength of the muscles, and recovery of the muscle from a strenuous workout.
Why did I mention creatine in a fat burning post if it is primarily used for gains in mass? Because in the effort to burn fat, it is very likely that you will lose some muscle. It might not be a lot, but no muscle should be lost, only fat. Taking creatine while cutting will help keep that hard earned muscle on you, while shedding the fat. Going even further into the topic of creatine are the different TYPES of creatine out there (creatine monohydrate, ester creatine, creatine alpha-ketoglutarate, etc.). My personal recommendations will be talked about at the end of this post
L-Glutamine
One of the most abundant amino acids found in the body, glutamine helps prevent muscle break down (which is useful during cutting to help prevent muscle loss) as well as helps with muscle recovery. So then what is the difference between creatine and glutamine? Although they may seem the same based on their descriptions, the job of creatine is to increase muscle size or maintain the size by increasing the muscles volume. The job of glutamine is to simply keep the muscle from going into a catabolic (muscle breakdown) state, in which the muscle decreases in size and strength. Many people including myself like to stack (combine) the creatine and glutamine together for increased performance and results.
Fish Oil softgels
If you are not getting enough EFAs from food or would like to take in more fish but cannot for whatever reason, fish oil supplements are highly recommended and show a significant effect on reducing bad cholesterol levels increasing your good cholesterol levels
Green Tea
Some swear by it, some hate it, but there is a reason why it is an ingredient in most of the most popular thermogenics on the market today. Studies show that by drinking 3 cups of green tea per day, you may be able to increase the speed of your metabolism by up to 7%. Personally, I'd rather get it in my thermogenic with the rest of the metabolism-boosting ingredients.
Now, for the list of recommended supplements for the hard training martial artist or fitness enthusiast, I give you...(drumroll)...
My personal supplement stack:
I get everything from
http://www.yourchoicesupplements.com as they have a speedy delivery, quality/brand-name supplements and some of the lowest prices I have ever seen. So, without further ado:
1. Multi-Vitamin by FSI nutrition - Effervescent medical delivery technology, high potency, zero calories or carbs and pretty good taste too.
2. No-xplode by BSN - AMAZING ENERGY; pre-workout formula. This product is thermogenic, as well as "pump-promoting," in that it promotes a blood pump to your muscles that is enjoyed by anyone who uses this product. I have to say, it makes a huge difference in vascularity.
3. Cell Mass by BSN - Post workout Creatine/Glutamine formula. This product is the creatine/glutamine stack that I mentioned above. The type of creatine in this product is ester creatine (very absorbable without the stomach discomfort of most other creatines) along with glutamine AKG(alpha-ketoglutarate; this is a delivery system for the glutamine, allowing the glutamine to be fully absorbed).
4. Nitro-Tech - Protein powder with a delivery system in it to ensure that all protein is getting to your muscle cells and therefore you are not literally peeing your money away as is the case with many other protein powders. I usually have 2 scoops of this post workout immediately following my cell mass, and any time I want a snack or a before-bed shake.
Well, there you have it. I hope this post continues to serve you well throughout your training
The Fat Burning Bible 
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