12 Ways To Lower Your Body Fat (Part 1)
If you look at the top goals for people’s physical health, number one is typically fat loss, and justifiably so.
The goal of "losing weight," however, is a bit of a misnomer. For most people, the goal is more specifically to lose fat and to gain muscle, a trendy term called body composition.
I've written about how to build mass so today I'll discuss the other component of body recomposition: fat loss.
The purpose of having a healthy body fat percentage goes well beyond aesthetics. Excess body fat can increase the risk of health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. High levels of body fat can also lead to decreased mobility, increased joint pain, and decreased energy levels, among other negative effects. By contrast, maintaining a healthy body fat percentage can improve physical performance, enhance mental clarity and focus, and promote longevity.
Let’s dive in.
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According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the following are general body fat percentage ranges based on gender:
Skinfold Calipers: This method involves measuring the thickness of subcutaneous fat at various points on the body, such as the triceps, biceps, and thighs, using calipers. This is an easy way to do a home body fat percentage test. Simply buy a pair of inexpensive calipers and plug in the numbers to the ACE Percent Body Fat Calculator.
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA): This is the method used in bathroom scales.
The Guardian has a good table that provides basic BMI measurements according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Create a calorie deficit. Do This: For two weeks straight, track your meals using an app such as cronometer.
Increase protein intake. Do this: Aim to eat a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per pound of desired body weight per day (generally 30-40g per meal). For a target weight of 150 pounds, this means eating 120 grams of protein per day. I recommend a clean protein powder like Levels Protein which has 25g of whey protein per serving with 5.6g of BCAAs and all the essential amino acids. It also has no artificial flavors, sweeteners, artificial additives, or fillers and its non-GMO comes from grass-fed cows.
Exercise. Do this: Divide up your workouts so that you hit each of the energy systems. Here are some good minimum goals for the week for the 3 types of exercise:
2 bouts of 45+ minutes of Zone 2 cardio
2 sessions of lifting for 20 minutes
1-2 sessions of HIIT for 20-30 minutes
Sleep. Do this: Practice good sleep hygiene by avoiding food, blue light, and stress within 3 hours of bedtime. Go to bed at the same time each night (set an alarm for this as needed). Keep the room cool, use a sleep mask, and consider mouth taping. I’ve written a lot about this topic so see below for more tips.
Consider drinking coffee. See how to make the healthiest cup and my favorite kinds.
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