Losing body fat can be a challenging task, often requiring hard work, patience, and dedication.
Although many fad diets and fat-burning supplements promise quick results, modifying your diet, lifestyle, and exercise routine is the most effective way to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
Plus, you can take several simple steps to promote long-lasting, sustainable fat loss while improving your overall health.
Here are 12 of the best ways to increase fat loss.
1. Start strength training
Strength training is a type of exercise in which your muscles contract against resistance. It builds muscle mass and increases strength over time, and it usually involves lifting weights.
Research reveals that strength training has multiple health benefits, especially when it comes to fat loss.
According to a review of 58 studies, resistance training for at least 4 weeks may help decrease body fat by an average of 1.46%. It may also significantly reduce body fat mass and visceral fat, which is a type of fat that surrounds the organs in your belly (1Trusted Source).
Another study showed that 5 months of strength training was more effective at reducing body fat in adolescents with obesity than aerobic exercise alone (2Trusted Source).
Plus, resistance training may help preserve fat-free mass, which may increase the number of calories your body burns at rest (3Trusted Source).
According to one review, resistance training boosted people’s resting metabolic rate compared with a control group, while aerobic exercise had no effect on metabolism (4Trusted Source).
Doing bodyweight exercises, lifting weights, and using gym equipment are a few easy ways to get started with strength training.
2. Follow a high protein diet
Eating more protein-rich foods may help reduce your appetite and increase fat burning.
In fact, multiple studies have associated eating more high quality protein with a lower risk of excess body fat and obesity (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).
Other research indicates that a high protein diet may help preserve muscle mass and metabolism during weight loss (7Trusted Source).
Upping your protein intake may also increase feelings of fullness, decrease hunger, and reduce calorie intake — all factors that aid weight loss (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).
Try adding a few servings of high protein food to your diet each day. Protein-rich foods include meat, seafood, eggs, legumes, tofu, and dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt.
3. Get more sleep
Going to bed a bit earlier or setting your alarm clock a little later is a simple strategy to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.
In fact, several studies associate sufficient sleep with weight loss.
One 10-year study linked sleeping fewer than 6 hours per night to a higher risk of obesity among young women (10Trusted Source).
Another small study showed that getting 1 less hour of sleep per night led to less fat loss in people following a low calorie diet, compared with a control group (11Trusted Source).
Other research indicates that a lack of sleep may contribute to alterations in hunger hormones, increased appetite, and a higher risk of obesity (12Trusted Source).
Although everyone needs a different amount of sleep, most studies tie at least 7 hours of sleep per night to the most benefits for weight management and overall health (13Trusted Source).
To support a healthy sleep cycle, stick to a regular sleep schedule, limit your intake of caffeine in the evening, and minimize your use of electronic devices before bed.
SUMMARY
Getting enough sleep may help reduce your appetite and hunger levels, as well as lower your risk of weight gain.
4. Eat more healthy fats
Although it may seem counterintuitive, increasing your intake of healthy fats may prevent weight gain.
A 12-month study associated following a Mediterranean diet rich in healthy fats from olive oil and nuts with greater long-term weight loss, compared with a low fat diet (14Trusted Source).
Another review linked diets enriched with olive oil to greater reductions in body weight and belly fat compared with diets without olive oil (15Trusted Source).
What’s more, increased intake of trans fats — a type of fat often found in fried or processed foods — is associated with increased long-term weight gain (16Trusted Source).
Olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds are just a few examples of nutritious fats that can benefit your health.
Keep in mind that healthy fat is still high in calories, so it’s important to moderate your intake. Instead of eating more fat overall, try swapping fried foods, processed ingredients, and refined oils for the healthy varieties above.
SUMMARY
A higher intake of healthy fats, such as olive oil and nuts, is associated with a lower risk of weight gain.
5. Drink unsweetened beverages
Swapping out sugary drinks for healthier selections is one of the easiest ways to promote long-term, sustainable fat loss.
For example, sugar-sweetened beverages like soda are often packed with calories and offer little nutritional value. Alcohol is also high in calories and may lower inhibitions, which may increase your risk of overeating (17Trusted Source).
Studies have associated drinking both sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol with a higher risk of excess belly fat (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
Instead, opt for calorie-free beverages like water or green tea.
According to one small study in 14 young men, drinking 1 pint (570 mL) of water before a meal increased feelings of fullness, reduced hunger, and decreased the number of calories eaten during the meal (20Trusted Source).
Alternatively, green tea contains caffeine and is rich in antioxidants, both of which may help increase fat burning and metabolism (21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Sugar-sweetened beverages and alcoholic drinks may be linked to a higher risk of increased belly fat. Replace them with green tea or water, which have been shown to increase weight loss and fat burning.
6. Fill up on fiber
Soluble fiber — which is found in plant foods — absorbs water and moves through your digestive tract slowly, helping you feel full for longer (23Trusted Source).
According to some studies, increasing your intake of high fiber foods may protect against weight gain. These foods include fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
For example, one study in 345 people tied eating more fiber to increased weight loss and improved dietary adherence (24Trusted Source).
Another review found that increasing soluble fiber intake significantly decreased body weight and belly fat, independent of calorie intake (25Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Upping your fiber intake by consuming foods like fresh fruits, veggies, and legumes may boost fat loss, feelings of fullness, and weight loss.
7. Choose whole grains instead of refined carbs
Decreasing your intake of refined carbs may help you lose extra body fat.
During processing, refined grains are stripped of their bran and germ, resulting in a final product that’s low in fiber and nutrients.
Refined carbs also tend to have a high glycemic index (GI), which may cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels that lead to increased hunger. Still, you’re likelier to see these effects if you eat refined carbs on their own rather than as part of a balanced meal (26Trusted Source).
What’s more, studies associate diets high in refined carbs with increased belly fat over time (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).
Conversely, diets high in whole grains are tied to a lower body mass index (BMI) and body weight, plus a smaller waist circumference (30Trusted Source).
Just keep in mind that traditional weight metrics like BMI don’t capture the full portrait of health.
Aim to replace refined carbs from pastries, processed foods, pastas, white breads, and breakfast cereals with whole grains like whole wheat, quinoa, buckwheat, barley, and oats.
SUMMARY
Refined carbs are low in fiber and nutrients, so it’s best to choose nutrient-dense whole grains for long-term, sustainable fat loss.