How To Lose Fat When Your Body Wants To Store It

If you have ever been on a food reduction diet you have probably experienced that exciting quick weight loss when you first start.

Then things start a gradual slowdown and usually come to a complete stop with your progress after a few weeks.

You can thank your ancestors for this one as when you dramatically reduce your food intake, such as when you go on a diet, your body starts using up the stored fat quickly.

Your metabolism (your body's engine) is still high and burning lots of calories and you are losing weight until suddenly your body wakes up and thinks it is facing starvation.

Our ancient hunter/gatherer ancestors of 50,000 years ago had the same human body as we have today. Our genes have not changed and our bodies have successfully adapted to endless cycles of feast and famine. It has managed to adapt by developing extremely efficient fat storage capabilities to protect it when food was scarce and meant survival in harsh winter conditions. These people also burnt huge amounts of calories just finding food each day to survive.

Well, things have changed, these days food is plentiful and easy to get and physical activity is no longer a part of daily life. But the problem is our bodies haven't changed.

This hardwired need for constant energy storage coupled with reduced physical activity means we have rampant obesity which is epidemic in our world today.

So, how do we avoid this problem? We still need to lose weight (fat) and there are some important things we must do if we are to be successful and work around the way our body is already programmed.

1. Reduce your food intake slowly The World Health Organization states that a diet of 1800 calories per day and 2100 for men is a starvation diet. You must start above this level if you wish to avoid triggering the 'starvation mode'. This will throw your body into a panic and put the brakes on fat loss.

2 .Eat small meals often Eat every 2-3 hours to keep you metabolism running hot. Make sure every meal has at least 20 grams of protein and add lots of raw and cooked vegetables for great fat loss meals.

3. Do strength training exercise - Since most people do not actually have to exert themselves as part of their daily life, you must take the initiative and make it an important part of your life if you wish to become and remain slim. It is the only way to burn lots of fuel (calories) and gives your body the stimulus to preserve muscle mass to keep your metabolic rate high.

4. Avoid or reduce your intake of processed foods. Your body is not readily equipped to process highly refined foods that come in pretty boxes with little to no nutritional value and loaded with unnatural chemicals. Try to stick to foods that are closer to their natural whole state like an apple, a carrot, a tomato etc.

Remember, even though your body is an extremely efficient fat-storing machine, with the right knowledge, the right eating plan and exercise program you can very easily work with your biology. This way you will succeed and get the results and that strong, lean, healthy body that you desire.