Simple but unconventional rules of fat loss

Most regular gym-goers are there for one thing and one thingonly: to lose fat. While there's absolutely nothing wrong with that goal, many people aren't training for it in the most efficient ways and thus struggle to make real progress. What's usually to blame for these ineffective fat-loss plans is a whole bunch of misinformation.

Get the real fat-loss facts right here! These six Optimum athletes know just what it takes to uncover those muscles hiding out under your body fat. Here's what they have to say about some of those pervasive fat-loss myths.

You can lose fat fast and forever without wakingup at 5am to run on an empty stomach, without exercising 6x/week, without feeling hungry all the time or cutting your favorite foods forever and without expensive supplements. You only need 3 things to lose fat: strength training, healthy nutrition & cardio. This post will give you a simple, efficient fat loss plan so you can get your body fat to dream numbers while still have a life & eat normally. 

Strength training increases cardiovascularfitness, strengthens joints & bones, builds muscle, improves flexibility, … And it also helps fat loss. Maintain Muscle. More strength is more muscle. Strength training builds muscle and prevents muscle loss so you don’t get skinny + fat. Burn Fat. Strength training prevents your metabolic rate from going down when dieting. This means more fat loss. Stick to Diet. Exercising positively influences your eating habits. You’ll stick to your diet better if you do strength training, losing more fat.
Grains like pasta or rice are very caloric dense: 100g blank pasta has over 350kcal while 100g broccoli has only 35kcal. Limit your intake of grains to post workout only to automatically reduce your caloric intake.

Regarding sensible workouts, think high-effort as opposed to the easier-effort, longer-duration options such as the dreaded fifty-minute walk on the treadmill. Go for those kick-ass, high-effort intervals. And to Hell with whatever number of calories you purportedly burned when you plug your body weight into the console.

stress is extremely detrimental to our health; it should be avoided at all costs.

Stress releases cortisol (also known as ‘the fat hormone’), which makes you unmotivated for workouts and also has an extremely detrimental effect on other hormone levels – hardly ideal for fat loss.

Of course, stress isn't always something that you can control. My advice is that if you're feeling the pressure, do a couple of strength training workouts during the week and don't worry too much about the amount you eat. This will help you stay strong without piling on the pounds while waiting until the stressful period has passed.