10 Common Weight Loss Tips that Healthy Fat Loss Must Read

What are 10 Common Weight Loss Tips?

Below are 10 common weight loss tips. They will help you understand more about healthy weight loss (fat loss). These are not magic weight loss pill, but they are really helpful for you in your journey to permanent weight loss (aka permanent fat loss).

Here are the 10 tips you will learn in this article.

1. Habit Mindset vs. Diet Mindset
2. Skipping Meals vs. Eating Frequently
3. Bad Fats vs. Good Fats
4. Burning the Fat vs. Starving the Fat
5. Fast Weight Loss vs. Losing One or Two Pounds per Week
6. Muscle vs. Fat
7. Average Body Fat vs. Ideal Body Fat
8. Organic Foods vs. Non-Organic Foods
9. 3 Meals per Day vs. 6 Meals per Day
10. What to Order vs. What Not to Order in Restaurant

Weight Loss Tip #1 – Habit Mindset vs. Diet Mindset

There are many people who adapt to short-term diet mindset. But there are also people who adapt to the lifelong habit mindset.

The concept of short-term diet for weight loss (fat loss) is defective.

For example, when you say, “you are going on a diet” and then at some point, “you are going to go off a diet”. If you do like this, it means you set yourself to failure even before you start dieting.

Losing fat permanently cannot be achieved by going on and off diets. It can only be achieved by adopting new habit of proper exercise and nutrition as your new lifestyle for the rest of your life.

Here is what you need to do now: “Replace your bad habits about exercise and nutrition with new and good habits about exercise and nutrition.”

Normally, forming new habit takes some strong decision and commitment, so be patient during the beginning. After several actions, you will become comfortable with these new good habits. Until then, you will enjoy good health and permanent fat loss for your whole life.

In short, losing fat permanently has more to do with mindset than it does with exercise and nutrition itself. So you have to change your attitude toward exercise and nutrition.

Weight Loss Tip #2 – Skipping Meals vs. Eating Frequently

There are two things for people who want to lose weight (fat) permanently: (1) know the negative effects of skipping meals and (2) know the positive benefit of eating frequently.

Negative Effects of Skipping Meals:

To lose fat, you must consume fewer calories than your calorie maintenance level. (Calories Maintenance Level means the amount of calories the body needs in order to function properly.)

Generally, people use the skipping meal, or skipping breakfast, as a way to consume fewer calories.

But skipping meal is actually a mistake, not a solution to fat loss.

For example, a person has dinner at 7:00pm. Then on the next day, he/she skips breakfast and has lunch at 12:00 noon. That is 18 hours between his/her last dinner and today lunch.

When that person does like this, his/her body will activate the starvation mode. Starvation mode will slow down the metabolism of that person and his/her body will try to store as more fat as possible to use for energy later. This situation makes that person stores more fat in his/her body by skipping his/her breakfast.

Some people with habit of skipping meal will be also having problems like: low energy for work and exercise, craving, more appetite to junk food, eating more calories than they need.

So avoid skipping meal at all cost.

Positive Benefits of Eating Frequently:

On the contrary, eating small meal frequently leads to lose more fat.

Your goal should be eating small meal every three hours.

Eating small meal every three hours will have thermic effect from the food. (Thermic Effect means the amount of calories that our body will consume in order to process the food we eat.)

Food like protein has 30% thermic effect; vegetable has around 20% thermic effect.

Let us see the example of how thermic effect works:

When you eat 100 calories of lean protein, with 30% thermic effect, it means your body spends 30 calories for absorbing the calorie from that protein.

Eating small meal frequently allows you to eat more of many good foods than when you skip meal. At the same time, it helps you lose more fat as well as increase your metabolic rate.

So start eating small meal frequently.

In short, for maximum fat loss (healthy weight loss) and good health, please avoid skipping meals and start eating frequently. By doing this, you will reap the benefits of eating frequently while avoid the negative effects of skipping meals.

Weight Loss Tip #3 – Bad Fats vs. Good Fats

There are three types of fats; each one has different molecular structures.

1. Saturated Fat (bad fats)
2. Polyunsaturated Fat (good fats)
3. Monounsaturated Fat (good fats)

Bad Fats:

Saturated fats are harmful to the body. They increase the level of bad cholesterol in the blood and they lack of healthy essential fatty acids (EFA).

Saturated fats are found in butter, cheese, egg yolk, meat fat, dairy fat, chocolate, shortening, palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil.

With exception of tropical oil (palm, palm kernel and coconut), saturated fats are mostly animal fats.

Good Fats:

Polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats are mostly vegetable fats.

Unsaturated fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats) lower the level of bad cholesterol in the blood and they contain the healthy essential fatty acids (EFA).

Polyunsaturated fats are found in fish, walnuts, pecans, almonds, flax, soybean oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil.

Monounsaturated fats are found in avocados, cashews, peanuts, natural peanut butter, pecans, olives and olive oil.

In short, we can say that all fats are not bad. There are good fats and bad fats. Minimize or avoid bad fats. But you must eat a bit amount of good fat to keep your body healthy.

Weight Loss Tip #4 – Burning the Fat vs. Starving the Fat

Generally, to lose fat you must create a calorie deficit. (Calorie Deficit means we consume less amount of calories than our body needs for our body function for that day.)

There are two ways you can achieve a calorie deficit.

Option 1: Decrease your calories intake from food. (Starving the fat)

Option 2: Increase your activities to burn off calories through exercise. (Burning the fat)

Option 2 is better than option 1.

Proper exercise will burn off the body fat as well as help you become leaner.

On the other hand, a large calorie deficit through option 1 will lead to the loss of muscle and trigger the starvation response. (Starvation Response or Starvation Mode means that state that our body stops burning fat for energy, but start storing more fat as reserved energy.) And then, the person with large calorie deficit will have a slower metabolism. As a result, they gain fat instead of losing fat.

So the best approach to fat loss is to reduce calorie intake a little while increase activity through exercise (aerobic and weight training).

In conclusion, burning fat is better than starving fat. Burning fat also improve your health while starving fat may lead to a problem of slower metabolism.

Weight Loss Tip #5 – Fast Weight Loss vs. Losing One or Two Pounds per Week

To lose fat permanently without muscle loss is to lose weight slowly, preferably, one to two pounds per week.

The ACSM recommends you to lose weight at maximum rate of two pounds per week as a standard guideline for safety weight loss.

Let us see the reason why.

People who lose weight more than two pounds per week; it is likely that they lose their lean muscle along their fat loss.

Muscle is active metabolic tissue. Losing muscle will leads to slow metabolism. Slow metabolism means slowly in burning off the fat. As a result, they gradually put more fat back on, in the long run.

If you participate in a personal coaching program that has the chart of your progress in details of body fat, body weight, pounds of fat, and pounds of lean muscle, you will see clearly that: losing weight more than 2 pounds per week is losing muscle along with that fat loss.

Remember that the best way to burn off more fat is to have more lean muscle, not lose muscle.

When you make your goals to lose weight slowly, it is easier for you to keep your lean muscle. And this will keep you fat off in the long run.

For some individual reasons, some people might need to lose more than two pounds per week. The case can be: they have large amount of fat to lose. For this case, they can set the goals to lose three pounds per week, recommended, in the beginning stage. (This is Ok if they just lose the fat, not the muscle.) At some points later, they should change to losing two pounds per week.

Do not confuse losing weight and losing fat. Losing fat is good. But losing weight (fat and muscle) is not good.

In conclusion, you should aim for lose weight slowly, and ensure that you lose fat, not muscle.

Weight Loss Tip #6 – Muscle vs. Fat

When we talk about beauty, people with more fat will look soft and round while people with more muscle will look solid and handsome or pretty.

When we talk about health, people with more fat will experience health problems while people with more muscle will experience good health.

The Muscle:

Muscle is your secret weapon to fight against fat.

Muscle is active tissue; it is the catalyst for a fast metabolism.

Muscle is a metabolic machine, a machine that burns off your fat even you are at rest, sleep or watch television.

The Fat:

Fat is idle tissue that sticks on your muscle.

Using scale might be a huge mistake. Because scale does not tell you how many pounds in your body is fat and how many pounds is muscle. Furthermore, scale does not give the real picture of your weight. It fluctuates according to your water level. For example, at some point during the day, your body holds more water so you weigh more.

“Losing Weight” is not Equal to “Losing Fat”:

Losing weight is extremely easy.

Losing fat is a big challenge because it is worth to be slim, fit and health.

In case, you really want to lose 10 to 15 pounds in a week, you just dehydrate yourself and use natural diuretics. (This is NOT recommended.) Losing weight like this, you will gain it back when you stop dehydrating yourself. To lose weight by losing water like this is not what you really want, right?

What you truly desire is to lose weight by losing only fat, and without losing any muscle.

In conclusion, fat is idle tissue that sticks on your body and makes you look ugly. Muscle is active tissue that burns off your body fat even you are at rest.

Weight Loss Tip #7 – Average Body Fat vs. Ideal Body Fat

Different sex has different level of body fat percentage. Different age has different level of body fat percentage, too.

Women have estrogen hormone, so women have 5% more body fat than men.

• The average body fat percentage for women is 23%
• The average body fat percentage for men is 17%.

Both women and men, when they become older with age, their fat cells will increase while their muscle cells will decrease. Normally, after age 45, people will gain fat even if their body weight is the same.

In short, their muscle shrinks while their fat increases.

Ask yourself: “What is the percentage of my body fat right now?”

If your percentage of body fat is more than the average, you have to do something about it, before it become a serious health problem later.

But the average level is not the ideal level of body fat. If you just want to be average that is ok for you.

Otherwise, if you desire to look leaner, prettier, more handsome, fitter and healthier, you should aim for the ideal level of body fat.

Here is the chart of body fat:

Male	Female	Level of Satisfaction
3-6%	9-12%	Ripped (Competition Shape)
<9%	<15%	Very Lean (Excellent)
10-14%	16-20%	Lean (Good)
15-19%	21-25%	Average (Fair)
20-25%	26-30%	Below Average (Poor)
26-30%+	31-40%+	Major Improvement Needed (Very Poor)

If you are not an athlete, you should target for “Very Lean” or “Lean”. And this target is achievable.

Remember this, if you don’t have time for proper exercise and nutrition for good health, you will have time for illness. Among these two choices, choose wisely.

In summary, average body fat for women is 23%. Average body fat for men is 17%. But the average level is not the ideal level of body fat. You should aim for ideal level of body fat to become healthier and leaner.

Weight Loss Tip #8 – Organic Foods vs. Non-Organic Foods

Because of the modern way of growing crops (using fertilizers and pesticides and genetic dilution), now the fruits and vegetables have less nutrient value comparing to 50 years ago.

Organic foods are foods that grow naturally.

Non-organic foods are foods that grow using the modern way (fertilizers, pesticides, and genetic dilution).

Because of fertilizers and pesticides affect the ability of fruits and vegetable in absorbing vitamins and minerals, non-organic foods have less nutrient values than organic foods (which grow naturally).

Whether it is organic or non-organic, fresh fruits and vegetables still have various phytonutrients and antioxidants which help us prevent certain kinds of cancer.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories, high in fiber, and lots of water.

Fresh fruits and vegetables can fill you up, help you lose weight as well as maintain a healthy weight.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are still better than sweeties and processed foods.

Go organic for fruits and vegetables that are at risk of “pesticide sponges”:

• Apples
• Cherries
• Imported grapes
• Nectarines
• Pears
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Spinach
• Bell peppers
• Hot peppers
• Carrots
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Green beans
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

Here are the fruits and vegetables that are not at risk in term of pesticide contamination, you may go for non-organic version:

• Avocado
• Banana
• Kiwis
• Mangos
• Papayas
• Pineapples
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Onions

Some recommendations:

If you have enough budgets, always go for organic fruits and vegetables.

For cost saving and low risk of pesticide, go for fruits and vegetables that are less likely in absorbing pesticides.

If you cannot go for organic, don’t cut out your fruits and vegetables completely. Fresh fruits and vegetables are still better than processed foods.

Everyday stress might burn up your B vitamins. If it leads to deficiencies of B12 and folic acid, it can damage your nerves. Supplement your body with a good-quality of multivitamin.

To prevent the risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, consider a good multivitamin/mineral supplement. (Note: Always check with your doctor regarding your individual needs and recommendations of vitamins and minerals.)

In conclusion, organic fruits and vegetables are better than non-organic ones. Go for organic if your budget allows. If not, don’t cut out your fruits and vegetables, too. Fresh fruits and vegetables are still better than sweeties and processed foods.

Weight Loss Tip #9 – 3 Meals per Day vs. 6 Meals per Day

Most of us have 3 meals per day. Some people have 1 or 2 meals per day. And some people have 4 or 5 or 6 meals per day.

Before we consider which one is better, let us see them one by one first.

Eating 1 or 2 meals per day will cause serious damage to metabolism. It means your metabolic rate becomes slow because you eat 1 or 2 meals per day.

Slow metabolic rate means your body burns off fat slowly or less fat.

Less and less fat is burned means your body gains more fat even you eat very little calories.

Eating 3 meals per day combines with proper nutrition foods and proper exercise will be ok. And it will produce the so-so fat loss result. But if you have a naturally slow metabolism (Endomorph body type), it might be difficult for you to lose fat with 3 meals per day.

Eating 4 meals per day combines with proper nutrition foods and proper exercise will produce substantial fat loss result.

Eating 5 meals per day combines with proper nutrition foods and proper exercise will see fat loss result in a weekly basis. (This is ideal option for women, while it is great option for men.)

Eating 6 meals per day combines with proper nutrition foods and proper exercise will produce excellent fat loss result. (This is ideal option for men.)

[Note: Normally, men require around 600 to 900 calories more than women. That is why men need one more meal than women.]

Why 6 Meals Per Days or Why Eat Meal Every 3 Hours?

• Our body takes around 3 hours to digest the meal. After that we can eat again.
• The protein lasts only 3 hours in the bloodstream. After that we need to refill our body.
• We have 16 waking hours if we sleep 8 hours at night. (16 / 6 meals = 2.67 hours between each meal or 16 / 5 meals = 3.2 hours between each meal). That is why we come up the routine of having meal every 3 hours.
• Eating meal every 3 hours will bring us more energy and avoid hunger or craving.
• After every meal, we get a metabolism boost because our body gets thermic effect from foods. (Eating 3 meals has only 3 times of thermic effects. Eating 6 meals has 6 times of thermic effects.)

How About 7 or 8 Meals per Day?

• Our body takes a minimum of 2 to 2.5 hours to digest the meal.
• Eating 7 or 8 meals will lead to the state of piling new food on top of undigested foods. This will hurt our body and won’t produce any fat loss result at all.

Recommendation about frequency of eating meals per day:

• If you are woman, initially, go for 4 meals per day. And eventually, go for 5 meals per day.
• If you are man, initially, go for 5 meals per day. And eventually, go for 6 meals per day.

In short, eating 3 meals per day will produce so-so fat loss result. Eating 5 or 6 meals per day will produce excellent fat loss result (aka healthy weight loss).

Weight Loss Tip #10 – What to Order vs. What Not to Order in Restaurant

Dinning out or going to a restaurant for foods is part of life. When you are on nutrition diet program to lose fat (or lose weight), you need to be careful of what not to order and what to order instead.

You should avoid high calories, high fat and high sugar foods. Instead, order low calories, low fat, low sugar or sugar-free foods.

Here is a table of what not to order and what to order:

Don’t Order

Should Order

Burgers (coz high fat, high calorie) Cheese soups Cream soups Egg soups Onion soups Rich, creamy sauces Salads with croutons Salads with bacon bits Salads with ham Salads with creamy dressing Croissants Pastries Biscuits Butter rolls Regular muffins Donuts Foods described as: - Buttered - Buttery - Butter sauce - Prime - Stuffed - Sautéed - Fried - Pan fried - Batter-dipped - Creamed - Cream sauce - In cheese sauce - In its own gray - Hollandaise - Béarnaise - Beurre blanc - Parmigiana - Parmesan - Alfredo - Au gratin - Au lait - A la mode - Au fromage - Basted - Marinated - Escalloped

Grilled chicken Turkey breast sandwich Clear, broth-based soups with noodles Clear, broth-based soups with vegetables Whole grain bread Whole grain toast Whole grain breadsticks Whole grain rolls Whole grain pitas (no butter) Vegetables steamed Fresh fruit (no whipped cream or toppings) Skinless grilled chicken breast (not fried) Red pasta sauces Entrees of chicken, fish, seafood, rice, potatoes, and vegetable Baked potatoes plain (no butter, no sour cream, no bacon bits) Green and tossed salads (no topping, no bacon bits, not cheese, no croutons) Low calorie salad dressings Low calories syrup for pancakes (whole wheat or buckwheat) Low fat/sugar-free muffin White eggs only Low fat or skim milk Diet soda Fruit juice Small portions Spices (pepper, herbs, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar) Desert (frozen yogurt, frozen fruit ices, sugar-free jello) Foods described as: - Broiled - Grilled - Poached - Roasted - Baked - Steamed

In conclusion, when you are at restaurant or fast food restaurant, don’t order high calorie foods, instead order low calories foods.

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