Why Can’t I Lose Fat? Nutrition Secrets for Bodybuilders

Why Can’t I Lose Fat?

Many athletes and bodybuilders find that they are eating completely healthy, but still aren’t losing weight. What’s going on?  There are many factors that affect weight loss apart from simply eating healthy. There is also sleep, exercise, and the supplements you are taking. Want to learn how to lose fat fast? Keep reading to find out the 7 secrets for bodybuilders and athletes on how you can lose fat.

1. Don’t Detox

Dieting by drinking cleansing teas or doing other detox diets is simply not healthy. You need to eat plenty of carbs and vitamins the form of fruits and vegetables. Then ensure you get enough protein by eating meat and finding a fantastic protein powder. Try International Protein’s best protein for fat loss, ISO-CUTS. It uses whey protein powder which is extremely low in fat and carbohydrates, as well as as a green tea and caffeine formula that can help you lose fat.

A 2015 review found very little indication that detox diets do detoxify your body. In fact, while you may be rapidly losing weight, this tends to be fluid and carb stores, not fat.

The problem with crash dieting is that you will end up much hungrier than you should be. There is no reason why you can’t eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and still remain in a calorie deficit.

2. Reduce Alcohol Intake

Unfortunately, drinking alcohol can really mess with your performance in the gym. It dehydrates you, which can make your workout far harder. This is because alcohol is a diuretic.

Keeping this in mind, if you want to treat yourself to an alcoholic drink, there are healthier options. Try a gin and tonic, or vodka with soda and fresh lime. White spirits are some of the lowest in sugar and you don’t need to add sugary mixes to them either.

Be aware that alcohol also adjusts how your body produces energy. When your liver is busy breaking down the alcohol in your system, its other abilities are limited. During this time, it won’t produce as much glucose as usual. You need this glucose to give you the energy to workout to your full ability. If you are not working out to your full capacity, you are less likely to build muscle and lose fat.

3. Get Moving

Many people have no idea how much difference moving can make to how much fat you lose. The more you move naturally, the more calories you will burn. Think about your friend who carries 10% body fat and hardly has to work for it, in fact they probably eat terribly.  How does this happen?

The simple answer is movement. By moving your body often, you can lose more weight. Exercising or even incidental movements burn calories. If you have an office job, then it requires a little discipline to set reminders to move during the work day.

The best exercises for fat loss are incidental, but your major muscle gains are going to come from the gym. It’s also about choosing to move whenever you can. For example, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Or, walking to your colleague’s desk to talk rather than emailing them. Every little bit adds up!

4. Limit Cheat Days

Some people will eat healthy all week long and then let themselves eat whatever they want at the weekend. The weekend is approximately 30% of your full week – more if you include Friday night, which most people do.

By giving yourself too many cheat days, you can undo all the hard work and progress you make throughout the week. How you cheat matters. Instead, you could try just having one cheat meal a week. Have it be something you really enjoy such as those premium steak smothered in mushroom and garlic sauce, rather than takeaways with zero nutritional value. Planning how you binge, and making good nutritional choices is one of  the best fat loss techniques.

5. Get Enough Sleep

How is your sleep? A 2010 study found that people on diets lost more fat when they had an adequate amount of sleep.

Interestingly, the participants all lost a similar amount of weight regardless of sleep. However, those who had a good amount of sleep were losing more fat than those who didn’t.

Additionally, not getting enough sleep can leave you fatigued and hungry the next day. This can make you more likely to skip your workout and binge on chips instead. Gains are made when you force yourself to exercise when you really don’t feel like it. Turn up, do a light workout and get that metabolism pumping again. If you’d like to learn detailed information on how muscle growth and sleep are related, have a listen to this sleep podcast.

6. Keep a Calorie Deficit

To lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit. So, no matter how healthy your food is, if you eat too much of it, you’re unlikely to lose weight. That’s where portion control comes in. Eat healthy foods, but still in moderation.

Healthy foods come in many different varieties. While some may be ‘healthy’, they can also be high in calories. If you overindulge in these types of foods, this can really slow down your progress.

You may think that innocent foods such as avocado and nuts are healthy snacks to eat. But it’s more complicated than that. While they both offer you good fats, they are high in calories. So they should be enjoyed as a treat in moderation.

Foods such as quinoa, rice, and oats are filling and release energy over a longer period of time. This can prevent you from crashing later in the day. They are not too high in calories either.

7. L-Carnitine

L-carnitine is one of the best supplements for fat loss. It occurs naturally in the body and is what moves fatty cells in your body to burn them when you exercise. Roughly 98% of l-carnitine in your body is stored in your muscles.

Across nine studies, it was found that those who took an l-carnitine supplement lost more fat than those who didn’t.

Try our fantastic l-carnitine supplement CARNI-SHOT. It contains not only l-carnitine but also magnesium for muscle recovery and B vitamins.

By using these 7 tips for losing fat, you should start to see a real difference in your body over time. Athletes and bodybuilders alike may find that they start losing more fat and therefore seeing more muscle definition. Take your workouts to the next level with our fantastic supplements and make sure you’re working as hard as you can every time you hit the gym.