Exercising regularly and training with sufficient intensity is all well and good, but if your nutrition isn’t up to scratch, you won’t be getting the most bang for your buck from those workouts you’ve been slaving over.
You know about protein, the importance of fruit and veg, and why too many post-work pints aren’t doing you any favours in the quest to shift belly fat, but there are some other crucial tweaks you could be making.
You’re busy, we get it. And sometimes the food you eat day-to-day is the last thing on your mind. So we’ve rounded up some simple, expert-approved and scientifically backed nutritional tips to nudge you a little further in the right direction…
HOW TO EAT FOR FAT LOSS
• Slow down
Chew, chew and chew again. Studies have found that chewing your food properly decreases your hunger as well as your food intake. Try 20 chews per bite.
• Don’t empty the tank
While calories in versus calories out is the fundamental equation for fat loss, it’s also important to consider what else you’re doing. If you’re training hard, you need to adjust accordingly. Plan your meals in line with your exercise and work schedules, and take into account carbohydrate and energy requirements for each. If you’re exercising less, you may need to decrease the amount of carbs you’re consuming (if fat loss is the aim). But carbs are not the enemy, and if you start exercising more frequently again you should gradually increase your intake.
• Volume is king
“Volume foods, such as spinach, lettuce, cucumber, gherkins and cabbage, can bulk out a meal for increased satiety without masses of calories,” says Liam Holmes, nutritionist and Foodspring ambassador.
• ... Sniff an orange?
Far from a long-term solution, but if you find yourself reaching for dessert number two, research suggests the smell of citrus fruit can act as a deterrent – making sweet treats less appealing.
• Pick your plates
When participants in one study ate their meals off white plates, rather than black
