As a Women’s Health and Fitness coach I do not believe in quick fixes or fad diets, they do not work! All of my Mum Fitness plans are developed for the busy mother to create safe and sustainable long-term change. There is so much information out there regarding how often you should have personal training, carry out home workouts, and attend gym classes. There is so one size fits all; this looks very different for us all.

When it comes to learning how to lose body fat one diet suggests drastically cutting calories whilst another says to push it with gym workouts and drinking lots of protein shakes. As an online women’s fitness coach for mums neither of these approaches I would advise. A balanced method will always be the most sustainable, without putting your physical or mental health at risk.

What is the purpose of body fat?

Body fat is primarily known for storing and releasing energy and providing insulation. It protects your organs, provides cushioning for the joints, regulates body temperate and is responsible for the secretion of certain hormones. A healthy body fat percentage range for women is between 21%- 35%. Too much body fat can cause excess visceral fat, the type of fat which sits around the organs which can lead to heart attacks, diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure. Too little body fat can cause lethargy, nutritional deficiencies and for women the loss of the menstrual cycle.

Is there a difference between weight loss and fat loss?

Weight loss takes into account any weight loss, this could be water weight, and muscle mass and if you have made a trip to the bathroom could lead to weight loss. However, fat loss takes solely body fat into account. This approach can take longer and may not always be reflected on the scales, which is why using various methods to assess progress is essential e.g. body transformation photos and body measurements.

Can you lose body fat fast?

Of course, you can lose body fat fast if you massively restrict calories and over-exercise but this will not be sustainable. Sustainable fat loss which can be maintained comes from making small daily habit changes that compound over time, for example increasing daily NEAT and strength training. (Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise. It ranges from the energy expended walking to work, typing, performing yard work, undertaking agricultural tasks and fidgeting.)

How to reduce body fat sustainably?

1. Calorie counting. This is perhaps the most common way to lose fat, however, it is important you calculate your daily calorie target using a sustainable formula. Apps like Myfitnesspal will give most women 1200 calories, this number is very generic and doesn’t take into account the individual’s BMR (basal metabolic rate) or TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). This following formula I would recommend using this to calculate calories. This can be found on my FIT MAMA Powered By Mari Carmen Fitness App with plenty of support in the form of recipes and food tracking.

   For women:

   BMR = 10W + 6.25H - 5A - 161

   Then…

   BMR = 9.247W + 3.098H - 4.330A + 447.593

2. If you are not up to calorie counting, try simply focusing on three balanced meals per day and removing all processed foods. Your diet may consist of processed and convenience foods if you are a time-poor mum. However, simply swapping the sugar-loaded cereal bars for fruit and vegetables can have a positive impact on body fat over time.

3. Focus on portion sizes. As busy mums, we do not have time to be weighing out all of our foods. Here is a guide to the right portions of fat, proteins, carbohydrates and vegetables. Next time when you plate up your meal use this as a guide.

4. Increasing daily activity. Rather than starting an intense fitness regime which doesn’t take into your needs as a pre and postnatal woman why not start small by increasing time on your feet by 10 minutes? For example, if you currently walk 20 minutes per day then increase it to 30 minutes. If you currently do two strength workouts per week, then increase them to three.

5. Strength training has many benefits aside from building muscle mass, the benefits of strength training include lowered cholesterol, improved posture and bone density. Building muscle mass has a massive impact on metabolism thus the body’s ability to burn fat more efficiently.

6. Understanding your menstrual cycle. You may recognise a pattern occurring at certain times of the month. For example, as you approach your period you are extremely hungry and have little energy to hit it hard with a home workout. This is totally normal due to the increase in progesterone levels. Therefore, it is important you take this into account on your fat loss journey, you may want to swap out a strength workout for a more restorative workout and you may choose to increase your calories by 200 around the week before you start your period.

For women fat loss can take longer than for men for various reasons. Hiring a health and fitness coach who specialises in women’s health and fitness is extremely beneficial, I take these factors like the menstrual cycle into consideration when developing your health and fitness program. Understanding your menstrual cycle can have tremendous benefits to fat loss.

If you are looking for support with your health and fitness journey, get in touch today.