If you’re wanting to know how to lose body fat but aren’t sure where to start, this article should definitely help you. Whether you are clinically obese or just overweight, losing body fat is actually not that complicated if you follow some basic fundamental rules.

Firstly, you need to drink more water. It may sound simple but drinking enough water is vital in order to lose body fat and excess weight. Aim to drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of water throughout the day.  Without enough water your body will become dehydrated and your digestive system will not work as efficiently, resulting in weight gain.  That’s why it’s so important in shedding the fat.

Proper nutrition is also key to fat loss. You need to eat right and when I say that I mean eating “real” food like fish, chicken, whole grains, and lots of vegetables (at least 5-6 servings per day). Eating enough vegetables is most important for nutrition, especially dark colored veggies, like broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, and kale. Avoid deep fried food and fast food in general. As for fruit, eating one or two pieces of fruit a day is okay but avoid drinking fruit juices; the last thing you need in your system, especially when trying to lose weight, is all that extra sugar.  Lastly, it probably goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway to be sure) that soda pop is definitely out as well for the same reasons.

Exercise in general will always help you lose weight if not simply for the fact that it burns calories and as most people know, if you burn more calories than you take in you’ll lose weight over time.  Exercise however also has many other benefits as well for your body such increasing flexibility and even reducing stress.  This is important because stress can actually prevent you from losing fat as it’s been proven to increase food cravings, especially carbohydrates.  As far as exercise to burn body fat, a low to medium cardiovascular workout such as a brisk walk or slow jog is probably the most effective exercise for shedding fat.

Finally, but equally important, you need to start building muscle mass. I’m not saying you need to become a bodybuilder but increasing your muscle mass through strength training will actually start to change your body’s metabolism and will as a result help you burn more fat even while at rest.  Using free weights is probably the most popular form of strength training as it’s simple and effective.

Knowing how to lose body fat is the first step in your journey towards fat loss but now you need to act.  May today be the day you get started and change your body!