How to Burn Fat Naturally: From Sauna Use to Diet

If you are setting a health goal to lose weight and burn fat, you’ve probably seen plenty of fad diets offering to help you do it quickly. However, healthy and sustainable fat loss takes time and dedication to keep it off. Through the process of learning how to get your body to burn stored fat, not only will you reach your goal, you’ll also set up your body for a healthy future with the new habits you’ve picked up. Keep reading to learn more about healthy, safe, and long-lasting ways to burn fat and why they work, from mindful diet and exercise to using an infrared sauna!

 

 

Regular Health Habits

 

Infrared Sauna Use

Infrared therapy has been shown to penetrate deep into fat cells to increase blood flow to the area and promote detoxification in fat tissue for healthy and sustainable fat loss. A weight loss study revealed that an increase in core body temperature resulted in a decrease in body fat. This study concluded that using an infrared sauna three times a week for 30 minutes per session helped drop an average of 4 percent body fat over a four-month period.

 

Adequate Sleep

Sleep is an essential part of any health effort, and making sure you get a proper amount of rest can help your body burn fat. Research suggests that insufficient sleep slows down the body’s metabolism, thus affecting calorie burn. When metabolism is less effective, the body may store unused energy as fat. In addition, poor sleep can increase the production of insulin and cortisol, which also prompt fat storage.

 

Reduced Stress

Stress triggers the release of hormones such as cortisol, which can remain in the bloodstream for longer under constant stress. Cortisol signals the need to replenish the body’s nutritional stores from the preferred source of fuel, which is carbohydrates. Insulin then transports the sugar from carbohydrates from the blood to the muscles and brain. If the individual does not use this sugar in a moment of stress, the body will store it as fat.

 

Hydration

Hydration is key for losing weight and burning fat. Chronic dehydration can prevent you from burning more calories throughout the day, and it can also take a toll on proper metabolism function. According to a 2016 study, upping your water intake may increase lipolysis, the process by which the body burns fat for energy. Try to drink your recommended amount of water a day to help your body perform at peak performance.

 

 

Mindful Eating

 

High Protein

Found in a variety of delicious and nutritious foods, protein can curb your appetite and burn body fat – including visceral fat. According to one study, eating a high-protein diet helps your body boost metabolism and retain muscle mass. Protein will also help you feel full for longer, thus helping reduce overall calorie intake.

 

High Fiber

Soluble fiber absorbs water and moves through your digestive tract slowly, helping you feel full for longer. One study found that increasing soluble fiber intake significantly decreased body weight and belly fat, independent of calorie intake. Having a fiber-rich diet can help decrease hunger, burn more fat, and aid in weight loss.

 

Healthy Fats

Burning fat by eating fat might not sound like it would work, but a diet with healthy fats has been shown to assist with sustainable, long-term weight loss. In fact, diets enriched with olive oil have been linked to greater weight loss and less belly fat than diets without. Just be sure to avoid trans fats and still keep an eye on healthy fat calories.

 

Reduced Sugar & Refined Carbs

Refined carbohydrates are quick to digest, and they convert to glucose rapidly. Excess glucose enters the blood and provokes the hormone insulin, which promotes storage in the adipose tissue, also known as body fat. Reducing refined carbohydrates, processed food, and sugar in your diet can help reduce fat gain.

 

Probiotics

One emerging area of research is focusing on the role of bacteria in the gut on weight management. The human gut hosts a vast number and variety of microorganisms, including around 37 trillion bacteria. Some types can increase the amount of energy someone gains from food, leading to fat deposition and weight gain.

 

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating that involves regular short-term fasts and consuming meals within a shorter time period during the day. One study found that over 3–12 weeks, the intermittent fasting method reduced body weight by up to 7% and decreased body fat by up to 12 pounds.

 

 

Exercise

 

Cardio

Swimming, running, dancing, and any other aerobic exercise that conditions your lungs and heart can also help improve your metabolism and burn fat. Research suggests 20 to 40 minutes of moderate to intense cardio per day is ideal for burning visceral fat and reaping other fat loss and metabolism-boosting benefits. Daily aerobic exercise, like running, can help you jump-start fat loss.

 

HIIT

High-intensity interval training (HIIT), is a type of high-energy workout that combines bursts of intensity with short periods of rest to keep your heart rate elevated. HIIT exercises burn more calories in a shorter amount of time than other forms of exercise and have been shown to increase fat loss. One study found that HIIT burns up to 30 percent more calories than doing other forms of cardio for the same amount of time.

 

Strength Training

Strength training in the form of weight lifting, yoga, or other resistance equipment is a great way to decrease unhealthy belly fat (the kind around your organs), increase muscle mass, and burn more calories while at rest. One study showed that 10 weeks of resistance training may boost the number of calories burned while resting by 7 percent by helping give the body a metabolism boost.

 

Learning how to get your body to burn stored fat in a healthy way is key to keeping it off and improving your health in the long run. Use these fat burning tips to help you reach your weight loss goals and form some great habits along the way. It may seem daunting to change up your diet, exercise, and daily habits, but take it one step at a time and you’ll see progress!