“A 20-minute jog will burn calories, not fat specifically, which will help you lose overall weight,” MacPherson says. “However that weight can come from fat and muscle. It’s vital to also perform weight-bearing activities like strength training to preserve muscle and keep your metabolism up while focusing on fat loss.”
There’s a (research-backed) rule of thumb that for the best fat burning potential, you should aim to reach somewhere between 67.6 and 87.1% of your max heart rate.
“At too high an intensity workout the human body burns more sugar than fat,” Maritato says. “At too low an intensity workout the body burns mostly fat, but not enough to make a measurable difference.”
To sum up: the best fat burning exercises incorporate big muscle groups, will get you mildly sweaty and your heart pumping at a healthy rate. Twenty minutes focused on the below circuit (with an eye on your heart rate) will have the fat melting away, and provide the added bonus of getting your abs sculpted. Don’t know where to start? Below are a list of exercises to try:
Burpees – 60 seconds
Start in a plank position with arms extended. Jump your feet forward so you can stand up straight. Jump on the spot, and return to your starting position.
Plank Crunches – 60 seconds
Get into a plank position. Raise your leg so that it forms a 90-degree angle with the corresponding elbow, then return to the start. Repeat for the other leg.
Standing Medicine Ball Twists – 60 seconds
Hold a medicine ball at chest height. Hinge at the hips as you drive through your core, twisting the ball to one side then the other.
Bicycle Crunches – 60 seconds
Lie on your back and cycle your legs in the air, forming a 90-degree angle to the ground and bringing your elbow across the body to meet the opposite knee.
The best diet to lose fat
We all know that too much junk food is bad for us because it’s high in calories, but it may also interfere with your progress in ways you might not realize.
“Fat loss is not just about burning calories through exercise, but about optimizing the body’s metabolism and hormonal profile as well,” Maritato says. “Minimizing processed foods and simple sugars may help reduce gut inflammation and fluid retention. While further research is needed, a growing body of evidence suggests gut inflammation is linked to fat gain and difficulty burning fat.”
Again, there’s no single solution for each individual person, but a good way to start is by ensuring your diet is made up of ‘whole foods’: fresh fruit and veg, lean meats and nuts.
Studies have also shown that sleep can help regulate metabolism. Now switch off your phone and get to bed.
This story originally appeared in British GQ.
