Fighting The War On Fat

I know eating healthy can be a difficult thing when you get into college.  You feel as if there isn't any time and your constantly on the go, which is pretty much true.  The cafeteria plan sets you up for disaster as soon as you move in.  Ever heard of the freshman 15, well that's what they are talking about.  You lose yourself in all of the indulgences such as the fried foods, ice cream, cookies, cake, and much more. I know this because I was once in the same predicament.  But what if I told you there were a few simple things that you could do to decrease fat intake.  I was currently reading an article on Muscle Fitness, and came across 16 ways in which you can accomplish this goal.  Here are a select few that I found beneficial.

EATING.  5-6 small meals a day as opposed to "three squares" causes your metabolism to work constantly.  Eating larger meals, however, slows your metabolism and forces leftover calories to be stored as fat.

EAT PROTEIN.  Since muscle-building is the fastest route to slim down, make sure your protein consumption is enough to keep up with your weight training. Eat too little and your gains could be slower. Get 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day to help your muscle gains along. Use protein bars and shakes to supplement your whole-food consumption and stave off cravings.


CUT OUT SODA.  Instead, rely on water and other flavored drinks like Crystal Light to get your fluids every day. If you drink one soda per day, you’re adding 1,750 calories per week to your diet. Also, studies have shown that those who regularly consume diet sodas tend to gain weight in the long run because of over-indulgences elsewhere.


CARB SMART.  Keep your carbohydrates low to moderate when trying to lose weight. If you rotate low- and high-carb days, you’ll be able to keep your energy levels up while running a caloric deficit. Good, clean, fiber-rich carbs include oats, potatoes, rice and whole-grain bread. Also, limit high-carb drinks like fruit juice to postworkout, when your body needs carbs to speed recovery.


GO NUTS!  Looking for a healthy snack? Eating a handful of almonds helped test subjects lose 62% more weight, 56% more fat and 50% more from their waistline after 24 weeks compared to those who followed the same diet without almonds.


To read more on how to decrease fat check out the Muscle & Fitness Link:  16 Ways to Fight Fat:  Nutrition