Tips to Lose Fat Quickly and Keep it Off Long Term

crossfit girl red shortsJust got this question from an SGPT athlete:
Hi my name’s Joe,

I’m trying to lose weight because I want to join the U.S. Army.

I have a good idea of how to go about doing that but I wondered what exactly your approach would be.

What are the best thing I can do to cut fat weight quickly?

Thanks for the question Joe – that is a question that we get a lot here at SGPT. Check out these tips to help you melt body fat and keep it off for the long haul.

TIP #1 SET GOALS
Set a definable goal with an end date. Take a photo of yourself in the mirror. Write down how much weight you are looking to lose and also the date. Set a reasonable goal that will be relatively easy to obtain with hard work. Pick an accountability partner or hire a coach. Someone that will help you in any way to achieve your goal. You will find that you will reach that goal quicker than you thought as long as you do the hard work and are accountable to your partner.

TIP #2 FULL BODYWEIGHT
how to melt fat sled push crossfit

These workouts are designed to get you ready for anything at anytime (functional fitness) but also to build your body up for the long haul (durability and endurance).

Who cares if you can bench 400 lbs if you can’t run down the block and pull someone from a burning car?

Doing full bodyweight workouts gets all of your muscles involved. This is the opposite of doing isolation exercises that focus only on one or a few body parts.

Drag a sled (or a tire with a rope). Carry buckets of water. Put on a backpack and hike long distance. Build yourself for the long haul and body fat has no where to go but to melt away.

A great workout that is quick and easy that we like is:
Running Cindy
20 rounds for time
5 pullups
10 pushups
15 air squats
run 200 meters
* beginner athletes can do Australian pull ups. Elite athletes can use a weight vest.

TIP #3 ADD WEIGHT
how to melt fat sand bagWant to burn fat?

Reduce your time between sets having less rest time.

Then up the pounds so that you are doing less reps.

Instead of knocking out 15 pushups put on a weight vest and do 5.

Instead of 20 overhead presses with a sandbag add more sand and try to do 8.

Sandbag Workout
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
Sprint 50 meters up a hill carrying a sandbag
Jog back down with bag
8 sandbag overhead presses
repeat

TIP #4 SLEEP
crossfit girl sleep burn fatThe majority of athletes don’t get enough sleep.

If you are only getting 6 to 7 hours but pounding out hard workouts you are not getting enough.

Take the time to get 8 full hours of sleep.

Turn off the TV early and read 5 minutes or more to get your mind in a good state.

That extra 1.5 hours of sleep that you can get will go a long way towards helping your body. Part of that recovery involves hormones that directly impact your appetite.

A recent article in Scientific American noted that even small amounts of sleep deprivation can lead to weight increase (see citation link at bottom of article)

coconut mct oilWhile recovering we only like a few supplements to use. One natural ingredient that we do like for weight management is MCT oil (coconut oil). Coconut oil can provide more energy than carbohydrates and can keep you feeling fuller and less desire to snack on un-healthy foods. Laird Hamilton and other elite athletes use coconut oil as a fuel to keep them going for long endurance events unlike sugars and carbs that can burn off quickly and leave you feeling crashed.

TIP #5 TRACKING
There have been numerous scientific studies that show that if you track your weight and nutrition intake – you are more likely to lose weight and fat. Write it down in a journal. Keep it in the notes on your smart phone. Download an easy app that tracks your diet choices. MyFitnessPal and Lose-it are two good examples of apps to help you. Tracking is being smart and will help you move towards your goal faster.

Cited references:
Scientific American – How slight sleep deprivation could add extra pounds

Related Articles:
Tips to Recover from Hard Workouts

3 Tips to Build Persistence

5 Tips to Master Your Mind

3 Tips to Get You Out of Any Slump
1 Tip to Help You Turbo Boost Your Week

Seal Fit Stack

SGPT Upcoming Events

Personal Online Coaching

Work 1-on-1
with SEAL Grinder's Brad McLeod
To Achieve Your Goals

pic of brad

Personal fitness training from Brad McLeod, Navy Seal and CrossFit Level 1 instructor. Delivered online, directly to you.

"I recommend Brad to anyone that seriously wants to go to BUDs or anything else in life... try these workouts. Hooyah!" - Chris H.

learn more button