The secret comes in reducing your overall body fat percentage. You will get toned as your OVERALL body fat decreases! The fat will melt from all over your body.Where do you store your fat? Belly pouch? It really depends on your body, where the fat is last or first to go. (Some people are pear-shaped; some people are apple-shaped. Know what I mean?) You will shed that fat eventually, as your OVERALL body fat decreases! Focus on fitness and “toning”, not your “weight” so much. (The weight will take of itself.)

1. EXERCISE. Need to lose a bit of fat you’ve gained recently? Want to know the best way to do this without getting too muscular? You need to exercise at least 45 min to an hour a day. Any type of rigorous, systematic movement can be considered exercise. Get a hold of good information, so that you are getting more done in every workout. Lots of people just spend hours and hours doing cardio exercises only (jogging, biking, treadmill), and don’t even know about the importance of toning (or muscle exercises) with free weights and exercise balls.

Don’t worry, most people are not genetically able to get “huge” muscles. But you should consult a good plan to make sure you are working all the muscles in your body properly, and not overdoing or underdoing any area.

2. DIET. By now you know the importance of a healthy diet. Did you know that your diet is 4 times more important than exercise in determining how fast you progress. And exercise is needed in combination with a healthy diet to sculpt those muscles underneath. It’s not all about doing “crunches” to get nice looking abs or to get rid of excess fat you put on. You also have to work on your diet.

Try to stay in a zone when eating, getting calories from carbohydrates, protein and fat in a ratio of 40% / 30% / 30%. This ratio has been shown to produce weight loss at reasonable rates. You will feel your best, without cravings (for salty and sugary foods) and you will not feel hungry. Eating this way balances you insulin levels. You don’t get the highs or lows after a meal. When you are in caloric balance your body is more efficient and does not have to store excess calories as fat.

Reduce your intake of highly saturated fats! Stop eating those artery-clogging french fries, chicken wings, etc. It’s okay to eat them once a week but don’t pig out on them. If you normally order a Large Fries, then order Medium one next time. If you eat meat everyday, cut down your portion sizes and eat chicken and lean meat and nice fish.

3. EAT RIGHT. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables everyday; include them in all your meals. There are good vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, water, and other stuff in there that helps you lose weight. Take a daily vitamin and an omega-3 fat supplement.

4. WATER is a natural appetite suppressant, so developing a good water drinking habits. Most times your “hunger” is your body asking for water – not food. It’s also important to remember that when the body is dehydrated, fat cells get “rubbery” and cannot be easily metabolized. This means that it’s harder to lose when you don’t drink your water.

Remember this equation: There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight. This combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss.

Let’s say you want to lose a pound per week. To do so, you need to figure out how many calories a person of your age, sex, and weight usually needs in a day, subtract 500 from that amount, and follow a diet that provides you with that many calories. (7 days x 500 calorie deficit per day = 3500 calories lost per week = 1 pound)

That’s how it works.

Here’s a couple of helpful chart

http://www.fda.gov/hearthealth/lifestyle…

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obe…

Now you just have to learn how to eat better and maximize your workouts! Consult this web site for a plan that pulls it all together!
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Target Heart Rate Zone