Our ultimate guide to obliterating body fat and improving muscle tone.

We all want that lean, toned, sexy physique we see in fitness magazines and at the gym or on the beach. Whether you are looking to lose 50lbs, or somewhere in the middle, the fundamentals are the same. From the gym to the kitchen table to what supplements to take, we break it down and get into the nitty gritty of what it takes to drop fat and get lean.

The first step to achieving your weight loss goals is what many see as the most difficult; FIXING YOUR EATING HABITS!

Unfortunately, many of us have developed a taste for certain types of foods, and usually, it’s processed carbs, fast food, sugary treats, and, let’s not forget, deep-fried foods. Well, now is as good of a time as any to arm yourself with the knowledge of how to eat right and feel better. Ignore trend diets that you only follow for a month, these tips will set you up for long-term success.

All the food we eat comes with a certain amount of calories, which represent the energy the food offers.

We gain weight when we consume more calories than we burn.

Our weight is maintained when we burn the same amount of calories as we consume.

We lose weight when we burn more calories than we consume.

In order for us to lose weight, we need to burn more calories than we consume, otherwise known as a calorie deficit.

How do we burn calories? We actually burn the most calories during the day with various bodily functions that we have no control over like digesting food and breathing. We can also burn calories through physical activities like our workouts.

What we need to understand is that workouts alone are NOT a sustainable way to keep us in a calorie deficit. Countless studies demonstrate that we typically overestimate how many calories we burn during a workout and underestimate how many calories we consume during the day.

The truth is we typically burn somewhere between 300-400 calories per workout, which means, all it takes is a small snack to wipe out the calories you burned during your workout. If all we did was exercise to lose weight, it's a guaranteed recipe for maintaining or gaining weight!

The real ticket to sustainable fat-loss is a proper diet to keep you in a small calorie deficit.

Notice I said small deficit.

Reduce your caloric intake by too much and your workout performance will suffer due to a lack of fuel. You'll be chronically tired and irritable. You'll be hungry and angry, and your fat-loss will plateau as you can't just keep lowering your calories.

This is why 80-90% who diet put the weight they lose back on and then some.

You might see a quick drop in weight but the results won’t stick. Too little calories taken in will actually cause your body to go into starvation mode and hold onto fat for fuel. Not good if you want to make long term changes.

Instead, the key is to start with a small deficit to keep your energy levels high, workout performance strong, and to see a gradual decrease in body-fat (1-2lbs per week).

To put together a diet plan that supports a small calorie deficit, we recommend a regimented eating schedule to help you manage your calorie intake. Sitting down at the beginning of each week and determining the timing of your meals and snacks can help remove the stress of trying to figure it out as you go along. Our goal weight calculator is a great tool to know exactly how many calories are required per day to reach your target weight, as well as what to eat, and when. A proper diet, especially when coupled with a powerful fat burner like SKALD can help you lose weight and keep it off.

You’ll want to make sure you’re not only eating the right amount of calories, but also the right amounts of healthy macros (carbs, proteins, fats) to fuel for your day and your workouts..

Our Goal Weight Calculator will do all the hard work for you by recommending what your macros should be based on your age, weight, height, physical activity and fitness goals. But as a general template for optimal weight loss, we recommend 50% lean protein, 40% healthy fats and 10% complex carbs.

Here’s a sample diet:

BREAKFAST
8 oz. black coffee
3 scrambled eggs
2 cups unsweetened, cooked oatmeal with cinnamon

LUNCH
3 oz. grilled salmon
Large raw salad with 2 tbsp. olive oil and vinegar
2 cups sweet or baked potato

SNACK
Meal-replacement shake with 50g protein, 25g carbs, 5g fat

POST-WORKOUT
25g whey protein
1 banana

DINNER
6 oz. baked chicken breast
3 cups cooked jasmine rice or potato
1 cup steamed broccoli

DESSERT
5 oz Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Milk
1 scoop of casein protein, (to make chocolate pudding)

Is Cardio Necessary for Weight Loss?

No, performing cardio is not necessary for weight loss. Being in a calorie deficit is by far the most effective way to lose weight, and is a necessary part of a weight loss plan. Just remember to use cardio sparingly because your metabolism will drop due to muscle loss (making long term weight loss increasingly more difficult).

By prioritizing eating properly and making sure you are in a SLIGHT calorie deficit that is progressively and conservatively increasing over a period of 8-12 weeks, and making sure to incorporate weight training to not lose strength and muscle tissue, you could have amazing results. Especially when combined with a fat burner like SKALD.

If you find you need to still burn a little more calories and don’t want to cut out calories from your diet, you could add low-impact, lower intensity cardio to your training plan in small amounts.

Here are the 5 Best Types of Cardio for weight loss:

Incline Walking
Stair Climber
Rowing
Boxing
Running

Whether your progress on losing weight has stalled or you’re just getting started on your journey to lose a few pounds and want something to jumpstart your results, adding the right combination of supplements to this routine and your diet can be the ultimate solution. By combining this routine with a powerful fat burner, amino acids, AKG, CLA and Garcina Cambogia you can accelerate weight loss and better control your metabolism, energy levels, recovery, and fat oxidation.

The Ultimate Weight Loss Stack from BELDT Labs is designed to deliver all of the nutrients you need to torch fat, increase energy to maximize your workouts, and reduce your appetite while retaining lean muscle.

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