is-not-fat-is-just-fluffy.jpgSome diets need a maths degree or nutritionist diploma to figure out how to use but nutrition needn’t be complex. I stick to the following 6 key rules for keeping a healthy diet and losing fat:

1. Little and Often

I do this for two reasons. One it stops me feeling any bloating after a full meal which can cause me to get sluggish and stop any form of physical activity for a good few hours. Another reason is it keeps you blood sugar levels at a steadier level throughout the day – this is a good thing.

2. Eat 10-15% Below Calorie Requirements

I first got the idea for this from a Japanese martial arts manual. In that it promoted eating less than your body requires to maintain low levels of body fat. Eating vast quantities of carbs and protein is not required to keep healthy. If you want to build muscle then yes – by all means eat more. But to have a ripped physique and efficient metabolism then eating just below your requirements is key.

3. Fruit & Vegetables

Go for these at every opportunity. Too many people neglect their fresh vegetable and fruit intake and it really has an impact on everything from cardio performance to digestion.

4. Avoid Simple Carbs

These are basic sugars found in soft drinks, chocolate and even McDonalds burger buns. Simple carbs hit your body hard and cause it to produce a vast amount of insulin to store the excess sugars. This means you store it and thats not something you want if you’re trying to lose weight and body fat.

5. Complex Carbs

The opposite of those above, complex carbs give your body somwething to ‘chew’ on over time. They fuel you for much longer and often fill you better. Complex carbs include muesli, brown rice, granary bread, etc.

6. Complete 3-4 HIIT Cardio Sessions a Week

If you haven’t realised that High Intensity Interval Training is the way forward yet then start now. You can perform a 15-20 minute workout and have a huge fat busting impact. The key is high intensity. You need to be verging on puking your lungs up by the end. Trust me thoguh – when that feeling disipates you’ll feel like a king.