How to Lose Excess Fat at Home

Obesity is epidemic in the United States costing the country billions of dollars in health care and lost productivity at work. Being overweight leads to low self-esteem and several health issues, from diabetes to heart disease. Losing unwanted fat at home will help you regain your health and boost your self-image.

Things You'll Need

• Healthy foods
• Water and other healthy beverages

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Instructions

• 1

  Reduce your overall caloric intake by at least 500 calories each day. Lowering the amount of calories consumed daily to between 1,050 to 1,200 calories per day will help you lose around two pounds per week, according to WebMD. Medical experts caution against eating less than 1,000 calories per day to ensure you are consuming enough vital nutrients.

• 2

  Exercise at least one hour a day, five to seven days a week. Choose vigorous exercises, including cardiovascular workouts and running to lose optimal total body fat. Break the workouts up into smaller increments if a longer session is not feasible. For instance, take a 30 minute run in the morning and hit the gym for weight training or a 30 minute spin class during lunch or after work.

• 3

  Consume six smaller meals each day instead of three larger ones. This will keep you full throughout the day and cut down on the temptation to consume unhealthy snacks.

• 4

  Lower the amounts of heavy meat, fattening dairy products, starches and sugars in your diet. Replacing these items with a diet of lean meats, fruits, vegetables, healthy dairy products including egg whites and skim milk and fish will help you lose unwanted fat and weight, according to WebMD.

• 5

  Drink at least 64 ounces of water every day. Consuming healthy beverages including water, low-calorie juices and fat-free milk will help you feel fuller before meals and prevent unwanted binges on fattening foods.

• 6

  Avoid stressful situations. Excess stress releases an abundance of the hormone cortisol, according to the Mayo Clinic. Cortisol slows the digestive system, decreasing your metabolism and slowing down your body's ability to burn fat. Lower the amount of stress in your life with meditation, yoga and by avoiding stress-inducing situations.

• 7

  Get at least seven to eight hours of restful sleep every night. Lack of sleep also raises cortisol levels in the blood and makes it difficult to find the energy to exercise, perform at work and keep your fat-loss goals on track.