How to Use Fat Energy

When you burn more calories than you consume, your body turns to buildups of fat as a secondary source of energy, causing the pockets of fat to shrink. By continually eating less and moving more, you can raise your body's internal temperature, literally "burning" off excess pounds. Unlike fad diets, a routine of portion control and regular exercise will promote healthy weight loss as you shed fat from your body.

Instructions

• 1

  Use interval training to burn fat quickly. During a 30-minute workout, alternate your intensity level from 65 percent to 95 percent and back. This method burns more fat calories than doing sustained exercise at an 85 percent intensity. Put this into practice by adding short sprints to your normal jog, or run up a flight of stairs and walk back down.

• 2

  Eat a healthy balance of foods. You might think if you starve yourself or deprive your body of certain food groups that you will instantly loose fat. In truth, maintaining a steady stream of nutrients to your body provides the necessary energy to take part in fat-burning workouts.

• 3

  Exercise for 30 minutes at a time. After exercising for more than 20 minutes, your body runs out of its initial energy sources and starts to turn to fat resources. This fat supplements other energy and allows your body to continue working out for longer periods of time.

• 4

  Shift your eating habits from simple carbohydrates to complex ones. Instead of skipping carbs altogether, ensure that you get four to six servings each day of complex carbohydrates. These include brown rice, starchy vegetables and whole-wheat breads and pastas. Complex carbs provide your body with necessary energy but take longer to digest, meaning they are less likely to be stored in the body as fat.

• 5

  Create an overall plan for health. Doing 1,000 crunches each night won't instantly give you six-pack abs while the rest of your body is still flabby. Fat is burned evenly from all areas of the body, meaning you have to get toned arms, legs and abs all at the same time.