How to Burn Excess Body Fat

Excess body fat, particularly in the stomach area, can contribute to a number of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Whether you need to lose just a few pounds or a substantial amount of weight, the best way to burn excess body fat is through a combination of diet and exercise. A few simple tweaks to your diet and exercise routine can increase your body's natural fat-burning ability, helping you burn stubborn fat and improve your overall health.

Instructions

• 1

  Eat a minimum of 1,200 calories daily. Anything below this number is not enough to ward off hunger, which may cause your body to go into starvation mode, lowering your metabolism. Eat every three to four hours to keep your metabolism fueled steadily throughout the day.

• 2

  Eat a serving of lean protein at every meal. Lean protein helps you build calorie-burning muscle mass, while also warding off hunger.

• 3

  Get your heart rate up. Aerobic exercise is an important part of burning excess fat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend 75 to 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous cardiovascular activity per week. Cardiovascular activity can include walking, running, biking, swimming or playing a team sport. Choosing activities you enjoy can make it easier to stick with your workout program.

• 4

  Add interval training to your regular workout routine. Intervals are bursts of high-intensity activity that allow you to burn more calories in the same amount of time. You can add intervals to most types of aerobic activity. For example, walk at a brisk pace for one minute, then increase the intensity for one minute, getting breathless. Repeat this cycle for the duration of your workout.

• 5

  Do strength training exercises at least twice a week. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue even when the body is at rest. Strength training can include weight lifting with free weights, gym machines or kettle bells, resistance exercises such as push-ups, or sculpting programs like Pilates. The CDC recommends strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two days a week.