The goal of people who want to lose weight is to find ways of effectively burning fat.  When we eat too much of the wrong type of foods and lead sedentary lives, the numbers on the scale begin to go up.  At some point, we will suddenly be confronted by the fact that most of the clothes we own no longer fit well and a bulge seems to have materialized on our midsection.

It is best to understand first how our body gains weight.  Each day, the body, through the different types of activities that it performs, burns a certain amount of calories.  Different foods have different calorie counts.  If you eat more calories than you burn, the extra calories are stored in the body as fat.  This makes you heavier.  To lose weight, you can either reduce the amount of calories you take in or increase the number of calories that you burn by engaging in high levels of activity.  The best way to burn fat which translates to losing weight is to combine a low calorie food intake with a moderate to high level of physical activity.

But how exactly does one burn fat through diet?  There are many diet plans out there that are claiming to be fat burning diets.  From the vegetable soup diet, Jay Robb’s Fat Burning Diet, Strip that Fat, even the South Beach Diet, and more.  In the end, whatever type of diet you call it, low fat, low carb, or high protein, it’s all about the amount of calories you put into your body (input) and the calories that you burn (output) through physical activities.  Even if you eat 5000 calories daily, but you work out like an Olympic athlete, you will never get fat.

Here are some tips on creating your own fat burning diet strategy.

1.    Perform cardiovascular and resistance exercises.  Aerobics together with strength training burns calories and increases muscle mass. The more muscles you have, the more calories you burn.  If you are not a fan of going to the gym or would not want to spend for exercise equipment, start by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking for 30 minutes a day.  Why not dance to the latest tunes or ride the bike?  Find an exercise routine that is fun and mix it up.

2.    Include more ‘fat-burning foods’ into your meals.  Examples of fat burning foods are those that are rich in fiber, high in nutrients and low in calories.

·    Vegetables like broccoli, beets, asparagus, cabbage, garlic, spinach
·    Legumes like beans and peas
·    Fruits such as grapefruits, apples, blueberries
·    Whole grains and cereals like barley, oats, brown rice
·    Low-fat dairy products like skim milk, low fat yogurt, cottage cheese
·    Almonds, walnuts and other healthy nuts
·    Salmon, tuna and sardine which are Omega-3 rich
·    Lean turkey or chicken
·    Beverages like green tea and coffee

3.    Limit your intake of fatty foods.  Avoid foods high in cholesterol, trans fats and saturated fats.  Use only good fats like olive oil, canola oil, and others.  Stay away from butter and mayonnaise.

4.    Limit your intake of sodium rich foods.  Salty foods make you retain water.

5.    Cook your meals by steaming, baking, grilling or poaching.  

6.    Limit or avoid taking sugar in its many forms.  

7.    Drink a lot of water.  Eliminate carbonated drinks or sugary drinks.  Remember that water helps reduce toxins from the body.

8.    Find ways to increase your metabolism.  This can be done by engaging in cardiovascular and strength exercises, eating foods like chili peppers and high-quality proteins, and eat smaller but healthier meals daily, say 5-6 instead of 3 big meals. Eating smaller meals which your body can easily digest raises your metabolism thus helping to burn more fat.

Remember to consult your doctor before you begin any form of diet or exercise regimen to make sure that you don’t have any underlying health conditions.
You can create your own fat-burning diet without spending money on pre-packaged diet programs.  You don’t have to obsessively count calories either.  Eating the right foods in moderation and engaging in continuous physical activities will surely burn the fat away.