@mainland.towMixing your routine up is always a good way to get out of a health rut. Running and weightlifting are my main workouts, but I’ve been getting into boxing and it is an amazing full-body strength and cardio workout!

@thecolorrunI found out that what kept me motivated to keep going was that I was actually terrified of this [triathlon]. It was out of my comfort zone. It was something I’ve never done before and the fear of literally dying (drowning in the swim or crashing on the bike) is what pushed me to get up at 4:30 a.m. for the pool and to stick with my training and practice. As terrible as that sounds, I scared myself into getting healthier.

onafitnessfrenzy.com There will be times you want to quit, times you want to just let yourself go again, and times you will face negative people. Ignore all of it because at the end of the day, looking in the mirror and smiling at yourself is more important than looking at a stranger and wondering what they think of you.

As BuzzFeed Life reported for a previous story, figuring out how much you should eat depends on your goals. If you’re looking to reduce body fat, you’ll most likely have to find a way to take in fewer calories, on average, than you presently are. Lofton recommends keeping a journal of what you eat across three days (including one weekend day, since weekends tend to be when most people let a little loose) to see where there might some easy fixes to make — like cutting down on alcohol consumption, eliminating sugary drinks, or reducing any portion sizes that seem overly big. If journaling isn’t for you, you can also use online calculators to give yourself a rough estimate of how many calories you need per day based on your goals. Now that you have some basic information, either from your journaling or calculations, you can figure out how to adjust your eating habits to support the goal of losing body fat. Keep in mind that the amount of calories you need to reduce each day or week to lose fat will be totally specific to your goals, lifestyle, the exercise you’re doing, any medical conditions, and so on, so you might need to experiment. Otherwise, of course, speak with a doctor or dietitian for more precise numbers.

Carbs are super important. They’re what the body uses for energy — carbs help us think, walk, and move. Not to mention that workouts would suck without them. That said, if you’re trying to lose fat, you don’t want to have a ton of them. Here’s why: Your body uses the carbohydrates you’ve eaten for energy. When it needs more energy, it turns to glycogen, a form of energy made from carbs and kept around until you need it. If your body uses up the glycogen stores and still needs more energy, your body starts burning your fat for energy. So, if you’re trying to lose fat, you want your body to tear through those carbs and glycogen ASAP to start burning fat sooner rather than later. The best way to do this is to keep your body’s glycogen levels relatively and reasonably low so that your body turns to fat more quickly. Lofton recommends getting about 30% of your daily calories from carbs. This, btw, this isn’t a “low-carb” diet per se. It’s more of a lower-carb diet. The American Academy of Family Physicians defines a low-carb diet as one in which less than 20% of daily calories are coming from carbs.

@laauramayWhen it comes to carbs, keep in mind that the number listed next to “carbohydrates” on a label isn’t always representative of how much carbohydrate your body will actually be getting. When looking at a label, subtract the amount of fiber listed from the total number of carbs — since fiber isn’t digested or metabolized like other carbs, the remaining number represents the amount of carbs your body can use (and that’s the number you want to pay attention to). Lofton says that a serving of carbs is about 15 grams, which is, for example: • 1 slice of bread • 1/2 cup oatmeal • 1 small piece of fresh fruit • 4 to 6 crackers Comite recommends sticking to carbohydrates that won’t cause the blood sugar to rise and fall quickly. Look for carbs with a glycemic index rating under 55, like fruit, beans, vegetables, and so on. For more info on foods and their glycemic index rating, check this out.

Comite explains (and studies show) that getting adequate, good quality sleep keeps the body’s hormones in balance — hormones that are responsible for regulating metabolism. Not getting enough good-quality sleep can disturb hormonal systems that are responsible for enabling us to lose fat. Plus, research shows that being sleep deprived causes us to crave high-calorie foods.

@blaine_noexcusefitnessModerate-intensity steady state cardio has its own health benefits, but burning fat efficiently isn’t one of them. Comite explains that high-intensity interval training is a much more efficient way to burn fat. As explained above, when the body needs energy it will first go dietary carbs, then to its glycogen stores, which you build by consuming carbohydrates. Once you use up the energy provided by glycogen, your body turns to fat, using that to burn energy. Because high-intensity exercise is more demanding, your body more quickly burns through the glycogen and moves on to the fat. Bonus: Higher-intensity exercise keeps burning fat even after you’re done exercising. Lofton recommends doing 150 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week. This can be broken down however it’s most convenient. Can’t do five 30-minute sessions? How about 15 10-minute sessions? Lofton says that as long as you’re putting in the time, you’re helping your body burn fat. Check out some of BuzzFeed Health’s great high-intensity workouts, whether you want to run, do bodyweight exercises, or row, cycle, swim, do the elliptical, etc.

@laurenfisherThe deal with muscle is that it’s a pretty special kind of tissue because it is very metabolically active. This means that whatever your muscles are doing — from standing up and walking to the bathroom to doing a workout — they’re using a lot of energy to do it. The more muscle you have, the more energy (read: calories) you burn doing the same activities. Comite says that one study found that adding just one pound of muscle can mean the ability to burn 30 to 50 more calories per day. Get started with these dumbbell workouts!

giphy.com “If you don’t have enough water, you can’t burn energy efficiently in the same way, including sugar,” says Comite. “If you’re drinking water you’re going to be better at losing fat.” To figure out how much water you should drink per day, divide your weight in half, Lofton says, and drink that many ounces of water per day.

@lizsbbg_Lofton says that most average exercisers who work desk jobs and work out for even up to 90 minutes per day probably aren’t depleting their carbohydrate stores to the point that they need to refuel with a real recovery meal or snack. If you’re working out for about an hour and a half per day and are otherwise mostly sedentary, your post-workout snack should be about 30 grams of carbs. That’s two small pieces of fruit or a 6-inch tortilla and two tablespoons of hummus. OK, so that’s a lot to think about. If you’re thinking of trying to lose fat, the tips above will be helpful — but remember to check with a doctor before making any big changes to your diet or exercise routines. And also remember to check with yourself to make sure your goals for physical fitness match up with your goals for your mental health and lifestyle.

Don’t skip breakfast. It is important to start up your metabolism. Hunger sets in long before it’s time for lunch, so those who haven’t had breakfast often reach for snacks that are high in fat or sugar.

throwoutdoubts.tumblr.com It is easier to digest carbs earlier in the day. So while it is important to eat a balanced diet, keeping your carb heavy meals at breakfast will help you stay fit.

prevention.com Oh, and the size of salad can be as big as you can handle, so, step up that veggie game!

Don’t waste calories by drinking them. Chewing triggers satiety, so you may take in 15% fewer calories than if you eat your apple instead of drinking its juice.

There are tons of benefits from getting a standing desk, one being that you’ll lose weight.

You’re more likely to impulse buy food when you can pay with a credit card. Taking the time to count out your money makes you more aware of what you’re purchasing.

Those who spend more than two hours on their feet can lose up to 350 extra calories a day. So, get up and start moving around.

Yes, due to the ingredient capsaicin, cayenne pepper can increase fat burning in your body, but there’s a laundry list of other benefits as well. Cayenne pepper is also an anti-cold and anti-flu agent, a migraine preventer, a joint pain reliever and a digestive aid.

In most cases, you will lose weight if you consume fewer calories a day than you burn off, but how you go about doing this is very complex. You may think you’re going to lose weight by skipping a snack or even a whole meal entirely, but you’re really doing far more harm than good. Your brain needs glucose in order to have the ability to keep your appetite in check, so by eating — as long as it’s a healthy item — you’re actually empowering yourself not to binge eat at night. In fact, most folks who eat fewer than three meals a day actually end up consuming more calories a day.

According to a recent study, Americans obtain 21 percent of their daily calories from beverages alone. And while you may think you’re saving calories by eating less and choosing a more filling drink, in reality, the 10 drinks you had at the bar last night, the mochachacalaka coffee thing you get every afternoon and even that supposedly “healthy” smoothie are doing way more damage than you probably thought. About 400 calories for one strawberry-mango disaster?!?! Water remains the best beverage option for a multitude of reasons, but we’re all human, so try club soda or vegetable juice if you need a different drink option.

You’ve struggled through kale salads all week, and you have brunch scheduled for both days this weekend, but don’t completely undo all the good you’ve done over the last five days. Two full days of drinking and eating nothing but pizza, burgers and street meat will leave you with problems that can last far beyond your last Bloody Mary on Sunday afternoon. Palmitic acid is found in a lot of the fatty foods you may like to consume on the weekend, and leptin is a hormone that aids in appetite regulation. According to Deborah Clegg, Ph.D., at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, We found that within three days, the saturated fat blunts or blocks the ability of leptin to regulate food intake and body weight. Let your leptin live, people.