Are you sick of tracking every macro, counting every calorie and still not seeing the fat loss results you seek? I’ve been there. I feel your pain. Read on to learn how to burn fat.
Once upon a time I counted calories, but it just got so old. Over the years I’ve tweaked my processes for fat loss and muscle building to fit my space casiness, and man am I glad I did.
Fat Burning Hacks Without Calorie Counting
I’m not an accountant. I’m a fitness nerd. Unless it involves rolling dice and adding up damage values or word counts, numbers just aren’t my thing. As a result, calorie counting to burn fat has been a practice I’ve avoided for a while now.
Let’s be honest. Counting calories sucks. Not only is it tedious and often takes the joy out of eating, the very method of counting calories for fat loss has fallen under attack recently, due to this weird thing called the scientific method; you know, where we base the worth of a practice on things like evidence, proof, and research.
Many people are starting to catch on to the suspicion that calorie counting isn’t just potentially ineffective, it might actually be counterproductive. This is not an article arguing one way or the other. Instead, it’s meant to provide insight into tried-and-true tested ways to hack your journey to burn fat without counting calories.
Exercise: Aerobic & Anaerobic
I know what you’re thinking. No duh exercise can help burn fat. Which is why I have to mention it, because what sort of crazy person would possibly write an article about fat loss hacks without at least including the obvious.
Ultimately, there are two forms of exercise: aerobic and anaerobic. Each type of exercise has its place in fat loss, and not just in regards to burning calories.
Aerobic: Means “in the presence of, or with, oxygen.” Defined as moderate-intensity physical activity that can be sustained for more than just a few minutes, aerobic exercise is pretty much cardio.
You know cardio burns calories. That’s not the only attribute that makes it an effective way to burn fat though. Cardio can speed up metabolism, increase nutrient utilization, improve oxygen uptake, and depending on the type of cardio, can even help regulate stress and cortisol.
Despite what you may have been led to believe, 30-120 minutes a day of cardio isn’t required to gain a lot of these benefits. Even just 10-12 minutes of blood-pumping movement can reap some serious benefits, and I’m not referring to only High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) either. You can jump on the stationary bike and perform moderate-intensity cycling for a short period of time and still reap some benefits.
For fat loss specifically, I suggest 8-12 minutes of cardio prior to weight training as this will get blood pumping at optimal levels — better pump — as well as increase your heart rate, so you can burn more fat during your lift. Try this timing routine on the stationary bike to warm-up:
- 60 seconds low-intensity
- 60 seconds moderate-intensity
- 15 seconds high-intensity
- 45 seconds moderate-intensity
That will be a total of 3 minutes. Repeat 3-4 times.
Anaerobic: Means “living, active, occurring, or existing in the absence of free oxygen.” This is going to be your weight training. Exercises like barbell curls, bench press, squats, etc. The list of benefits for anaerobic exercise are well-known, and although some might be silly enough to think lifting makes them bulky, it’s just not the case.
Some ways in which weight training can help you lose weight is that muscle is pretty much fat’s enemy. By building muscle, you’re increasing your army of fat-killers.
Metabolic rate is increased for up to 2 hours after a strength training/hypertrophy/etc workout. On top of that, lifting can boost other hormones that are critical for fat loss.
Hydrate — More Water
This should go without saying, but you need to drink more water if you have any hope of effectively losing weight.
- Water is a natural appetite suppressant.
- Water helps remove waste from the body
- Water is necessary to burn fat: Without water, the body can’t properly metabolize stored fat or carbs.
- Water helps with exercise efficiency. Hydration is important for exercise performance. Weird…
Repair Your Metabolism
Oftentimes, a plateau in fat loss can be as simple (to ‘diagnose’) as a slow/damaged metabolism. Metabolic function can be impaired by anything from drinking too much alcohol to dieting. Yup. Calorie restricting diets can actually slow metabolism.
When our metabolism slows down, it means our bodies aren’t as efficient at utilizing foods for energy — i.e. burning calories. Luckily, there are some pretty simple ways to boost metabolism back to speed.
- Drinking more cold water
- Eat plenty of protein — protein has a thermogenic effect
- Speaking of thermogenic effects, throw in some spicy foods too for the same reason
- High-intensity workouts (figure this one should be repeated)
- Lift heavy things, put them back down, then lift them up again.
- Get more sleep
Nutrient Quality
If you haven’t heard the saying, “Not all calories are created equal” yet, then let me do the honors of introducing you to the obvious: Not all calories are created equal.
But hey, you’re not stupid. You figured that out on your own, I’m sure. It’s a pretty easy thing to understand that 200 calories from Pop-Tarts won’t have the same benefits as 200 calories from, say, like, well…pretty much anything that has nutritional value.
But, here’s the thing. Not all macronutrients are created equal either. And no, I’m not about to argue that protein is better than fats or fats are better than carbs. I mean that not all carbs are equal, and in the same way, not all fats and proteins are equal. For example, let’s just look at a few blatant comparisons:
| Macro | Good (This) | Bad (not this) |
| Fat | Cognitive Creamer Serving size: 1 scoop Calories: 90 Fat: 8g Carbs: 5 Sugar: 0 Fiber: 4 Bonus: Huperzine A, MCT Oil Powder, L-Arginine, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Chromium, Magnesium | Caramel Macchiato creamer: Serving size: 2.5 tbsp calories : 90 Fat: 4g Carbs: 12 Sugars: 12 Fiber: 0 Vitamins: Negligible at best |
| Protein: | Buck Feed Whey Protein: 25g protein Serving size: 1 scoop Calories: 120 Fats: 1.5g Carbs: 3g Vitamins: Digestive enzyme complex, for one. | House Brand Protein: Crap. And more crap. |
| Carbohydrate | Sweet Potatoes: Serving size: 1.5 inch Calories: 112 Carbs: 26 Fiber: 3 High in beta-carotene, vitamins A, B6, C, E, as well as potassium and manganese | Chocolate Chip Cookies: Serving size: 1 cookie Calories: 180 Carbs: 24g Sugars: 14g Fats: 9g Benefits: Delicious |
I know, I picked things on the polar opposite of the spectrum. But, to my surprise, this is still a common mistake people make. On an all too regular basis. Especially noobie flexible dieters (emphasis on noobie, because I know a lot of flexible dieters try to do 80% quality nutrients, which I totally support).
Nutrient Timing
I’ve been stressing this to clients, friends, and (like one of those zealous street pulpiteers) really anyone who will listen. Almost any type of food, no matter the quality, can be scheduled at an optimum time for ingestion.
Even foods that are high in nutritional value can hinder fat loss results if eaten at suboptimal times. Likewise, foods that are considered low in nutritional value can be utilized effectively for optimizing fat loss & muscle building effects. Some examples:
Carbohydrates:
- Sugar (dextrose): Because of how our bodies break down carbohydrates into their simpler forms, glucose, to be utilized as energy, simple sugars can be an effective + quick way to replenish muscle glycogen after its been depleted during an intense workout. Plus, this particular time is one where the insulin spike can be beneficial. However, their high glycemic index rating at any other point in the day can lead to a bad crash, and often can get stored as fat.
- Fruits: Because fruits help replenish liver glycogen, they can be great for an energy boost throughout the day. However, they don’t have much muscle glycogen replenishing abilities, making them less than ideal for post-workout…except in low dose, because they can help your body absorb and shuttle the simple ‘crack’ carbs.
Fats:
Throughout the day, healthy fats like avocados, almonds, grass-fed butter, etc are great sources of long-lasting energy. Fats in general take longer for our body to digest, which can be very useful for stamina and cognition during daily routines.
For that same reason, they aren’t exactly optimal when it comes to being the first thing ingested post-workout. Post-workout, we want our proteins for muscle repair as quick as possible, and we don’t want anything slowing that down. Hence why going with faster acting carbs like rice cakes are such a good option. If you’re staying away from carbs entirely, totally fine, just drink up that sweet Buck Feed without anything else…unless you really want to optimize gainz of course, then mix it with a serving of Organic Greens (to help with nutrient absorption and fast track your system for recovery)
Gut Health
Considered the body’s second brain, the gut microbiome is of critical importance for anyone who seeks muscle growth, fat loss, elevated focus, and general health and wellness.
Although there’s no such thing as skinny bacteria or fat microbes, the contents in your gut help regulate metabolism, nutrient absorption, and weight management.
As it so happens, your gut microbes may help you maintain a healthy weight and ideal physique. They also might hold the answer to why some of us are protected from obesity. In other words, if you want to accelerate fat loss, one of the best things you can do for yourself is improve gut health.
Supplementation
Since the dawn of the fitness industry, it’s been believed that, when it comes to supplements, they’re the very last thing a person should focus on. Additionally, many persons from the 50’s all the way up until the present day place the importance of each aspect of fitness to burn fat (training, diet, supplementation) into a percentage chart like:
- Diet: 75%
- Training: 20%
- Supplementation: 5%
Now, I’m not so contrarian to say that supplementation is as important as your daily exercise or as what you eat, but come on. Let me ask you a quick couple of questions…
- Have you ever taken Bucked Up, BLACK, WOKE AF, or BAMF for your pre-workout?
- Assuming you answered yes to #1, have you ever tried training without one of the aforementioned pre-workouts?
- A more difficult assumption to make because we’re all stim-junkies, but assuming you answered yes to question #2…on a level of 1 to “What the hell was I thinking?” how much did your no-pre-workout training session suck?
I’m not saying you absolutely need to have a high quality pre-workout to get a good lift, but I’m not not saying it either.
Furthermore, all of us remember when we first started on a weight loss journey. There’s the mix of Resistance (to improving), anxiety, desperation, hope, excitement, anger, etc. And most of us would have done (or would do) anything to just get rid of that damn fat.
But the problem is, things take time. All there is to it. And more likely than not, especially if you’re new to the fat-loss game, you’re jacked up on some level. No, I’m not referring to your mental health or whether you’re the modern day Patrick Bateman, I’m referring to things like:
- Hormone dysfunction
- insulin sensitivity
- Metabolic damage
- Bloated and dehydrated
- Vitamin deficient
Maybe you’re none of the first four things, but chances are incredibly likely that you are vitamin deficient. Most of us are. Even the guru Dave Asprey, who (believes he) has the most optimum diet on the planet takes a surplus of vitamins every day. Because despite what many would like to tell you, supplementation makes an insane amount of difference, especially when you’re really serious about your goals.
For your convenience, I’ve listed the Top Five Best Supplements for Fat Loss — as well as why they’re the best, which seems obvious but for some reason a lot of articlists don’t do that? Wtf people?!
(Note: you will notice I left out mentioning any of our Bucked Up pre-workouts; this is because I feel it’s a given that you should be taking high-quality pre-workout, and since we have such a wide variety of powerful, delicious options — non-stim, pump maximizer, low-stim, moderate stim, high caffeine nootropic [focus], stim junkie’s fantasy pre, as well as one for system cleansing [like burning sage except it actually works] — explaining every one of them would just take forever and therefore need its own article…like this one here)
HEAT Fat Burner: a revolutionary cellular fat metabolizer, HEAT fat burner is backed by 5 clinically proven, trademarked ingredients. This scientifically tested formula strengthens the cornerstones of peak body composition: metabolism,* thermogenesis,* healthy hormone levels,* and natural water shredding.* HEAT increases focus and energy without the jittery feeling of being overly stimulated.* Boost your motivation and confidence by using HEAT to become a leaner, more defined you.*
- Thermogenesis: heat your system. Stoke the fat burning fires.*
- Increase metabolism: Calories are simply a measurement of energy. When the body has excess energy, it stores them away as fat in case of emergency. An accelerated metabolism burns through calories before they stow-away in your gut.
- Healthy hormone levels: Hormones dictate fat loss. Optimize your hormones and you’re already miles ahead of your competition.
- Focus, mood, motivation: HEAT delivers the focus to function even on a calorie deficit,* elevates mood to keep you from emotional eating,* and provides the motivation to keep you at your best — both in the gym and the kitchen.*
- Water shredding: feeling bloated can be discouraging. HEAT helps you feel and look leaner by gently shredding water weight.*
Here’s a convenient link that’ll help you get started with your fat incinerating secret weapon.
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid):
One of the most overpowered non-stimulant fat loss accelerants around, CLA is a polyunsaturated fat found in linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid found most commonly in plant oils.
CLA is an omega-6 fatty acid. Diets high in omega-6 tend to be pretty inflammatory, which is why many advise to avoid foods high in omega-6. Luckily, the inflammation soothing properties of CLA make it work more like an omega-3 in the body.
That’s not all it does though. Some of the revered benefits of CLA are:
- May help to build muscle rather than store fat.*
- Has immune-system positive properties.*
- Can inhibit fat from getting stored in the first place.*
- Even has the potential to aid in breaking up stubborn fat cells, making them easier to use (burn) for energy.*
RACKED BCAAs:
Loaded with a scientifically proven 2:1:1 ratio of iBCAA’s to deliver instantized amino acids to your muscles when you need them most.* BCAAs are well-known for their ability to aid in muscle recovery and protein synthesis (and therefore, GAINZ).* They can also be used to delay muscle fatigue during intense training sessions.*
RACKED® also boasts clinical doses of L-Carnitine & Acetyl L-Carnitine. These potent ingredients play several roles, including shuttling fatty acids into cells to be BURNED for energy.* This function transforms your body into a lean muscle building–fat burning machine (in a fasted state or with fuel in your system).
From there, we added in GBB (Gamma-butyrobetane HCL). GBB has seen an increase in popularity over the years due to its powerful fat loss properties when combined with exercise. One such property is that GBB is considered a “sweat amplifier.” In other words, bring a change of shirt when you take RACKED, because your fat will be crying as you melt it away.
We rounded the formula out with a natural electrolyte source, (Himalayan sea salt) taurine, tyrosine & chromium picolinate to optimize the mitochondria of the cell. Add it to your fat loss stack today to burn fat!
STAG/DOE (Full spectrum formula multi-vitamin)
STAG — For Him
STAG Multivitamin supplies all the vitamins and minerals your body and brain need for optimal function, which of course, includes fat loss when combined with exercise* — since fat loss goals require some optimization. If you want to build muscle, burn fat, or just need to upgrade your quality of life, then lay down the foundation:
- Formulated for Men: Equality doesn’t mean same. Designed to help free test levels.
- Clinically Dosed: You should get what you pay for. Quality ingredients & results.
- Bioavailable: Increased bioavailability means you get all the benefits.
- Full Spectrum Panel: Like a full-coverage insurance plan, except we actually cover you
Key Ingredients:
- Iron: Oxygen transportation and energy production*
- Vitamin D3: Cholesterol management, mood assistance, immune function*
- Vitamin A: Immune function, bone strength, and vision health*
- Vitamin E: Toxin protection (which can aid in immune health), healthy skin*
- Magnesium: Sleep quality, muscle recovery, and healthy free testosterone levels*
DOE — For Her
Designed with diamond-cutter attention to detail, DOE Full Spectrum has Cranberry and D-Mannose for urinary tract support. We use chelated ingredients for improved bioavailability, and to promote overall wellness, we have included ingredients to help hormone balance.*
Specifically made for women, DOE delivers the science-based nutrients we need for vibrant health; 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 for healthy & strong bones, B-vitamins to support heart and brain.* Biotin for luminous skin and hair.* Add onto that, powerful antioxidants like vitamin C, then vitamin A to promote a healthy immune system and to burn fat when combined with exercise.*
- Chelated Ingredients: Improved bioavailability*
- Urinary Tract Support: Cranberry and D-Mannose*
- Hormone Support: For ULTIMATE health and wellness*
- Heart + Bone Health: two critical components of strength and stamina*
- Hair, skin, and nail health: B-vitamin complex for vibrance*
- Iron-Free: some women can handle iron, some can’t.
Key Ingredients:
- Cranberry: shown to be effective for boosting urinary tract health*
- D-Mannose: Coupled with Cranberry, D-Mannose promotes urinary tract health*
- B-Vitamin Complex + Vitamin E: For healthy hair, skin, and nails*
- Vitamin C: Powerful antioxidant to bolster immune function — the body’s defense*
- Vitamin D3: One of many hormone support ingredients to keep your hormones balanced*
Find it on the site!
Organic Greens
This one is somewhat similar to having a full-spectrum vitamin in your arsenal. To truly achieve ambitious fitness goals requires an attention to internal health as well as just getting calories burnt and what not.
Organic Greens is packed with a variety of compounds, such as broccoli, wheatgrass, spinach, spirulina, and more. The combination of these ingredients deliver potent benefits…
- Cholesterol regulation*
- Antioxidant-rich*
- Natural detoxification agent*
- Healthy immune system*
- Gut health*
- May even aid nutrient absorption*
Key Ingredients:
- Organic Barley Grass – Has been shown to strengthen the immune system, alkalinize the body, increase energy, aid digestion, relieve constipation, and improve the health of skin, hair and nails. It is essential for removing toxins and heavy metals out of the thyroid.*
- Organic Wheat Grass – Is full of iron, calcium, magnesium, amino acids, chlorophyll, and vitamins A, C and E. It has a rich nutrient boost to your immunity, kills harmful bacteria in the digestive system, and rids the body of toxins and waste.*
- Organic Kale – This is a nutrition superstar which is why it’s called a SUPERFOOD due to the amounts of vitamins A, K, B6 and C, calcium, potassium, copper and manganese it contains. Taking Kale by itself is super beneficial.*
- Organic Alfalfa – Is packed with healthy antioxidants, vitamins C and K, folate and magnesium. Folate is highly recommended for pregnant women.*
- Organic Broccoli – Vitamins K and C, Folate and also provides potassium and fiber. Organic Spinach – Rich in vitamins A, C and K, magnesium, iron and manganese.*
- Organic Spirulina – Phycocyanin is the main active compound in spirulina. It has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Good for recovery.*
- Organic Chlorella – Chlorella may help the body detox by binding to heavy metals and other toxins. In case you can’t fight those everyday cravings it can help cleanse your system.*
Get your greens on here.
Digestive Enzymes:
This one is largely dependent on the health of your gut and digestive system, but I’ve yet to meet someone who hasn’t seen a drop in inches from optimizing gut health so…definitely worth a look.
Formulated with a variety of macro-specific enzymes, BUCKED UP Enzymes has you covered on all fronts. This product helps digest carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and dairy products.* Not only that, we’ve included prebiotics to promote the strength of your good bacteria so it can more effectively wage war on any bad bacteria in your gut.
- General Gut Help:
- Carb Assistance:
- Protein Assistance:
- Fat Assistance:
- Dairy Assistance:
- Prebiotics:
Hack Fat Loss & Ditch The Calculator
So, what have we learned in class today? Don’t all raise your hands at once. We learned that calories are not the alpha and omega of fat loss, that the most powerful methods for losing weight are:
- Exercise: anaerobic & aerobic
- Hydration
- Metabolic functionality
- Nutrient quality & timing
- Gut health
- Proper supplementation
We at Bucked Up want you to be the best you. You know, living your best life and all that. Obviously we can’t make you exercise, hydrate more, or slap that donut out of your hand.
We’ll just stick to what we’re good at: providing the highest quality supplements to help you meet your weight loss goals. Things for gut health, metabolic function, thermogenesis, exercise enhancement, etc.
Now, throw that donut in the garbage where it belongs and head on over to the site to take that epic next step toward sculpting your dream physique and burn fat. Learn about why your pre workout is not working.
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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. |