When is your body in Fat-Burning Mode? What you need to know!

You know that getting your body into the fat-burning mode is essential for weight loss, but you don't want to spend hours in the gym.

If you want to get rid of the frustration and finally lose weight, we have good news for you! 

We wrote this article to help you understand how your body works and what triggers it to store fat instead of burning it. So, you can make the necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle and finally achieve the weight you've always wanted!

What is fat burning?

When we talk about fat burning in our bodies, we're talking about fat oxidation. Thanks to fat oxidation, fat is transformed into biological energy to be utilized by cells when required.

This process is essential for weight loss because it helps us use the calories we consume more efficiently.

The adipose tissue, which is the part of your body that stores fat, does not keep it as a reserve of energy because you are using glucose as energy all the time. Instead, it holds it to be converted into biological energy when you need it for physical activity or to maintain vital functions.

Therefore, you need to increase the calories you burn to lose weight since you are not consuming any extra calories.

The cascade of biochemical reactions occurs in your body each time you consume food, stop when you do physical activity, and reduce the amount of fat you store in adipose tissue. However, you have to be careful with the type of food you eat because some can stop this cascade and make you store more fat. (Trusted sources 1*)

When is your body in fat-burning mode?

The truth is that you're body is constantly burning fat, but it's not always in the mode you want it to be.

But, when does fat burning start? Dr. Nataniel, a weight loss specialist, says that "you start to burn body fat after 20 minutes of exercise. Your body burns calories throughout the day and from the first second of physical exercise", he explains.

"The body starts to use the glycogen stored in the muscles and, after that, it starts to consume the fat."

"However, you may reach the fat-burning zone much more quickly if you manage your heart rate."

"Your heart rate should be at 60 percent of your maximum heart rate", says doctor Nataniel. "This number you can calculate using this formula: 220 - age. You have to multiply that by 0.6 and 0.75 for men. For women, you have to multiply 226 - age and then multiply the result by 0.60 and 0.75."

"Your body burns one calorie per minute," Dr. Nataniel says, but you should maintain your heart rate at 60% of your max heart rate to get the most out of your body's fat consumption.

To ensure you're getting the most out of your workout, try to stay within the 60-75 percent range. This range will help you burn more body fat and see results faster!

How can you keep your body burning fat all day long? "The afterburn 

"The afterburn effect's scientific name is excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC. EPOC is the amount of oxygen that the body needs to return to its resting state," explains Dr. Nataniel.

The following are some of the characteristics of a resting state:

• A resting-state helps restore the oxygen levels in your body to normal.
• It helps to remove lactic acid. When the muscles relax, lactic acid can move more quickly. That means your body will get better at getting rid of it. Your circulation also improves when you do this, and muscle fatigue goes away.
• It helps to restore ATP levels. If you exercise, your muscle might get hurt. Your body needs ATP to help it heal and restore the tissues in your muscles.

Studies show that EPOC is at its highest right after a workout, but it can last for a longer time. For example, one study showed that EPOC levels could last for up to 38 hours after a workout.

Studies show that your body takes more energy to return to its average level when you exercise. The more intense the workout, the more it will take. It does not matter how long the activity is, but if it is hard, your body will use even more energy.

Now I'm going to show you some exercises that will help you boost your EPOC.

3 Fat burning workouts that work 

You can do many fat-burning exercises at home with no expensive equipment. However, joining a gym is not budget-friendly for everyone, which is why you should consider these exercises as you try to stay on track with your weight loss journey.

Brisk walking

You would burn 100 to 300 calories in 30 minutes at a brisk walking pace or 200 to 600 calories in an hour. So if you walk for 30 minutes or more at a time, you will be burning some of the fat stored in your body.

In the first 30 minutes of exercise, your body burns sugars from food as fuel. After that, if you exercise for over 30 minutes, you will burn fat and carbohydrates as fuel.

Make sure you're not pushing yourself to the point where you get tired or start to feel pain in your muscles or joints because you should always stay within a comfortable pace that allows you to continue exercising while maintaining an elevated heart rate. (2*)

HIIT 

The principle behind high-intensity interval training (HIT, or "High-Intensity Interval Training") is to perform brief, very strenuous intervals that alternate effort and rest.

15 to 20 minutes is all it takes for HIT to provide efficient outcomes, but you'll need between 45 and 50 minutes if you want the same effect from cardio exercise.

Research shows you can burn fat with HIT, and you can use moderate-intensity aerobic exercise to reduce your weight. (3*)

Strength training

New research finds that resistance training may help individuals burn more fat than they lose through cardio or aerobic exercise. The data disprove the entrenched belief that you need to strength train to gain muscle, but to lose weight, you must do cardio.

When the researchers looked at the rates of fat oxidation (fat burning) between these groups, it was found that people who lifted weights burned more fat than those who ran or cycled. (4*)

Exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and pull-ups activate muscle fibers that you wouldn't usually use when just doing cardio. That is because the exercises cause your body to recruit more muscle fibers, and as a result, you'll burn more calories.

In just 20 minutes, you can burn up to 300 calories! In addition, a high-intensity workout will help you speed up your metabolism, as you're improving your cardiovascular endurance as well as muscular strength and power.

Related: "How to tone your body (Fitness secrets revealed)."

7 Fat burning foods

What fat-burning foods do I have to eat? Well, you don't have to eat any special foods to lose weight. You can eat the same healthy foods you've always eaten; you have to make sure you're burning more calories than you're consuming.

However, a few foods help you burn fat. Some of these foods include:

Olive oil 

Olive oil (fat) can help you burn fat. Eating foods rich in "good" fats like olive oil will help the body get rid of white fat and replace it with brown fat, a type of body fat that helps burn more calories.

Among the many excellent fats, we suggest olive oil since it has been demonstrated to promote brown fat activation. (5*)

Green tea

Green tea has an antioxidant polyphenol called epigallocatechin gallate. This chemical is a powerful anticarcinogen that combat white fat that accumulates in the abdomen and poses a risk to the heart. (5*)

Choose wisely. Commercial beverages containing green tea extract, including sugar or sweeteners, are not allowed.

You have to prepare green tea with tea leaves and devoid of sugar to aid in the reduction of fat. To get the most benefits, drink 4 cups each day. In one month, you will lose 700 grams.

Lentils

You have to eat lentils at least once a week for three reasons: they are high in iron, which aids fat loss; vitamin B12, which is required to convert fat into energy; and vitamin B3, which also helps to promote fat burning. But avoid cooking them with very fatty ingredients such as sausages. (6*)

Chili peppers

They contain capsaicin, the chemical that causes the pepper's sting. When you consume chili peppers, your body temperature rises, and, to do so, your metabolism burns fat reserves. The peppers richest in capsaicin are the habanero bell pepper, date bell pepper, cayenne pepper, serrano bell pepper, and jalapeño bell pepper.

 Apples

To improve the amount of fiber and ursolic acid in your apples, eat them with the peel on. These compounds slow down the digestive process and boost metabolism efficiency to extract energy and nutrients from food.

That increases the number of calories you consume even if you don't move. Go for organic apples that aren't laced with pesticides if you can. (7*)

Broccoli

After being digested, broccoli has compounds that the body turns into a cancer-fighting chemical called sulforaphane.

Broccoli contains a chemical that initiates a metabolic process that results in fat loss. Don't boil it for too long to get the most out of broccoli's nutrients. Cook the florets for only three minutes if possible.

Finally, dress them with a pinch of salt, extra virgin olive oil drizzle, and lightly roasted garlic and paprika. That is both nutritious and tasty. (8*)

Tomato

Tomato is bright red due to lycopene, which promotes fat burning by increasing the production of the amino acid carnitine. You can make orange and tomato juice with one tomato, two oranges, and honey. The fruit's vitamin C helps the lycopene have a more substantial impact. (9*)

Related: "How to calculate your macros for dummies."

Conclusion

Now that you know what fat-burning mode is, how to get your body into it, and the best workouts for burning fat all day long.

You're ready to start incorporating these principles into your life, and watch as your weight loss efforts become more successful than ever before!

To ensure you don't forget any of this vital information, we have provided seven foods that help with fat burn faster. Enjoy them after a workout or just because they taste delicious.

Please click here if you want to read our articles on other fitness topics such as muscle building.

DISCLAIMER: buildyourbody.org does not provide medical advice, examination, and diagnosis.

Medically reviewed and approved by Nataniel Josue M D.