Introduction
When it comes to sustainable results (rather than a quick fix that finds you back where you started), we recommend taking a holistic approach to fat loss.

This means following a sound nutritional program, precise supplementation and an exercise program specifically designed to reduce body fat.

To assist you in the process, we have provided a number of tips and guidelines. It is always advisable to consult a medical practitioner before starting any exercise or nutritional program. If you are new to exercise, or simply require support and guidance, seek advice from an expert (your local gym might, or look for a personal trainer under ‘P’ in the phone book.

Include weight training in your program

Including weight training in your program will play a key role in ‘toning’ your physique. Resistance training will also help to maintain or increase your current lean muscle while dieting.

Undertake some form of cardiovascular (AEROBIC) training

On a non-weight training day, aim to undertake some form of cardiovascular training.

For fat loss, some of the best types of cardiovascular activities are bike riding, walking, skipping, stair climbing, and boxercise.

You can also include some form of low-intensity cardiovascular exercise straight after your weight training session. As your glycogen (energy) stores will already be partly depleted from your weight training, your body will tap into stored fat more quickly than if you were to undertake cardio alone.

You should vary your training intensity, type, frequency, and length to constantly challenge your body, and therefore continually improve and progress closer to your goals.

Consume at least 10 glasses of water everyday

Water is an essential factor in any weight-loss plan. Your body is composed of between 65 per cent and 75 per cent water.
Water clears toxins from your body and helps excess fats pass through your system before they can be stored. Always drink water when you eat something that is high in refined carbohydrates and saturated fats – it will help your body to remove toxins safely.
Water also supports the transportation of necessary nutrients throughout the body.
Another scientific theory relating to water and fat loss is that water may help you to eat less. Before sitting down to a meal drink a few glasses of water – you will feel full (and water is calorie-free).
We recommend that you drink at least ten glasses of water per day.

If you are undertaking an exercise and nutrition program, you will need more water depending on your diet and activity levels.

Monitor your carbohydrate intake

Carbohydrates are often the easiest foods to eat and the ones we can over-indulge in to meet emotional needs.

Monitor your total daily consumption, particular in the afternoon and evening.

Try to eat adequate amounts of green vegetables and low-glycaemic carbohydrate sources throughout the day.

Learn to make the best food choices to reach your goals. Start by becoming an avid label reader.

First, read the ingredient list on the product to get a full understanding of what you really are consuming. Labels must (by law) list ingredients in order of content (highest to lowest). So if sugar is the first ingredient, we strongly suggest you avoid that product.

Take a closer look in your trolley next time you are shopping - you may be surprised by what you are eating once you have a greater understanding of nutrition and labels.

Remember that excess sugar will be converted to fat just as easily as fat.

Do not be misled by clever (or confusing) marketing). When products claim to be 97 per cent fat-free, consider that this usually refers to one serving, and that most products contain multiple serves.

Also consider that while products may be 97% fat-free, are they sugar-free? The ingredient label holds the key to this information.

Consume adequate protein every day

When it comes to fat loss, one concept that is generally well accepted is the need for a reduction in total calories consumed per day. That is – taking in less calorie that the body uses/needs (calories in versus calories out).

However, there are a number if additional factors that must be taken into account.

For example, simply reducing total calories is not always a guaranteed formula for successful, sustainable fat loss or good health.

One factor to consider is your body’s daily protein requirements. Protein comes from the Greek word proteios, which means “of great/prime or of first importance”.

Protein is a macronutrient, so it is required daily for good health.
Protein is the second most plentiful product (after water) in the human body.

Every living cell in your body which comes principally from protein is being constantly rebuilt. Each muscle, skin, hair, nails for example, are rebuilt every six months on average. Your body can only rebuild with the material you provide – food. So, you could consider yourself living proof of what you ate six months ago!

If your protein sources are inadequate for your body’s demands, your body will source its needs elsewhere in the body - muscle. That means your body can and will break down muscle to full fill its protein requirements.

Put simply, a builder can only build a house with the materials provided. Sub-standard materials will produce sub-standard results. Alternatively, first-class materials will result in a very different house.

If you do not eat enough protein, your body is forced to breakdown muscle, and fat loss becomes more difficult for a number of reasons:

• Your body can enter into what is referred to as a semi-starvation state. Because your body is breaking itself down, it believes that it is starving, irrespective of the amount of calories you are consuming.

To offset this effect, the body produces an abundance of an enzyme that converts food to fat. Fat is simply is stored energy, which is something you would need if you were staving!

How many times have you heard bout people going on a diet and initially losing weight only to put it all back on, not to mention a few extra kilograms? It is this enzyme at work that causes this phenomenon.

• Fat is burnt for fuel within muscle, so if you are losing muscle, you are effectively taking away something that can reduce your body’s fat stores.

Remember also that muscle weighs three times more than fat, but fat takes up three times the space. This means the scale changes you may see (weight reduction) do not always provide an accurate indication of what is happening with your body composition.

Another great reason to include protein in your diet is that it reduced appetite and creates a feeling fullness.

Use a protein supplement to meet your daily requirements

Many health professionals believe that protein supplementation is unnecessary and that the recommended daily intake for protein is easily achieved via normal dietary intake.

However, this argument is based on the assumption that everyone consumes a well-balanced diet containing a range of high-quality protein sources. But in today's hectic world, how many people actually achieve this?

If you do not fulfill your recommended daily intake of protein everyday, a protein supplement would defiantly be of benefit.

Take your protein supplement at your mealtime, or combine it with a low-protein meal.

A good guideline to follow in terms of required nutrients on a plate is one-third protein and two-thirds nutrient-rich complex/fibrous carbohydrates.

Use protein as meal supplement when food is not available.

Protein as meal supplement is not recommended but can be useful for busy or lazy individuals who want to maintain their dietary protein intake while controlling their calories. By using a protein as a meal replacement such as you can reduce the daily total calorific intake without compromising quality nutritional intake. We suggest replacing only one meal a day.

Monitor the amount of fat consumed

The average adult male has enough body fat (energy) to ride a bike from Melbourne to Cairns (about 3,000 kms).

An 80 kg male with about 15 percent body fat, (which is not that high by today’s standards), has enough fat to run 240 kms – that is almost six marathons! Only about 3 per cent of that fat acts as insulation.

Your body's first energy source is always sugar in the form of glycogen or stored carbohydrate, never fat.

Fat is more calories-dense that carbohydrate and protein. Each gram of fat yields nine calories, compared with four calories per gram of carbohydrate and protein.

Unfortunately, the body quickly and easily absorbs fat, and most goes to fat stores. This occurs because the conversion of dietary fat to body fat is easy. Only about three per cent of the fat calories are used during the conversion. So, if a large proportion of your diet comprises of fat calories, then you will have difficulty reducing your total body fat stores.

Consider this scenario: If you reduce your fat intake, you can eat twice as much protein and carbohydrate and still have the same total daily calories.

Eat ‘good’ fats

Fatty acids are the basic building blocks of fats and oils. The fatty acids necessary for health and which cannot be made by the body are called essential fatty acids (EFAs). These are vital for healthy cell membranes, nerves, and arteries. They keep your skin smooth and lubricated, protect your joint, and assist in the breakdown of cholesterol. They also help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K.
Every living cell in the body needs essential fatty acids. They are essential for rebuilding and producing new cells. EFAs are also used by the body for the production of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that act as chemical messengers and regulators of various body processes.

There are two basic EFA categories: omega-3 and omega-6.

Omega-6 fatty acids, which include linoleic and gamma-linolenic acids, are found primarily in raw nuts, seeds, legumes, and flaxseed oil.
Omega-3 fatty acids, which include alpha-linolenic and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are found in fresh deepwater fish, fish oil, and certain vegetable oils, including canola, flaxseed, and walnut. These oils must be consumed in pure liquid supplement form and must not be heated as heat destroys EFAs.
By consuming EFAs daily, your body can use stored body fat as an energy source - provided of course that you provide an environment for this to occur (for example, exercising).
When insufficient EFAs are consumed daily, the body quite often stores more fat as a survival mechanism. This means that eating the right types of fat can actually help you to lose weight.