How to Destroy Body Fat

by Jason Eaton

Too much body fat is a serious health problem that increases your risk of diabetes, impaired heart function and obesity. Fad diets and weight-loss pills do not work and often carry health risks of their own. Destroying body fat requires long-term dietary changes coupled with intense exercise. When body fat becomes a problem, making small changes to your lifestyle will give you big results.

1. Start the day with a fat-burning breakfast. According to the “Journal of Nutrition,” a breakfast composed of slow-release carbs such as steel-cut oats or quinoa eaten a few hours before exercise helps you burn more fat.

2. Eat meals more regularly and keep the portions small. Although eating five to six meals daily does not boost your metabolism, it allows you to burn calories more regularly and it keeps your energy levels up. Large meals burden your digestive system, which causes low energy and bloating. Use smaller plates to manage portion sizes and aim to eat a meal or snack every three to four hours.

3. Fuel your body with water and green tea. Water helps your body process food more efficiently. If you are dehydrated, your metabolism slows down. According to WebMD, a study showed that those who drank eight glasses of water or more burned more calories than those who drank only four glasses. Green tea naturally contains caffeine and an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate, which helps temporarily boost your metabolism. Aim for 5 to 6 cups of natural green tea daily.

4. Spice up your meals. Spicy ingredients such as chilies and peppers contain a chemical called capsaicin that can temporarily increase fat burning after eating. According the “The New York Times,” a meal containing a spicy dish can increase your metabolism by up to 8 percent and also helps you feel full. This metabolic boost alone would not reduce your body fat; take a light walk for about 15 minutes after eating.

5. Add a source of lean protein to your meals. Protein requires more energy to digest, which helps burn off more body fat that eating carbs or fats. Replace some of the carbs and fat in your meals with lean sources of protein such as turkey, chicken breast and salmon.


  • Include physical activity to help burn off body fat. Perform two sessions of weight training weekly for long-term body fat reduction and cardiovascular exercise for short-term fat burning.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you get 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise each week such as brisk walking or 75 minutes of vigorously intense exercise such as swimming laps or playing basketball.

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