Burn the Fat & Feed the Muscles: 5 Diet & Lifestyle Tips to Unleash the Fountain of Youth

Whether you’re a 30 year old entering the years of decreased testosterone; a female entering early stages of menopause and concerned about osteoporosis; or a 60 year old starting your retirement – burning fat and holding onto muscle mass is a sure way to live a long and strong life. Here are 5 diet and exercise tips I’d strongly recommend you integrate into your life to unleash the fountain of youth to look and feel your best, regardless of what life stage you’re at.

Before we get going, here are things that feed the fat and weaken the muscles:

• Foods containing trans fats, refined sugars and pro-inflammatory omega 6's that trigger fat accumulating hormones.
• Drinking too much booze, sugary drinks, sugary lattes and diet coda
• A lack of sleep
• A sedentary lifestyle with little to no exercise

Here are the essential 5 tips for healthy weight and good muscle tone:

1. Exercise and more NEAT

We're designed to move, and to move frequently throughout the day. Find opportunities to exercise by engaging in activities that you enjoy at a minimum of 5 times per week. The gym, Zumba, rock climbing, yoga, cycling, swimming, dancing, tennis, squash, volleyball, a mixture of a few, etc. It doesn't matter, just get out and do it!

NEAT stands for non exercise activity thermogenesis which essentially means being active without actually realizing you're being active. Some great ways to practice this are...

• Parking your car in the furthest parking lot from your office
• Taking the stairs to the floor of your apartment, condo or office
• Biking, walking or rollerblading to work
• Setting a timer on your phone to move around every 20 minutes

... as it's a NEATway to add exercise into your life without actually exercising.

 2. Sleep, Meditation and Mindfulness

It's not all about GO, GO, GO. We need to rest, recover and regenerate. We need to rest our bodies in order to regenerate our fat burning and muscle building hormones. If they're hampered, they'll likely store the fat and weaken the muscles. I suggest...

• Getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night
• Getting away from synthetic environments and out in nature a couple of time a week
• Turning off your devices 1 hour before going to sleep
• Getting a massage once a week
• Breathing exercises (try some of my favourite breathing apps)
• Getting into a meditation practice at your local yoga studio

3. Eat GOOD Fat Sources

There are fats that make you fat, and there are fats that actually help you to burn fat! Fats that make you fat include trans fats found in these foods...

• Baked goods
• Breakfast cereals
• Crackers
• Fast foods
• Donuts
• Margarine

Fats that help you to burn fat will be full of vitamins, minerals, fat busting compounds and Omega 3s. You can find them in these foods...

• Sustainable fish
• Extra virgin olive oil & olives
• Coconut milk & coconut oil
• Nuts like almonds, macadamia, walnuts, brazil nuts and hazelnuts
• Seeds like pumpkin, chia, flax and sesame
• Whole, grass fed, pasture raised yogurt, butter and cheese
• Avocados

4. Eat Foods High in Protein

Unlike fats and carbohydrates, digesting and breaking down protein requires energy - something known as the Thermic Effect of Food or TEF. Essentially, the break down of protein increases your metabolism and fat burning.

Here are my top muscle building and fat burning protein sources:

• Whole, pasture raised eggs
• Sustainable caught fish
• Wild game
• Beans & lentils
• Grass fed and pasture raised beef
• Pastured chickens

5. Get Back to Your Roots and Squashes

People trying to loose weight must first get away from the idea that "starchy foods" make them fat. Au contraire my friends! Foods high in resistant starch are so important for fat loss because they'll make you feel full, they'll regulate your hormones, blood sugar and cravings as well as enhance muscle recovery.

A balanced meal for me includes a protein source, a leafy green vegetable and a side of one of the following...

• Sweet potato or yam
• 2-3 carrotsor parsnip
• A cup of cooked beetsor turnips
• Half an acorn squash, a quarter of a pumpkin or a large butternut squash

It's important to remember that the combination of challenging forms of exercise, rest and relaxation and the right foods is truly the formula for a healthy weight, optimal health and longevity. Integrate the above 5 diet and exercise tips and you'll be drinking from the fountain of youth!

Tamer Soliman is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Speaker, Documentary filmmaker and proud Wellness Ambassador of Kardish. Get to know more about Tamer here - www.tamersoliman.ca