How To Lose Body Fat Percentage For Females?
If you want to lose body fat percentage as a female, you have to combine multiple strategies. The approach should include setting achievable goals, eating healthy, choosing high-calorie-burning exercises, focusing on quality sleep, managing stress, and regular progress tracking. For a precise result, getting help from a professional also helps reduce body fat percentage.
Most women in Franklin are now cautious about their physique and wellness. They want to cut unwanted body fat, but how? Below, we have discussed the ways suggested by experts that truly work.
1. Set Realistic Fat Loss Goals
No doubt, losing body fat percentage takes time. It requires consistency and a practical plan. Therefore, your plans and actions must be practical. You cannot expect to lose 10% of body fat in a month. Such an illogical intent will make you frustrated, nothing else. In case of weight loss, you must start slow and focus on sustainable progress.
Big goals are easier to reach when you break them into small steps. So, what should a realistic fat loss goal be? Here are some examples:
- Losing 0.5 to 2 pounds of fat each week
- Reducing 2-4% of body fat ratio in 2 to 3 months
- Increasing energy level and improving sleep quality
- Fitting into a smaller clothing size in 8 weeks
- Building some visible muscles in 3 to 6 months
2. Eat Healthy for Fat Loss
Healthy eating is the most effective way to lose female body fat percentage. However, it does not mean following extreme diets, which is often misunderstood. It is about building sustainable habits that are effective for long-term fat loss.
So, what does a well-balanced diet mean? A good and nutrition-rich diet has lean proteins, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and plenty of fiber. Protein in the diet is particularly important to preserve your muscle mass and boost your metabolism.
Include foods in your diet that are low in calories but high in nutrients and fiber, such as vegetables. Also, add lean sources of protein to your meals, like fish, chicken breast, tofu, eggs, etc. Instead of refined carbs, choose whole grains, like brown rice, quinoa, and oats.
However, remember that choosing such healthy items is not sufficient for losing body fat. If you want to achieve the desired results, you must cut out sugary drinks, processed snacks, and alcohol from your diet.
3. Choose Fat-Burning Exercises
Along with diet, exercise is equally important to reduce body fat percentage. For fat burning, you have to choose exercises that burn more calories in a short duration. There’s a wide variety of physical activities you can try. However, we recommend choosing your favorite activities, which will help you stay consistent.
⇰ Cardio: These exercises burn a high number of calories during the activity. If you are exercising, you can begin with brisk walking from today. Moreover, cycling, jogging, and skipping are also some good forms of cardio that cause a high-calorie burn. For busy women, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be an excellent option that takes less time but gives faster results.
⇰ Strength training: Muscle strength exercises are equally important during body fat loss. They are important to keep your muscles and metabolism active. Along with energy enhancement, muscle building burns calories even at rest. You can choose your favorite form of strength training among tons of options like bodyweight exercises, weight lifting, pulling resistance bands, etc.
4. Prioritize Quality Sleep Daily
Research shows that quality sleep helps people burn more fat compared to those with sleep issues. Poor sleep can confuse the hunger hormones and increase your cravings. Thus, it can make it difficult for you to stick to a healthy diet.
Quality sleep keeps the cortisol (the stress hormone) level balanced, which prevents unwanted fat storage in your body. If your target is to lose body fat percentage, sleeping is crucial similar to exercise and a healthy diet. You must maintain a strict routine of at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep at night.
5. Manage Stress for Better Results
Stress management is often neglected when it comes to weight loss. But both have a deep connection that many don’t even notice. Managing stress will help you feel calm and balanced. Thus, it helps you focus on a healthy lifestyle, which is crucial for fat burning.
A stressed body produces more cortisol naturally, which increases fat storage, particularly around the belly. That's why you must learn how to manage stress and maximize fat loss results.
Stress management is simpler than most think. Here are some methods that can handle your stress and enhance mental health:
- Deep breathing
- A few minutes of meditation
- Short walks outdoors
- Relaxing hobbies like reading or gardening
- Limiting caffeine and alcohol
- Staying connected with supportive friends
6. Track Progress Consistently
Are your fat loss efforts really working? We suggest tracking progress to understand if your strategies are effective. Tracking improvement is not only about watching the result. It helps you stay motivated and adjust your routine and diet. However, tracing does not have to be complicated. A food journal or a workout tracker can be a good start for beginners.
A personal trainer for women can be your best companion when you are unsure about where to start. Along with tracking progress, they can create a personalized fitness plan based on your overall condition. When you consistently track your progress, you can easily understand what things are working and what needs fixing.
Conclusion
When you're aiming to lose body fat percentage, don't hurry. This way is a combination of consistency, balance, and healthy choices every day. Here, every small step counts and is worth it. Overall, all of these efforts indicate building a healthy lifestyle that wins in the long run. Keep in mind, losing body fat is a journey, not a sprint. It is a long journey where your commitment and patience work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much body fat do women usually have?
For women, 21% and 33% of body fat is considered healthy, depending on age and fitness level.
Should I focus on cardio or strength training for better fat loss?
Both are equally important for weight loss. Cardio burns calories instantly. On the other hand, strength training builds muscle and increases your metabolism.
Do women lose fat more slowly than men?
It is true! Due to hormonal and metabolic differences, women generally lose fat more slowly than men.
Is stress really bad for fat loss?
Yes. Chronic stress raises cortisol levels, a hormone that can cause fat retention in the abdominal area.
