100 Ways to Burn Fat

Make change. Lose weight. Look fab.

Little changes will make a noticeable difference over time when you’re losing weight and taking charge of your health. We’re sharing 100 ways to burn fat fast to help you make those little changes that turn into big changes.

When seeking tips to burn fat fast, remember that the most important factor in long-term weight loss success is to keep moving forward. It takes time to change, especially if you’ve been mired in unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits for years. Be patient with yourself and be patient with your body—and the transformation you deserve will happen.

How to Burn Fat: Eating Tips

1. Avoid fad diets—many will deprive you of nutrients needed for healthy weight loss.
2. Start living a Clean-Eating Lifestyle.
3. Eat four to six small meals every day to boost metabolism.
4. Never skip meals.
5. Eat breakfast. Every day. Check out our 5-Day Clean-Eating Breakfast Menu.
6. Eat from a salad plate instead of a dinner plate.
7. Swap out sour cream for fat-free, plain Greek yogurt in your recipes.
8. Wait 20 minutes before going back for seconds to allow the body to signal the brain that it’s full.
9. Eat sitting at a table rather than on the couch.
10. What is a Portion Size? Learn today!
11. Measure out portions instead of eyeballing them.
12. Pre-pack healthy snacks for those on-the-go days. Find ideas in 100 Healthy Snacks to Eat On the Go.
13. Reduce sugar intake, particularly refined sugar. Make changes by starting the 30-Day No Sugar Challenge.
14. Add more fiber-wonderful beans to your diet.
15. Make Mondays meatless.
16. Choose antioxidant-rich dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate by preparing recipes like Chocolate-Covered Strawberries.
17. Maintain a food journal to keep tabs on what’s going into your body.
18. Choose salad dressings that offer nutrients rather than unhealthy fats and excess calories. Try DIY Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes.
19. Snack on fruits and veggies before going to a party.
20. Heat up meals with spices like peppers, which contain capsaicin, a substance that temporarily boosts metabolism.
21. Consume lean protein to build fat-burning muscle tissue. Start with 15 Protein-Packed Meals for Weight Loss.
22. Up fiber intake to satisfy your appetite and avoid cravings for unhealthy snacks.
23. Get your vitamin D, a nutrient essential for building muscle. Check out the Top 7 Vitamin D-Rich Foods.
24. Boost veggie consumption by eating vegetables with every meal.
25. Clear your kitchen and pantry of unhealthy foods, like chips and refined crackers.
26. Tuck snack foods away in drawers or cabinets instead of storing them on countertops.
27. Go heavy on veggie toppings when preparing sandwiches or pizza. Enjoy Zucchini-Bell Pepper Pizza.
28. Allow yourself to indulge in occasional desserts—stick to proper portion sizes and avoid refined sugar.
29. Plan meals to avoid caving to that “Ohmigosh, I have nothing for dinner tonight” takeout temptation.
30. Avoid unhealthy carbs, like pastries, white bread, and refined pasta.
31. Swap out one or two lunches each week for healthy Smoothie Recipes.
32. Pack lunch the evening before to avoid the morning routine rush. Try Skinny Taco Salad in a Jar.
33. Wrap sandwich ingredients in lettuce or spinach, instead of using bread or rolls. Sink your teeth into Spinach and Feta Lettuce Wrap.
34. Drink a glass of plain water before each meal.
35. Eat an apple every day. Apples contain pectin, a substance that helps you feel full longer.
36. Make No-Sugar-Added Desserts rather than eating store-bought treats.
37. Use sliced strawberries or bananas instead of jelly on PB&J.
38. Make open-faced sandwiches.
39. Add whole grains or lean meat to salads to better satisfy the appetite.
40. Prepare tasty, healthy freeze-ahead meals, like these 30 Recipes That Freeze Fabulously.
41. Eat until you’re 80% full instead of unbutton-the-pants full.
42. Chew each bite about 40 times—it helps control the hunger hormone ghrelin.
43. Put down the fork or spoon between each bite to slow the eating process, which gives the brain time to recognize you’re full.
44. Don’t fear eggs. Most people can safely eat one egg each day to benefit from its appetite-satisfying qualities. Brunch on Slow Cooker Spinach and Mozzarella Frittata.
45. Don’t crash diet. Eating fewer than 1,200 calories per day puts the body into starvation mode—it will slow the metabolism to conserve calories and nutrients.
46. Skip store-bought juices to avoid excess calories and added sugar; reach for whole fruit instead.
47. Read food labels. Check out Quick Tips for Deciphering Food Labels.
48. Learn all the Names for Refined Sugar so you can watch for it on food labels.
49. Every time you reach for food, ask yourself: Am I hungry? Or am I eating because I’m bored/stressed/anxious? Learn 8 Ways to Avoid Emotional Overeating.
50. Eat Foods with High Water Content to help you feel fuller without consuming a lot of extra calories.
51. Go nuts for nuts, which offer healthy fats that help boost metabolism. Learn more in 4 Reasons We’re Nuts for Nuts.
52. Brush your teeth after every meal. The mint flavor cues the brain that meal time is over. Bonus: Better dental check-ups!

How to Burn Fat: Takeout and Restaurant Tips

53. Cut in half the number of times you eat at restaurants. If you’re dining out four times every week—cut it back to two.
54. Eat a small snack, like 10 whole almonds, before you leave for a restaurant.
55. Check menus online before leaving so you can scope out healthier options without feeling rushed.
56. Order the smallest portion of a menu item; if a sandwich is available in small and large, choose the small.
57. Avoid bread sticks or rolls—choose a salad instead.
58. Choose menu items that are grilled, roasted, baked, sautéed, or steamed.
59. Order water only with your meal instead of sugared or diet drinks.
60. Stick to proper portions, and take home whatever’s left.
61. Ask for salad dressings or sandwich condiments on the side to better control how much you’re eating.
62. Split dessert.
63. Trade high-calorie flavored coffee drinks for plain coffee sweetened naturally.

How to Burn Fat: Drink Tips

64. Consume more water. If you need a flavor twist, try Flavored Waters.
65. Carry a reusable water bottle so you can sip throughout the day.
66. Drink unsweetened tea or naturally-sweetened tea recipes like New Southern-Style Sweet Tea. Tea offers a fat-burning substance called EGCG.
67. Ditch all soda—diet pop included. Get started with our 30-Day No Soda Challenge.
68. Save alcohol for special occasions because it’s full of empty calories. Instead indulge in 7 Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Try.

How to Burn Fat: Exercise Tips

69. Find a workout buddy to boost your sweat motivation.
70. Change your exercise routine regularly to reinvigorate and challenge muscles. Discover new workouts at Skinny Ms. Fitness.
71. Jumpstart your day with a 5-Minute Morning Workout.
72. Invest in a pedometer or use a fitness tracker.
73. Make sure you have a well-rounded fitness plan that includes both cardio and strength training.
74. Add weights or resistance bands to fitness routines to burn fat fast.
75. Feel the burn with 4-Minute Fat Blasters.
76. Got more time? Try 15 Toning Workouts in 15 Minutes or Fewer.
77. Motivate yourself with a rockin’ playlist, like 80s Workout Playlist (neon spandex not included!) or Ultimate Workout Playlist.
78. Set weekly workout goals to increase strength or endurance.

How to Burn Fat: Lifestyle Tips

79. Aim to take 10,000 steps per day.
80. Manage stress to reduce levels of cortisol, a hormone that can increase hunger and slow metabolism. Learn 15 Ways to De-Stress During the Day.
81. Take a filter-free before photo and post it on the fridge or bathroom mirror for motivation.
82. Create an inspiration board on Pinterest. Get started by visiting our Skinny Ms. board Inspire Motivation.
83. Use tech tools like the Best 7 Free Apps to Help You Lose Weight.
84. Don’t just sit there during commercials—move! Crank out a set of push-ups, sit-ups, or squats.
85. Learn How to Organize Your Kitchen for Weight Loss.
86. Take the stairs rather than the elevator or escalator.
87. Park at the far end of the parking lot.
88. When possible, use a bathroom on a different floor to work in a few extra stairs.
89. Get the right amount of sleep for your body because proper sleep helps regulate hunger-related hormones and metabolism. Check out 9 Tips to Get Better Sleep.
90. Wind down before bed with Evening Yoga for Relaxation.
91. Play with the kids at the park rather than sitting on the bench.
92. Instead of snacking while watching TV, find something else to keep your hands busy, like crochet or an adult coloring book.
93. Stand at a counter while doing tasks, like writing checks or cutting coupons, to maintain the enzyme activity that supports a healthy metabolism.
94. Switch to a standing desk at work.
95. Stretch at the office. Try 11 Stretches Every Desk Worker Should Know.
96. Walk to a colleague’s or manager’s desk instead of texting or emailing.
97. Set reminders on your phone or computer to get up and move or stretch at least once an hour when you’re working.
98. Make happy hour a healthy hour. Grab a co-worker and go for a walk instead of beer and wings.
99. Move during your morning routine. For example, do calf raises while brushing your teeth.
100. Don’t ditch healthy habits after you’ve reached weight or fitness goals! Make them part of your lifestyle permanently.

 

Transform the way your body looks and feels with the Skinny Ms. 8-Week Body Weight Makeover Program, which provides workouts that deliver results—in just 2 months.

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