Want to kick-start your weight loss before summer rolls around? We've found four fat busting techniques to slip into your everyday routine... 

Pump iron
Weight training and strength training exercises such as lunges, sit ups, Pilates, bench presses, rowing and press ups are great for reducing your body fat. These types of exercise help you build up muscle. By increasing your muscle mass you increase the amount of energy your body burns off because muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat. However, weight training only works if you do it on a regular basis.

Get moving
Getting your heart rate up by doing cardio helps you burn off fat. Doing cardio helps weight loss by increasing your energy expenditure - to lose weight need to use more energy than you put into your body. Cardio increases your muscle mass, which also boosts the amount of fat your body burns off. Skiing, roller skating, rowing, cycling, running and skipping are all fantastic ways to boost your heart rate and burn off that extra fat. Be warned; cardio only reduces body fat if you do it regularly.

Catch some Zs
Have you ever heard that people who sleep more are slimmer? Research has shown that women who get less than seven hours sleep per night are more likely to be heavier than women who get more than seven hours per night. This may be due to the fact that sleep deprivation interferes with the body's metabolism. Sleep deprivation causes the body to store more fat as well as reducing the growth hormone which helps balance the fat and protein levels in the body. Lack of sleep also reduces the hormone leptin, which is a hormone that suppresses the appetite.

Vary your work out
To keep up your fat loss, don’t workout at the same level of intensity as you did when you first started your exercise programme. Increase the intensity of your workout on a regular basis, say once a month. You can do this by increasing the amount of weight lifted, changing your reps, changing the exercises and changing the type of resistance.

Remember that it’s best to combine these techniques to get the best results. Unfortunately, sleeping more alone will not bring about significant weight loss!

Do cardio, weight train, eat well, and vary your exercise routine to get the best results. If you need help with your exercise routine then see a personal trainer and if you need a push in the right direction when comes to eating right, talk to a nutritionist or dietician.

Krystle Chester