Fat Loss Tips for Women: 12 Ways to Life-Long Success!

Written by: Erin Coleman,

B.S. - Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D.

Writer, The Fit Mother Project

Written by: Erin Coleman,

B.S. - Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D.

Writer, The Fit Mother Project

fat loss tips for women

No matter where you are in your health and fitness journey, you've surely looked for fat loss tips for women at some point.

Believe it or not, but fat loss can be achieved!

If you've struggled in the past, the 12 fat loss tips for women we lay out below will definitely help you.

Make sure to begin slowly and choose lifestyle changes you can stick with to burn unwanted body fat and maintain your new figure indefinitely.

Use the 12 fat loss tips for women below to begin your journey toward a healthier life and leaner body!

12 Fat Loss Tips for Women

1. Change Your Mindset

Get into the right mindset before you begin your quest for fat loss.

Make the commitment to drop body fat by getting regular exercise, changing up your diet, and improving other lifestyle habits.

Keep a positive attitude and know you can reach any goal when you put your mind to it.

Stay committed to your end goal and realize if you veer off track once in a while, that's OK!

Find lifestyle habit changes you can maintain for good, but begin making changes slowly.

Choose one or two habit changes initially and build on that progress until you reach your desired weight and fat loss goals.

2. Set Goals

Studies show that goal setting is one of the best ways to increase your chance of effective weight loss and maintaining it long term.

Even if you don't achieve every goal, have targets in place to give you healthy habits to strive for.

In addition to developing a goal weight, set body fat goals.

Strive to lose inches off your arms, thighs, hips, or waist, and take weekly measurements.

Weigh yourself daily at the same time each morning.

Consider adding some of the following general healthy lifestyle goals to your list:

  • Work out at least 30 minutes most days of the week
  • Lift weights at least three times weekly
  • Drink at least 12 cups of water daily
  • Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night
  • Eat vegetables at each meal
  • Eliminate soda and other sugary drinks
  • Consider meditation or other stress-relieving strategies
  • Lose 1-2 pounds of body fat weekly

These goals are simply examples. Set your own targets based on your lifestyle, habits, and desired outcome.

Find out how to achieve a fitness goal by doing these 3 overlooked things!

3. Reduce or Eliminate Alcohol

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, which can pack on unwanted weight or body fat quickly.

In comparison, fat provides 9 calories per gram, and carbohydrates and protein contain 4 calories in each gram.

Heavy alcohol consumption doesn't just increase your risk of certain cancers, it can also make weight and fat loss difficult.

Mixing alcohol with soda, lemonade, juice, or other high-sugar mixers further increases your overall calorie intake.

Cutting alcohol from your diet can drastically decrease your waistline.

Even if you're unable or unwilling to give up alcohol entirely, cutting back on it can enhance weight loss and fat loss for women.

To lower the calorie content of alcoholic drinks you might consume in moderation, choose light beer instead of regular beer and club soda, water, or ice in place of sugary mixers.

4. Increase Protein and Vegetables

If fat loss is your goal, a good rule of thumb is to increase protein and your non-starchy vegetable intake.

Protein helps boost your metabolism, allows you to maintain muscle mass during weight loss, and keeps you full for longer time periods.

Non-starchy vegetables also help fill you up because of their rich fiber content, and these veggies are very low in calories.

Many contain just 40 calories or less in each 1-cup portion.

Non-Starchy Vegetables

When planning fat-loss meals, aim to fill about half of each plate with non-starchy vegetables. Examples include:

  • Spinach, kale, Romain lettuce, and other leafy greens
  • Cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and celery
  • Mushrooms, zucchini, and onions
  • Asparagus, green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower

Increasing non-starchy veggies in your diet can drastically increase your energy and disease-fighting antioxidants, in addition to enhancing fat loss for women.

Healthy Protein Foods

To reduce unwanted body fat, aim to fill each plate about one-fourth full of nutritious protein foods, such as:

  • Chicken, turkey, or duck
  • Very lean cuts of organic red meat
  • Fish, shrimp, scallops, crab, or other seafood
  • Eggs or egg whites
  • Tofu, tempeh, or seitan

Dairy foods and plant-based equivalents are also rich in protein.

Examples include cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, milk, plain kefir, reduced-fat cheese, and protein-fortified almond milk.

Aim to consume 2-3 cups of these foods daily if you can.

Other good sources of protein include protein shakes, peas, dried beans, lentils, other legumes, nuts, seeds, and nut butter.

You can count beans and peas as starches and nuts, seeds, and nut butter as dietary fat.

Fill about one-fourth of each plate with fiber-rich starches and consume healthy fats at each meal or snack.

Watch this video to learn how to calculate how much protein YOU should consume each day!

5. Increase Your Daily Fiber Intake

Many women don't consume as much fiber as they should to optimize health, lose weight, burn fat, and reduce cholesterol and other chronic disease risks.

Aim to consume a least 25 grams of fiber every day (or more) if you can.

Examples of fiber-rich foods to consider include:

  • 1/2 cup of cooked legumes: 7-8 grams
  • 1 cup of fresh fruit: 4-8 grams
  • 1 cup of non-starchy vegetables: 2-4 grams
  • 1/2 medium avocado: 5 grams
  • 1/2 cup of cooked whole grains: 3 grams
  • 1 ounce of nuts or seeds: 3-4 grams

In addition to increasing your intake of fiber-rich whole foods and eating plant foods at each meal, ask your doctor if taking a fiber supplement is right for you.

Studies show that fiber supplementation helps reduce food intake and enhances weight and fat loss for women.

6. Think Twice About White Foods

Not all white foods are bad for you as onions, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, white beans, and other whole foods are loaded with essential nutrients.

However, think twice about consuming other white foods that can diminish fat loss.

For example, steer clear of the following white foods when you can:

  • White bread, white rice, and regular pasta
  • Cream-based soups
  • Butter, cream, and whole milk
  • Yogurt or kefir containing added sugar
  • Ice cream and white chocolate
  • Gravy and other white sauces
  • Mashed potatoes without the skin
  • Regular pizza crust
  • French fries
  • Regular cheeses
  • Mozzarella sticks

Instead choose whole grains, sweet potatoes with the skin, low-sodium broth-based soups with vegetables, reduced-fat cheeses, olive oil, and other plant-based oils whenever possible.

As a rule, pick whole foods over highly processed foods so you can burn unwanted body fat and achieve the figure of your dreams.

Meet Burn RX. The Safe & Effective Metabolism Booster To Help You See Faster Results

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7. Say No to Processed Meats

Processed meats do contain protein, but they're also loaded with sodium, preservatives, and often animal fat and calories.

Processed meats are linked with developing certain forms of cancer.

Examples include:

  • Hot dogs
  • Brats
  • Sausage
  • Pepperoni
  • Bacon
  • Many deli meats
  • High-fat ground beef
  • Ham
  • Salami

Instead of choosing processed meats as your protein food of choice, pick skinless poultry, very lean cuts of organic steak, fish, shrimp, eggs, or other fresh, whole protein food sources.

8. Try Fat-Burning Workouts

If you're new to working out or you simply need to change up your routine, consider trying new fat-burning workouts.

Examples of effective exercises to try include:

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Consider HIIT if you aren't already doing this high-intensity, fat-burning workout.

During HIIT training, you alternate sprinting with lower-intensity exercises continuously.

For example, you might warm up by jogging for 3-5 minutes and alternate 30-60 seconds of sprinting with 30-60 seconds of low-intensity jogging or walking.

You should continue these intervals for a total workout time of around 20-30minutes.

Doing so enhances fat burning and helps you get excess weight off and keep it off for life.

Weightlifting

You might not think of weightlifting as a weight-loss workout, but you can indeed burn inches of fat while sculpting your body.

Work each major muscle group, including your arms, shoulders, back, chest, abdominal muscles, thighs, and calves, at least once or twice weekly.

Aim to complete a least three sets of 10-20 reps for each exercise you choose.

Long Continuous Cardiovascular Exercise

Long, continuous cardiovascular exercise can get your body in the fat-burning zone to reduce undesirable body fat in the absence of high-intensity training.

Complete jogging, cycling, rowing, elliptical machine workouts, stair climbing, or walking at a moderate intensity for at least 45-60 minutes.

Doing so helps your body switch from using primarily carbohydrates as fuel to a fat-burning zone.

Circuit Training

Circuit training is an excellent way to sculpt your body and get lean.

It uses a series of cardiovascular and strength exercises you can complete in a circuit format.

For example, you might do jump squats for 1-2 minutes and switch to push-ups, rope jumping, and plank exercises for the same amount of time during the first circuit.

Repeat the same circuit or switch to a second circuit containing additional fat-burning exercises.

Yoga

Try yoga once or twice weekly to boost strength, flexibility, and balance, and work different muscle groups than what you're used to.

Yoga is an excellent way to relieve stress and anxiety in addition to burning calories for fat loss in women.

This video will help you create your own home workout plan for weight loss and toning!

9. Consider Protein Shakes

Studies show that meal replacements can reduce body weight and improve body composition, including reductions in waist circumference and overall body fat percentage.

Consuming protein shakes is beneficial for fat loss for women for numerous reasons.

Protein helps you feel full for longer time periods without extra calories.

Protein promotes muscle mass maintenance and keeps your metabolism going strong.

Drinking protein shakes in place of meals can help you eat fewer calories throughout the day.

Shakes make convenient pre- or post-workout fuel for your body as you can take them to work, the gym, or when you're out and about.

Check out these great shake recipes to get you started!

Or, simply combine whey, casein, egg, or plant-based protein powder with almond milk, regular milk, or water plus ice.

Add your favorite fresh fruit or nut butter and blend the mixture until it's smooth.

You can also mix protein powder with milk or water in a shaker cup when you're on the go!

Meet SuperFuel. The Delicious Protein Shake Packed With 40+ Energy-Boosting Vitamins & Superfoods (Designed For Busy Women)

As a busy women, it’s challenging to stay consistent with healthy eating. That’s why we created SuperFuel… the delicious “all-in-one” nutrition shake for busy women 40+ to give your body the protein + key nutrients you need for more energy, fat burning, and muscle building.

10. Increase Activities of Daily Living

Exercise isn't the only type of physical activity that aids in fat loss for women.

Stay active throughout the entire day to help you drop fat and achieve the figure of your dreams.

Ways to increase the number of calories you burn, in addition to getting daily exercise, include:

  • Go for walks with your family or dog
  • Take the stairs as often as you can
  • Stand up instead of sitting down whenever possible
  • Getting a standing computer desk
  • Participate in active outdoor activities with your family
  • Jump on a small trampoline while watching TV
  • Go bowling, rollerblade skating, skiing, kayaking, swimming, or water skiing
  • Do yard work
  • Clean the floors, wash windows, paint, vacuum, or do laundry

Avoid sitting down for more than an hour or two at a time to keep your metabolism going strong and achieve fat loss goals.

Aim to complete activities of daily living at least 45 minutes every day.

11. Complete Self-Monitoring

Studies show that self-monitoring, including tracking food intake, minutes of physical activity, inches lost, and body weight daily, can enhance weight and fat loss for women.

After setting daily and weekly goals, track your progress in a journal or app to ensure you stay on track.

Step on the scale each morning when you wake up, measure your waist circumference and other body fat indicators weekly, record how much food you eat, or track your daily steps.

12. Join a Weight Loss Program

If you struggle to stay motivated to get on track with healthy eating or exercise habits, consider joining an organized weight loss program designed just for women.

FM30X is designed with women's unique needs in mind.

Its proven success has helped thousands of busy moms achieve and maintain weight loss for life using custom meal plans, fat-burning workouts, motivational support, health coaching, nutritious recipes, and much more.

Try the free Fit Mom Jumpstart to get started on your journey toward a leaner body today!

Erin Coleman
B.S. - Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D.

Writer, The Fit Mother Project

Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 15 years of freelance writing experience.

She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed her dietetic internship at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Prior to beginning her career in medical content writing, Erin worked as Health Educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Internal Medicine.

Her published work appears on hundreds of health and fitness websites, and she’s currently working on publishing her first book! Erin is a wife, and a Mom to two beautiful children.

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*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on fat loss tips for women.

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