The 6 Worst Ways to Lose Body Fat, According to a Personal Trainer

By Christina Stiehl

Losing weight is hard: it requires determination, willpower, and lots of effort. That's why many people seek a quick fix to lose their weight in the form of detox teas, magical supplements, fad diets, and five-minute workouts. But if these methods worked, then everyone would be at their goal weight and no one would be on a diet.

When it comes to losing weight and shedding body fat, it's easy to get confused by all the information we're bombarded with on the internet every day. Scrolling through social media, reading blog posts, and hearing about the latest health crazes all give you mixed messages about how to actually lose weight and keep it off for good.

Personal trainer Max Weber, NASM, ACE, set out to debunk these common weight-loss myths with an Instagram post about how to lose fat. He revealed six ways to lose weight "according to the internet":

  1. Drinking "magic" detox teas
  2. 10-minute ab workouts
  3. Crash diets
  4. Using body wraps
  5. Endless cardio without strength training
  6. Relying on supplements.

Best Ways to Lose Body Fat

Instead of these fads, Weber offered up how to lose body fat according to science:

  1. Be in a calorie deficit (use this formula to determine your daily calorie intake)
  2. Strength train (try this four-week strength training plan)
  3. Do some cardio
  4. Get quality sleep
  5. Be consistent
  6. Have patience

Although everyone's body is different and burns fat at a different rate, Weber's list of fat loss dos and don'ts proves that there's no shortcut to dropping weight and keeping it off. Ultimately, it's about eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and being patient with the process.