6 Steps to Losing Fat

1 MEASURE UP
So your waist is on the wrong side of 40 inches. That’s bad. An increase in waist girth has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, according to a study from the journal Circulation. The ideal height-to-waist ratio you should maintain to minimise the risk of cardiovascular disease: 1:0.5, according to the journal Obesity.

2 STICK TO IT
Make losing flab part of your lifestyle. Peg your motivation to a short-term goal, like shaping up for your wedding, and you’ll likely yo-yo back right after, says Mitch Chilson, Men’s Health advisory board member. After the event or goal is reached, you’ll be less likely to continue your efforts because there’s no need to.

3 DITCH YOUR FAT FRIENDS
Not literally, but a study in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that people tend to be obese if they’re surrounded with fat friends. So surround yourself with active folk: Hook up with that army mate who’s still getting IPPT Golds – even better, rope your portly buddies in.

4 EAT BREAKFAST
A study in the journal Public Health Nutrition suggests that breakfast helps to regulate energy intake distribution across meals throughout the day. Aim for low-glycaemic carbs like wholemeal bread and include some protein into your meal. But if you only eat out, get the kopi kaya toast set (ask for less butter and less sugar in the coffee) for a muscle-boosting 18g protein meal. Just try not to eat more than four eggs a week.

5 START RUNNING
One of the most convenient ways to shed flab is to run. You can motivate yourself to start by going shoe shopping, suggests personal trainer Sam Ng. As a general guideline, overpronators (where your foot rolls too far towards the inner ankle) should get motion control shoes, and underpronators (not enough foot roll, so the outer area of the foot takes more impact) should get cushioned shoes. Neutral-footed? Lucky you – you can wear any kind of shoe, says Ng.

6 WORK OUT AT NIGHT
Research in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that study participants performed at their peak at 11pm. Still, it varies according to individuals, so alter your times accordingly.