As a trainer in the fitness realm for almost 11 years, I’ve seen the fitness industry preach weight loss tools such as the cottage cheese diet, tons of cardio, no cardio, no exercise, no carbs, diet pills and the list goes on. There are a few things, however, that I’ve seen constantly for a few years and after reading numerous articles on such I’ve found these 3 seem to be the front runners.
Weight loss is such a broad term right? What exactly is weight loss? Sure, we can all lose weight by simply going to a deserted island, living off dirt and basking in the sun but of course we know that’s not realistic. I personally like to use the term: “weight loss that is healthy, sustainable, attainable, consistent and promotes lean muscle mass.” If we happen to step on the scale one morning and we notice our weight has dropped a pound we instantly think, “sweet! I’ve lost weight!” No, not really. That number can simply be due to water, sodium loss, hormones, etc. That doesn’t mean we have lost 1 pound within a day. It takes a reduction of 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat and that doesn’t happen overnight.
Proper weight loss takes time, consistency, dedication and effort.
Can we go ahead and stop with the bullshit of taking pills, dieting like mad, exercising until our head implodes and do it the right way?!?!?
So what is the right way? Let me explain….
- Start with the weights. Sure, people probably think I’m bias when it comes to weight training since it’s my profession but I’m here to tell you it works!!! When I was overweight, I wish someone had told me that I needed to begin a weight training program because I would have lost my weight much quicker. I just ran. Ran, ran and ran some more. Sure, I dropped weight but I had little muscle mass, my metabolic engine wasn’t working at it’s optimal performance and my joints hurt! If you haven’t begun any weight routine keep it simple and start small. One of my favorite tutorials for proper lifting is through Girls Gone Strong. They rock and I wholeheartedly believe in their program because it’s safe, starts where we’re at and helps develop a proper resistance foundation.
- 80/20 rule. I try hard to stay on the regular with this application on nutrition. It’s impossible to stay on a diet that consists of hard boiled eggs and broccoli. I mean, how boring is that?!?! My motto is to eat an 80% whole foods, a non processed eating plan that follows with 20% of food that might not be as nutritious. Example: I just wrapped a 4 week nutrition program where I discussed #balance365 and the #NN’s. (Non-Negotiables) These are the foods that I eat everyday and they switch when I’m in the mood for them to. Lately, I’ve been on a kick of these foods: they help me stay satisfied, happy and put me in the mindset of a non-restrictive mentality. Are they healthy? No, not really but I don’t care because it could be a whole lot worse.
3. Walk most days of the week. Walking has been proven to help significantly with depression, cortisol reduction, stress relief and an overall improved sense of well-being. Moving daily keeps our joints healthy, our minds sharp and our moods in a positive state. Remember, you don’t have to kill it at the gym for exercise to be effective. Start simple with a 10 minute walk and gradually work up to longer periods of time.
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