Every day I see and hear from people that want to lose weight,
drop a couple of dress sizes, or achieve a seemingly impossible six
pack! I've been around gyms and the fitness industry for over 10
years (9 of which I've worked as a personal trainer), and in
that time I've seen a lot of people achieve amazing fat loss results.
The flip side is that I've seen so many more join a gym, even spend
their hard earned money on a trainer and really get nowhere. Even with myself,
I’d be lying if I said that I hadn't trained somebody
who didn't achieve their fat loss goals!
RECORD AN HONEST FOOD DIARY
This is a big one! For this, I mean sit down after every meal,
snack or drink and write it down. And be honest! No point keeping a diary just
to leave out the cheesecake and 2L Coke you downed for lunch. If it’s measured,
it managed! You can also up the stakes by making yourself accountable to
somebody. Whether it’s a trainer, friend or family member, show someone
regularly who doesn't mind telling you off when you fall off the
wagon. Something about having to look at the crap you've eaten on
paper seems to deter people from eating it to begin with.
EAT A DIET SIMILAR TO THAT OF OUR PALEOLITHIC ANCESTORS
The Paleo diet has become increasingly popularity recently, and
with good reason. By looking back at what our ancestors were eating, people are
getting leaner and healthier. Although we don't have the exact types of food
available to us today, by adopting similar nutritional ideas, you should find
yourself one step closer to your fat loss goals. Bodybuilders have been using
lower carb diets to get lean for years as well. And these are the guys that get
their body fat down as low as 3% for competitions! Why not give it a try!
I'll start this by making it clear that I am not against eating
carbohydrates. They are an essential macronutrient that should be a part of every
diet. What I am saying is that people need to pick their carbs carefully,
especially when we're looking at fat loss. Generally speaking, I tell all of my
fat loss clients to choose LOW GI and FIBROUS alternatives when looking at
carbs. As with our paleo ancestors, we should aim for these to come from plant
sources. By doing this, you'll be eating more nutrient dense carbs (with more
of the stuff you need), and fewer processed and refined carbs (generally
containing empty calories that we don't need). On top of that, you'll be
keeping your fibre intake high as well (a very important aspect of any fat loss
diet). Here are a couple of examples to get you started;
-Broccoli
-Green beans
-Cauliflower
-Kale (becoming a new favourite of mine)
-Different types of berries
-Spinach and other green leafy vegetables
-Cabbage
-Various root vegetables (e.g. Sweet potato)
As a target, keep your daily intake somewhere between 50-150g. The
amount you need will vary person to person, and may depend on factors like
daily activity, current bodyweight/muscle mass, and at what point you're at in
your fat loss mission.
As with the point above, bodybuilders have known this info for
years. If you want to be lean, you need muscle cells to burn fat, and if you
want muscle YOU WILL NEED PROTEIN. I've found that best results are achieved
through eating around 1.5g of protein per kg of body weight per day. Aim to eat
protein from leaner sources (e.g. chicken, lean red meat, fish, or tofu for you
vegetarians), and consume them in wide variety. Work out your total
intake for the day, and then break that up into smaller, frequent serves
throughout the day.
And lastly, aim to get all of your fats from healthy, essential
sources. It is important to remember that not all fats are created equal, and
for a long time now fat has received a bad rap!
If you eat mostly mono-unsaturated fats and you'll be fine. These
are found in foods like nuts, oils and avocados. These play an essential part
in our health and fat loss goals.
Some poly-unsaturated fats are o.k as well (such as those found in
omega-3 fish oils). Just aim to avoid those that contain high levels of omega-6,
like those found in vegetable oils, baked goods and snack foods.
Remember nutrition should be a fairly individual thing. I'd
recommend doing your own research to understand all of this a little further
too. Seek out the guidance of a reputable trainer or dietician to individualize
those targets.
The Evolution of the Western man!
PREPARE YOUR MEALS
Failing to plan is planning to fail! This is another one that
bodybuilders have used successfully forever. It just makes sense to follow!
From personal experience, I find it much easier to stick to my
nutritional plan when I have my meals made up. It can be as simple as making
extra at dinner so that you have you left-overs ready for
lunch tomorrow, or as complex as a weekly cook up, where you could
weigh and measure the content of your meals. It's really up to you how far you
take it. Either way, if you have a prepacked meal ready to go, you're
less likely to go for a triple cheeseburger on your next lunch break!
WORK HARD (AND I MEAN REALLY HARD) AND DO IT A LOT
I won't complicate this one as the title pretty much sums it up. I
spoke previously in my 5 star fat loss article that most people underestimate
what it takes to achieve fat loss success. Any type of exercise is great,
if what you're doing isn't challenging you, it's probably not going to change
you! You need to make sure that every time you head into the gym, you’re
looking to '1 up' your last effort. Lift more weight, run a little faster, or
bust out a few more reps than the last time. A 2% increase per workout is
generally a good guide. That probably doesn't seem like much, but 2% more than
your previous MAX will be enough!
When you’re starting out, doing this kind of thing every day will
be too much. Talk to an experienced personal trainer or strength coach, and
have someone who knows what they're doing help you progress right way.
LIFT WEIGHTS
In my experience, people that lift weights are more likely to lose
the fat, then keep it off. I'm not just talking about your typical 'weight
loss' workout that involves holding a pair of 2kg dumbbells and doing sets of
15 lateral raises sitting on a Swiss ball! I mean getting stuck into
an appropriate strength training program written to cater to your
current experience level. Big movements, challenging resistance, and frequent
exposure to it! Don't just guess your way through it, talk to someone who knows
what they're doing, do some research and start clangin and bangin!!
GET A PERSONAL TRAINER
I'll be the first to admit that not all personal trainers are
created the same. It's almost like anyone with two legs and a pulse can get a
Personal Training qualification if they pay their money! Find someone with a
PROVEN TRACK RECORD, APPROPRIATE QUALIFICATIONS, and make sure THEY WALK THE
TALK!! If they talk a big game, but look like Rosie O'Donnell do not pay
them to get you in shape.
PRIORITIZE AND WANT IT!
This one is really simple, but the most important. YOU HAVE TO
WANT IT! If you want it, no matter the hurdle, you'll do your best to
overcome it. End of the day, if you want to stick with the lifestyle that made you fat in the first place, more than you want to be lean and healthy,
chances are that’s what you’ll stay, or worse! If you find
yourself in this situation, think long and hard about what you really want. If
lean is where you’re at, set some realistic goals and GET THE JOB DONE! Think,
if what I’m doing isn't moving me towards my goals, it’s probably
moving me away from them!
Remember this is just the start, and only a compilation of common
trends in successful trainees. Everybody has different needs and obstacles. Start
here, and identify your own. By doing this, I'm sure you'll achieve your own
FAT LOSS SUCCESS.
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