Weight Loss Guide for the Perplexed…

Nutri-this, Atkins-that, Zone, South Beach, it can all be very confusing and overwhelming.  Here are some basic principles to start you off on your transformation journey.

Weight loss or Fat loss?

When talking about losing weight, we really mean losing fat.  Weight loss can be muscle, water (fluid), or fat.  Standing on the scales gives you no clue as to your body composition. – so don’t weigh yourself too much or too often.  It can really play mind games.  Our weight fluctuates (often due to hydration levels).  The mirror, clothes-fitting, old photos, etc. – can all provide feedback on our fat loss – not just the scales.

How do you lose fat?

In a nutshell, it’s a simple law of energy intake and expenditure.  Eating more than you are using means you gain weight.  Burning more than your eating means you lose weight.  Unfortunately it’s not so simple.  Losing fat (for most people) is hard – get used to the idea so you won’t struggle so much with disappointment.

There are 5 principles to keep in mind:

Diet (nutrition)

Cardio (Exercise)

Dedication (Consistency)

Goals

Weight Training

It is possible to lose fat with correct diet alone (for some people) – but the best chance of success will be to apply all of these principles.  Even the perfect diet plan can fail if you cannot keep with it.

What’s weight training got to do with fat loss?

Weight (or strength) training is not essential to fat loss – but it sure helps.  A weight training workout boosts metabolism for the whole day and helps build lean muscle.  Muscle is metabolically active – it needs fuel – therefore helps you burn more calories all the time.

If you are thinking about weight training – think about this:

Do I want my body to be strong and useful?  Or is my body only for people to looks at?

Lifting weights makes your body strong and useful.

Can’t I just eat less and skip meals?

 It’s natural to want to do this – but it’s not quite right.  “I must lose weight so I’m going to starve myself”.  This is where things get confusing.  Starve the body too much, and it gets the hint and slows down – you’ll feel irritable, fatigued and begin to lose muscle as well as fat.  After tearing your way through hunger pangs and dreams of food the chances are you will binge, or start eating back how you used to.  Guess what happens?  The weight piles back on because your body is still in “slow” mode.  Fat loss is all about calorie reduction, but a calorie intake that is too low will cause problems.

Why bother with exercise?

There are few people that have lost fat (and maintained it), without making exercise a part of their life.  Cardiovascular fitness has many health benefits – mainly keeping your heart strong and healthy.  Including some form of exercise as a natural part of your life will give you an even bigger chance of success.  Just remember consistency and variety!  Cardio exercise can be many things: brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, tennis etc.

There’s so much to learn – Help!

 There are hundreds of diet books and weight loss programs out there.  Many of them have outrageous claims, but remember:

• There is no one size fits all weight loss program
• There is no magic bullet or miracle cure
•  There is absolutely EVERY chance that you can transform yourself.
•   It is completely possible for you to lose the fat and get healthier
•   BELIEVE in yourself.

What’s with all the different diets?

There are hundreds of diets.  Some diets work for some but not for others.  There are other diets that are clearly faulty.  Here are some simple guidelines.  Avoid the EXTREME (e.g. very-low carb or very low fat).  Learn about carbohydrates (good vs. bad), proteins and fats.  Learn about whole foods and learn how to reduce your intake of processed foods.  These factors seem to be common across the board.

Where do I start?

Reading this is a beginning.  It’s possible to start just by taking some of the higher calorie items (soft drinks, sweet tea etc.) out of your diet, and introducing some exercise.  Small changes can make a big difference.  However, without some serious commitment and identified goals, you will soon lose interest.  There’s nothing like results to keep you motivated.

The chances are you will need some serious help this is where a National Association of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (NASM CPT) can help.  They can develop programs to help you get started & keep you motivated.

Can it work for me?

Here’s the trick – we are all unique.  Different physical characteristics, different genetics.  This is why each of us will have to do slightly different things to get the fat loss going.  Be prepared for a long term commitment, a belief in change, and a new healthy lifestyle.  Weight loss will not only help you feel physically and emotionally better, it will also save you money by lowering your health and life insurance costs.

You can do it!

Say goodbye to being a victim.  Small step by small step you can achieve your goals.  You may trip up, you may have setbacks – but remember failure isn’t fatal