With all of the diet and nutrition information that hits your social media feed it’s hard to decipher what to do, where to turn, or who to trust. Everyone has an opinion on special diets and ways to lose weight.
But the good thing my friends is that the answer to nutrition isn’t complicated. The answer is simple, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have to work for it because you do.
You’re going to have to unlearn some of your current habits and behaviors that are preventing you from seeing the weight changes you desire. But I promise you that if you make the effort, the change will happen and the reward will be worth it.
As a gym owner for the past 5+ years and as a trainer for 8 years, these tactics have been proven over and over to be effective, IF they are implemented consistently. Here’s how you lose 20-50 pounds…
Step 1. Start to track your food. You know what you’re putting in your mouth but are you truly aware of the macro and micro content of what you’re eating? Do you know how many grams of fat that Chipotle burrito has with the sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese, steak, and dressing??? Do you know how many tablespoons of sugar is in that soda? Do you know how much protein you are NOT getting? Knowledge is power. And once you gain knowledge about the kinds of food you’re currently eating you can begin to make calculated changes by eliminating that which is working against your progress and adding that which will help your progress.
Step 2. Follow the “Plate Method.” The plate method is a way to self-monitor your portions and your content. The plate method is simple! Half of your plate should be filled with veggies. A quarter of your plate should be filled with protein (chicken, turkey, lean red meat, fish, etc.). The other quarter of your plate should be filled with some wholesome carbs such as sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, couscous, whole grain breads, etc.
Step 3. Using the Plate Method, eat 3 meals a day with small snacks in between.
Step 4. Immediately eliminate all table sugar drinks and foods from entering your mouth: donuts, sodas, Starbucks mochas and frappuccinos, cookies, cup cakes, cocktails with syrups and mixes, french fries, cereal, corn syrup, etc. If you’re not willing to exclude these items from your normal consumption then stop trying to lose weight and just accept it and move on as is.
Step 5. Stop trying to lose weight with aerobic exercises like running, biking, swimming, rowing. These exercises are great for your cardiovascular system but not for fat loss because they burn calories, not fat. When doing aerobic exercise your body will first burn carbs and protein for fuel. Only once your body is completely void of these macronutrients will it start to burn fat as fuel; hence the keto diet. So if it’s fat loss you seek, simply running won’t cut it.
Step 6. To change the way your body looks, aka your body composition, add strength training to your routine. Muscle will increase, body fat will decrease. There’s a simple science behind it but just know that if you want to see changes in body composition, you need to add resistance training. Doing a workout that combines strength and conditioning exercises such as squats with a barbell, rowing, and push-ups will burn fat AND build muscle simultaneously. Can’t do a pushup from the floor? No problem. Do pushups to a table, a chair, or a barbell in the squat rack.
Step 7. Grab an accountability partner to check in with each week. This can be a spouse, a friend, or a nutrition coach.
Do you know what all of these steps have in common? They are about choice and behavior. This is a good and bad thing!
It’s good because the power is in your hands and if you choose to implement these steps starting today, you will see drastic changes in 3 months. Nothing is stopping you but you.
It’s bad because if you don’t have the ability to change your behavior and implement long term changes on your own then you’ll continue to spin your tires and end up in the same place or even worse 12 months from now.
The most important thing to remembers is this:
Your Patterns Determine Your Product.
If you keep doing what you’ve been doing you’re going to keep getting what you’ve been getting.
Nutrition isn’t complicated. Stop trying to make it so. I just gave you a clear and simple path to life saving and life changing nutrition behaviors. Give them a try! If you lose 5 pounds in a few weeks, which is TOTALLY possible with the above steps, then shoot me an email and let me know! I would love to share in your celebration with you!
Cheers to lean muscle mass, low body fat, and leveling up your quality of health and fitness!
-Haven