1) Stop focusing on fat loss!
Perhaps you're a total newbie to the gym or you are part of the
furniture
Perhaps you're new to running or maybe have hit the road every day for the past 17 years - whatever, as counterintuitive as it sounds, instead of focusing on losing fat, focus on your performance instead.
It can be just getting a little bit better in the gym, outside running or walking, climbing the steps at the train station, walking the dog, playing
with the kids.
The main concern shouldn't be about calories burnt and fat melting away when exercising - make it on getting stronger and being more consistent.....doing just that bit better than last time.
Not only is this more positive (focusing on getting stronger instead of thinking “I need to look better”) and
enjoyable, your physique will get better over time.
As James has said again and again, set realistic goals, like doing one chin up (or if you're anything like I was, even just hanging for 30 seconds was my first goal!), pressing and pulling progressively heavier dumbells, holding a plank for 30 secs and working up to 3 minutes gradually.
It really
doesn't matter....progress is always progress, however small!
When it comes to food - eating does not mean getting 'fat', and starving does not mean you're losing weight (in fact it can be quite the opposite).
So, maybe no more falling for diet foods that are usually packaged with 8 million ingredients, and no more eating a probably insufficient number of chemical laden
calories in an effort to lose weight?
Nutrition 101 is all about eating REAL food to get energy where you focus on feeding the fire with good wood to keep your metabolism burning.
You ONLY get true energy and nourishment from real food...just make sure you go out and use it!
Do this and fat loss becomes a side effect of a fun, active life.
2) No scales - track what really matters
Don’t rely on the number on the bathroom scales to indicate your success.
This is just the force you apply to the
floor...that is it!
True success can come through a number of ways for example:
- Performing three strength training workouts per week
- Going for a 15-45 minute walk on non-lifting days
- Eating whole food, filling, delicious meals - trying new
foods!
- Getting the portion and proportion sizes right.
- Eating mindfully and gracefully instead of mindlessly (ever shoved food mindlessly in your mouth while watching TV...I know I have!)
A check list or calendar is a great way to monitor your success of completing these actions, for example, you can write down the 3 days each week you’ll strength train and go
for a walk, so you can check them off as you go.
3) Listen to your body and aim for these portions.
Eat when you are really hungry, slow down and try to spot that point when you are satisfied. You don't have to finish the plate!
We can get into the grams of each macronutrients you should be
eating e.g. 1g/kg body weight, 30g mixed veg etc, but we aren't all body builders or elite athletes.
Food is not just fuel and we don't carry around scales- most of us are your everyday people who want to eat healthily easily, improve the body comp and we love food!
Of course we are all different when it comes to goals, genes, current health status and energy
usage, but a great starting point when it comes to losing fat healthily is:
- have half the plate filled with above ground veges/salad. e.g. brocolli, salad greens, courgette etc
- your fist size or open hand sized portion of protein. e.g. fish, chicken, mince, chickpeas etc.
- two finger sized amount of fat e.g. couple of capfuls of
extra virgin olive oil, a piece of cheese, seeds, nuts.
- relaxed handful of starch, e.g potato, sweet potato, squash, turnip, carrots/swede, rice, noodles, spaghetti etc
This really is a good place to start. Plenty of fibre and protein and enough fat giving the lower Glycaemic Index (GI) or Load of the whole meal and rich in micronutrients (and antioxidants).
There's plenty of room to tweak depending on your satiety and energy levels later on.
4) Follow an exercise program that fits your schedule
You shouldn’t revolve your life around a workout program. It needs to fit into your life if you want to achieve results, and maintain
them long-term.
Find ways to supplement that programme on the "non-workout days", for example: a brisk walk, getting off the train or bus a couple of stops earlier, taking the steps instead of the escalator or lift etc etc..... look at your life every day - I bet you can find ways of being just that bit more active.
Even though fat loss is your goal, how you eat and
work out should enhance your life; not dominate it.
5) Enjoy the journey
Don’t obsess over the goal of losing body fat and looking better.
Enjoy the journey and make the most of it. Have fun with your workouts and be proud of what you accomplish in the gym.
Relish your strength and energy gains. Eat delicious, satisfying meals, and enjoy them.
Be proud of what you’re doing and choose to love yourself and your body right now — don’t wait until you reach your goals.
Life is too short, and too unpredictable to wait to be happy or to be miserable. Enjoy the journey.
Choose to be happy now.
6) Focus on the few things that truly matter.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the tiny details of a health and fitness regimen. In fact, this is where people most often experience stress and frustration.
They simply focus on too many things at once.
If you want to lose fat (and keep it off!) do yourself a huge favor and focus on the few things that will provide the majority of the results.
Find your limiting factors and then work to get past them...one by
one!
This is the powerful 80-20 rule at work: 80 percent of your results will come from 20 percent of your actions and efforts.
Always go back to your "Why" and do something little each day that is better.
7) Be consistent
Apply the previous steps consistently and you’ll get results. And this shouldn’t be difficult because you’re going to follow guidelines that are tailored to your lifestyle and preferences, as explained above.
When you fall of that wagon, enjoy the big fat chocolate cake or the five-day- no- exercise-at-all-because-family-were-staying- break for what they were, and just get yourself up and get back
on!
The outcomes will happen, but they shouldn’t be your focus; they’re just going to be amazing side-effects.
Above all, enjoy the journey and embrace everything you learn. It may seem complex and confusing, however this is just a part of learning and is there to spur you on!
It
isn't easy because it is hard work, it does mean showing up and doing the work.
There is no way round it, however be sure to focus on those small victories and you WILL gain momentum!
Live it!
Kim
