With so many crazy diets out there, its easy to get confused and especially caught up in false approaches that simply don’t work. I thought it would be helpful to write some scientific based tips to help you on your journey to fighting that stubborn fat. Cleanses, shakes, starving yourself, pills, hormones, whatever it may be, are just gimmicks and are not the answer. Here are my favorite tips for Fighting Fat Loss for long term success.
#1 – Most of you know that I follow a flexible dieting approach. This basically means that no food is off limits. As long as you are in the parameters of meeting your fiber, sugar, along with protein, fats and carbs, no food is restricted.
This is a great approach for long-term success. As soon as a food is “off limits” our brain tells us that we want it even more. Thus, there is no need to binge which in turn means a healthy relationship with food. Yes, certain foods are healthier for us, but your body does not know if the carb you are eating is coming from broccoli or cereal in terms of weight loss. Yes, 85% of your diet should come from whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats (“healthy food”) but allowing yourself a treat here or there will not make or break your diet in any way.
#2 – Another HUGE reaction from new clients is always “I’m eating so much food!” “Are you sure I’m going to lose weight?” The goal in keeping food as high as possible is to keep your metabolism healthy and running. Weight loss is not always linear. It eventually plateaus and we need room to cut back if necessary. So the higher the food, the more room we have to cut back if necessary, and the less likely we have to get to a point that is miserable from a too-low calorie intake.
#3 – Don’t diet too quickly. Most people think that losing 10 pounds in 10 days is the way to go. In essence, when losing weight too fast, most of the weight is muscle (and water).
The more extreme measures you go to in losing weight the harder and faster you will rebound when you add food back in or try to maintain a “normal”, “healthy” lifestyle. One simply cannot live on tilapia and grilled chicken and asparagus and broccoli for months on end and perform 7 days of cardio a week for a long period of time . It’s simply not sustainable long term. Not to mention, would you rather look good for 1 month after knocking off 10 pounds and then gain it right back because it’s not sustainable or look great for the rest of your life from dieting down slowly and in a smart fashion? Slow and steady wins the race.
#4 – Don’t stress over the silly stuff. Eating carbs late at night, eating at certain times of the day, how frequently during the day and performing cardio fasted will not make or break your progress when trying to lose fat. Numerous studies have shown that eating carbs late at night and the amount of times you eat during the day have no effect on fat loss. The bottom line is calories in vs calories out at the end of the day. Yes, macronutrients play a vital role in how many calories you consume, so be sure to get adequate protein, fat and carbs for your body in your daily diet.
Not sure how many calories you should be eating? Or how much protein, fat or carbs? I would love to help. Feel free to contact me and we will get you started for a long-term healthy lifestyle!
