In theory, losing weight seems simple enough: Eat less, move more. Right? Anyone who’s ever tried to shred some pounds knows that diet and exercise isn’t as black and white as it may seem. If you’ve set out to lose some weight before the holiday season but aren’t seeing the results you hoped for, here are some possible reasons why:
Favouring Cardio over Weights Training: Pumping iron is far superior (and far more fun) compared to steady-state cardiovascular exercise in terms of total caloric expenditure in a 24-48 hour period. What is often misunderstood is the fact that you have to look at total caloric expenditure in a 24 hour period, not just what you do while at the gym. How many calories you burn during a training session plays a small role compared to the total number of calories you burn in the 24-48 hours afterwards!
Restricting Calories too Low: “I’ll just cut 500 calories and I’ll lose weight.” We’ve been programmed to believe that by subtracting 500 calories per day from our diet, we’ll lose a 1/2kg per week. For a few this will work for a while, for most won’t! Using a “one size fits all approach” to fat loss is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. When you restrict calories too low your body doesn’t necessarily know when your next meal is coming, so it’ll take what little calories it is getting and store them as fat for later use. If you want to lose weight, you have to think about sustainability.
Not taking a rest day: This goes for dieting as well as training. The key to any nutrition plan is consistency and adherence. The easiest way to improve adherence is a planned day off from your diet – something to look forward to. I’m not talking about a full blown cheat day consisting of thousands of calories. Let’s call it a day of flexibility. A little”flexibility” once a week can help satisfy cravings and, when done right, can even spike metabolism and help you burn calories more efficiently. It’s crucial to give your mind and body adequate rest & recovery days from training & dieting.
Not dumping the Calorie Containing Drinks: This is usually the very first thing I change when I start with a new client. If you’re one of those people who’s always had a difficult time losing weight, try getting rid of all calorie containing beverages from your diet (with the exception of your protein/amino acid shakes & bone broth). This includes, soft drink, fruit juice, lattes (milk, sugar, cream ect), alcohol. They will raise inflammation as well as raise blood sugar and wreak havoc on your digestive system! I’d much rather someone eat their calories than drink them, especially when dieting.
Over-realiance on Supplements: Their marketing campaigns are so effective they are almost impossible to ignore (and nor should you) but health supplements should be exactly that – a supplement to a healthy diet and lifestyle. In my opinion here’s what you need:
For some of your this might be new information and for other just a reminder that without the basics losing body fat and keeping it off is much harder. If your struggling to see continual fat loss, try applying these 4 techniques.