5 THING I WISH I'D KNOW AT THE START OF MY JOURNEY
We all start somewhere.
Where ever you are on your fitness journey, I hope that you can learn a few things from me and not have to make the same mistakes or feel the same frustration and confusion that I did.
Here are 5 things that have been on my mind this week - in no particular order.
1 - There are multiple ways to create a caloric deficit
As we know, a caloric deficit is the most important factor to weight loss. We can manipulate both training and/or nutrition to create a deficit.
Like most things training and nutrition, there is no one universal “right or wrong” approach, but rather an individualized “right” approach for you is going to be the one you can adhere to long enough to achieve and maintain results. This mainly comes down to your lifestyle and preferences.
So I will say it just in case you need to hear it (because I wish I heard this back in 2015) - cardio is not necessary for weight loss.
One more time - CARDIO IS NOT NECESSARY FOR WEIGHT LOSS.
Can it be beneficial? YES!
Using cardio as a method of expending calories, possibly bringing your into a caloric deficit, is an option when it comes to weight loss, but it is not the only option.
You can create a deficit by:
a) strategically decreasing calories by manipulating macronutrients
b) expending calories through everyday activities (NEAT), training, and/or cardio.
So when should you include cardio into your weight loss journey?
It’s important to remember, that like being in a deficit and training, cardio is a stress to the body. It takes a toll on your nervous system and joints.
If you love cardio and would enjoy incorporating it into your training routine (be mindful of balancing it with resistance training, as you do not want to overwork yourself, especially as calories decrease).
If you live a sedentary lifestyle and do not get much movement during the day, you may need to include some LISS (low-intensity steady state) into your routine. This could include anything from going for an evening walk, going for a jog on the treadmill or around the neighborhood, or doing stair master at the gym.
If you hit a plateau. Weight loss is stalling, your calories are getting low, and you think that adhering to some added cardio would be easier than adhering to a lower caloric intake.
If you have performance or sport goals. I have many clients who love training for ½ marathons or just community 5-10Ks.
2 - Start with the minimal effective dose
Why pull 500 calories to lose weight, when you could potentially pull 200 calories and see a reduction in weight?
Creating drastic changes too suddenly will not set you up for long-term adherence nor success.
When it comes to creating a deficit, I get a lot of questions on how to know how many calories to pull. This depends on your current maintenance, dieting history, timeline, and preferences.
I will be creating a video series and including this topic there, so be on the look out for that.
If you do not want to wait or feel like you need individualized help, you can apply for coaching (application at the bottom of that page) and we will set up a phone call to discuss where you’re at, where you want to be, and how to get you there.
3 - Total restriction is not the answer
I’ve been there - no sugar, no carbs, juice cleanse, tea-toxes….you name it, I probably tried it.
I find that people usually turn to total restriction when they are looking for a fast fix. After all eating no sugar MUST result in fat loss, right?!
Wrong - because the majority of us enjoy foods that contain sugar, and can not cut them out of our lives forever.
Have you ever binged and felt like you could not stop?! I have, and it was all because I tried to deny the fact that I wanted the item for so long, that eventually I lost it and gave in.
The answer is BALANCE and portion control. Allowing yourself to have a piece of chocolate each night (not the entire bar), so you aren’t restricting yourself, will help lead to long-term adherence and therefore results.
4 - There are no universal “best fat loss foods”
I admit it, I used to base most of my knowledge off of Bodybuilding.com and the guys around me…. Therefore for a while I believed that plain chicken, plain baked sweet potato, and plain steamed broccoli were the answer to fat loss and achieving a lean figure.
Don’t get me wrong, those three foods are amazing foods - great range of protein and carbs and a wide variety of micronutrients - but I HATED them. I would shovel down the tupperware and then have intense cravings for something sweet, because the meal was so unsatisfying, even if I was full I would rummage through the kitchen looking for MORE food.
The best fat loss foods are the ones that you can cook, enjoy, are nutrient dense and can eat with control (right portion sizes) to put you into a deficit.
Usually, whole foods (minimally processed) are a great option because they contain nutrients and have less ingredients (aka less added calories).
Also, incorporating higher volume foods is beneficial to helping you fill up without consuming a ton of calories. An example that I use for my clients who tend to snack at work when they get bored, is switching to air popped popcorn, rather than crackers or chips.
1 cup cooked white rice = 200 calories / 47 carbs
1 cup riced cauliflower = 25 calories / 3 carb
Examples of high volume foods:
Berries
Cauliflower (including products such as cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower)
Greens (think about how full you get after eating a huge salad)
Air popped popcorn
5 - Total training volume has the largest effect on hypertrophy
If your goals include achieving a “toned” look, or having a low enough body fat percent which having visible muscle, or having a lean figure, then your goals include hypertrophy.
Hypertrophy = the growth and increase of the size of muscle cells
You need that muscle growth so it can show through as you lose weight and the fat comes off.
I used to focus on one thing - increasing load, or progressive overload. I would neglect volume. In my case, I would only train legs 1-2 per week (because once again I was mainly following the lead of the guys around me and would do their training split with them).
Eventually, this lack of volume on my lower body caught up to me and my glute and hamstring growth plateaued.
Rather than completely destroying one muscle group per training session (i.e. back day, chest day, leg day = the next few days those muscle groups are exhausted and sore) consider changing your training split to a full-body or push/pull style so you can get in more total volume over the course of one week.
If this is something you want to learn more about, or have specific questions about your goals and training split, let me know. Shoot me an email at flourishforlifecoaching@gmail.com.
6 - Hiring help = less trial & error → results FASTER!
Somehow I counted wrong and ended up with 6…but this one is so important to me that I had to include it.
The final thing I wish I had known sooner was that investing in help is 100% worth the time, money, and effort.
I do not regret doing things on my own because it gave me the experience and view point that I have today, and it actually allows me to relate to my clients better - but at the same time, my knowledge, expertise, and results would be far more advanced if I had someone guiding me the entire time.
Think about the highest performing individuals in our society - successful business men & women or professional athletes - they all have coaches and mentors.
Having someone by your side, supporting you, holding you accountable, and teaching you is so incredibly powerful.
It is something I will prioritize for the rest of my life now that I’ve see the positive effects it’s had on my life and progress.
If you’re ready to have a 100% customized program & plan made specifically for YOU + YOUR GOALS… so you too can reach your goals FASTER & with more ease, we’re ready for YOU! Click here to schedule your free consult call to learn more about our 1-1 Fitness & Nutrition Coaching Program.