Struggling with Fat Loss? Try this.
We all know the drill. Whenever anyone talks about fat loss we think calorie deficit.
Yes a calorie deficit is important, but fat loss doesn’t only come down to your food choices. I’ll be listing a few factors to help set you up for success and put you in the best possible position to achieve your goals.
#1 Diet
This is the number 1 priority for any diet or body composition goal you may have.
There are so many ‘diets’ out there people get sucked into believing, but it doesn’t need to be that complicated.
How to get your nutrition on point:
Focus on having whole foods and highly nutritious foods as much as possible - basically cut out any processed crap!
Drink plenty of water - a minimum of 2L per day but more if you’re training
Keep your meals simple and easy to prepare - this is the key to consistency
Hit your protein and fibre targets - this will help you to feel full!
#2 N.E.A.T
NEAT = non exercise activity thermogenesis.
This in simple terms, means any activity outside of exercise, eating and sleeping e.g. fidgeting, steps, gardening, cleaning etc.
NEAT increases our metabolic rate and results in burning more calories, helping you to lose weight and keep it off.
How to increase your NEAT?
Take walking meetings. A great way to get outside, burn calories and get yourself moving!
Take the stairs. Skip the lift, skip the escalator - the stairs are a great way to keep your body moving throughout the day.
Reduce your driving time. Can you walk or cycle instead?
Take regular breaks throughout the day
#3 Stress
Our lives are full of stress - even when we don’t realise it!
It can cause inflammation, water retention, limit your training results and impact your recovery. It can leave you looking bloated for weeks despite nailing every other element of your plan. This is something I suffer from quite regularly, so implementing strategies is so important to prevent and cure stress.
Strategies to help with stress:
Relax - sounds too easy right? Try deep breathing exercises or meditation to help relax the body and reduce stress.
Low intensity exercise - stretching, yoga or going on a long walk are great for helping to de-stress!
Put yourself first - book a massage, read a book, do something you really enjoy and take a day to do something for you!
Get support from others and use your family or friends to help you to feel less stressed. Talking about how you’re feeling can help relieve tension that is building up and make you feel better.
Finally if you’re still struggling with stress after trying all these strategies, seek help from a health professional.
#4 Sleep
Sleep is so important for us to recover and make progress. A bad nights sleep can impact everything from your mood, your training performance, your productivity and so much more.
Ways to improve your sleep:
Sleep in a pitch black room and aim for a minimum of 7.5hrs per night
Avoid stimulation right before bed - social media scrolling, watching TV late. The blue light from our screens impairs our ability to fall asleep (which is not what we want!)
Create a new evening and bedtime routine. Set yourself a time to finish work and try and relax - I’m talking candles, face masks, baths, reading - all the good things!
Limit your coffee intake to two a day and cut out caffeine from 2pm onwards - this is an additional stimulant you don’t want hanging around when you’re about to go to sleep!
Avoid eating really close to your bedtime - your digestive system needs time to digest before you lie down and go to sleep
Try magnesium supplements or powder to help you relax and recover
Hopefully from reading all of this you’ll see a theme here….
Keep it SIMPLE and CONSISTENT.
This gets RESULTS.
All you have to do is be patient!
