Losing weight seems to be a very difficult but very common goal for most individuals. We have created this simple 5 step process to losing weight and having you hitting your new year fitness goal in no time.
Step 1 Know Your Calorie Burn: This is the first but probably the most important step. Most yo-yo type of dieting happens because people have a tendency to under eat and be over active. You total calorie burn consists of 3 main areas; your metabolism (BMR), your activity level throughout the day (steps), and your workouts (if you workout). Your total calorie burn is essential and write this number down! If your calorie burn is low consider reading this blog post to figure out how to increase your overall burn!
Step 2 Track Your Food: If you are not seeing progress with fat loss, its because you are eating too many calories. Tracking your food allows you to become aware of the amount of total calories you should be putting into your body. DO YOUR DO DILIGENCE. Do you track your finances? This is no different. You need to know your numbers specifically that you put into your body.
Step 3 Prioritize Protein: While tracking your food, your goal should be to aim for .6 – .9g of protein per 1 lb of body weight. Roughly speaking if you weight 200, you should be eating somewhere between 120-180g of protein every day. This is so that you can promote muscle growth and increase your overall metabolism, LONG-TERM.
Step 4 Eat In A Deficit: While trying to lose weight, the HEALTHY recommendation for a daily deficit is -500 calories per day. So if your total calorie out put is 2000 calories a day, you should be consuming 1500 calories per day some of which include your step 3 protein intake. Notice I didn’t say eat less and lose more. If you start going beyond 500 calories, your body can actually start to metabolize your muscle instead of your fat. So be careful on this one! You may not succeed right away, but check this blog post to see why failing is okay.
Step 5 BE PATEINT!: This is the step that people always forget. When you are changing your diet your body has to adapt. Just because you were in a deficit one day, does not mean you will lose 10lbs. Losing 10lbs could take months at this process but it will deliver a healthier body in the end. Crash diets leave people feeling like crap and its not worth it.
Let’s recap. Know your calories. Track your food. Prioritize your protein. Eat in a deficit. AND BE PATIENT! Watch the magic happen over the new few weeks 🙂