We’ve all heard countless times that the key to weight loss is to ensure the amount of food you eat does not exceed the energy you expand. What that means for most people is, eat less. But that’s where people fail and why all diets work in the short-run. All diets work by enforcing a caloric deficit, which often times is restrictive and not sustainable.
The way to be successful with weight or fat loss is to find a dietary routine that you can actually stick to because you ENJOY it. If that means it takes 6 months or even 2 years to get right, that’s just what it takes. So how do you enforce a caloric deficit that doesn’t feel restrictive?
There are a couple things to consider:
-
Your activity level will determine how much calories you need at a minimum to sustain your body’s energy needs plus how active you are. Studies have consistently demonstrated that when comparing between just diet, diet and exercise, or just exercise, having both effective diet and exercise is most productive for weight loss and maintenance. That means you need to be eating enough so that you have the energy to get through your training, but just enough so that you would still be in a deficit.
-
Macronutrient (carbs, fat, and protein) distribution is also important. The easy explanation is that each macronutrient have different caloric values. Both carbs and protein have 4 kcals/grams, but fat has over twice that at 9 kcals/grams. That basically means we wouldn’t want too many grams of fat in our diet. Protein is also important to prioritise for a few reasons – recovery of your muscles after training, which is important because muscles are more metabolically active (they burn more calories at rest compared to fat tissue), and it is satiating (keeps you full longer).
So then what should you eat?
Aim for a diet that is predominantly filled with whole foods that are nutrient-rich. Don’t restrict yourself – remember, the key is being able to stick with it! We all know what healthy food looks like. Wholegrains, vegetables, fruits, seeds and legumes, lean meats, fish, and healthy fats are what you want to include in your diet. It is completely OK to eat what’s not conventionally ‘healthy’ once in a while. There is a difference between having a treat occasionally, as opposed to restricting yourself for months only to end up eating uncontrollably because your cravings are through the roof.
Once you’ve figured out a routine that works for you, you should start seeing a gradual weight loss and if you are tracking this, look at weekly to monthly trends instead of daily. Often times people feel discouraged because weight can change daily and isn’t an accurate picture. Consider progress pictures instead, especially if you are putting on more muscle – the weight may not be going down but the fat composition definitely is.
Still unsure about how exactly to implement this in a daily routine?
The most important thing to remember is that the road to weight/fat loss is not linear. We all have good and not-so-good days, but the important thing is what the big picture looks like. Stay consistently healthy and you’ll definitely reap the benefits for years to come!