Here we are in Spring, a pivotal time where people have either seen success with their fitness goals or are ready to jump ship. And If you’re like myself or others, you’ve given at least one of the popular fat-loss diets a shot; Atkins, Keto, Southbeach, Whole30…on and on. The problem with these diets is that they were created to appeal to the masses; to be scaled for the general population. But individuals function quite differently from each other. Our bodies need more specificity with our workouts, nutrition, and overall lifestyle habits to fit our individual needs. But don’t fret! I’ll be giving you the tools to design your optimal workout plan, step-by-step guide to establish your eating routine, and tips on general lifestyle behaviors to better ensure your fat loss success! Let’s dig in…
TRAINING
When it comes to fat-loss, your workout program should favor exercises that give you the most bang for your buck. Try incorporating full-body moves that require the most energy output and will elevate your heart rate to maximize calorie burn! Now when it comes to which specific exercises you complete, that’s where your individuality can come into play. The reality is, there are probably some exercises that you absolutely hate with a passion. And that’s okay. You can’t expect yourself to complete those exercises on a regular basis, because nothing will burn you out faster than resenting your exercise program. So you’ll have to figure out a series of movements that you at least don’t mind, but ideally you’ll come to genuinely enjoy. Here are some examples of awesome exercises that will yield a ton of calorie output:
- Burpees
- Jump Squats
- Pushups + Split Jacks
- Kettlebell Swings
- Squat + Overhead Press
- Jumping Rope
- Stiff Leg Deadlift + Row
- Mountain Climbers
- Medicine Ball Slams
- Walking Lunges + Curl + Press
I suggest implementing a work:rest ratio rather than counting reps. It makes your workouts simple and easier to keep track of. A 1:2 ratio of work to rest is a great place to start, and you can always decrease the rest time or increase the work time as you aerobic capacity and muscular endurance increases! Also, it’s important to incorporate some lower intensity exercises throughout the workout to let your heart rate come down a bit.
An example fat-loss workout that I’ve enjoyed looked like this: Work for 60 Seconds:Rest for 45 Seconds Circuit Style– 4 Rounds
- Chest to Ground Burpees w/ 15lbs Dumbbells 2. V-Sits (Abs) 3. Pushups + Split Jacks 4. One Arm Kettlebell Swings 5. Underhand Pull ups For more example exercises or workouts, feel free to email me at [email protected] and I’ll send some your way!
NUTRITION
As you’ve heard, “Abs are made in the kitchen”, and oh man is that the truth. Another fun saying, “You can’t outwork a bad diet”, also applies. Feel free to ad lib your own cliche… Point is, nutrition makes or breaks your fat-loss goals, and the same rule applies from your workout routines; you can’t hate your eating plan. You won’t stick with it if you do. The real goal is to find an eating pattern or style that fits both your preferences and your goals. First thing to do is understand the difference between whole, healthy foods vs. processed junk food. Here’s a great piece explaining the difference. The second thing is to determine which whole foods you enjoy and what healthy recipes can be prepared with them. To give you some ideas, check this article out. Finally, use this calculator to get a good estimate as to what your calorie intake should be each day to create a caloric deficit and ultimately fat-loss. Additionally, I’d highly recommend using a nutrition tracking app or even going old school with a written food journal. Either way, it’s incredibly important to stay mindful of
what and how much you’re taking in each day. Trust me, that daily calorie limit can go out the window QUICK if you’re just estimating. And if there’s one point I can’t stress enough, it’s that you must create an eating plan that works well with your preferences, lifestyle, and is sustainable!
LIFESTYLE TIPS
Some general lifestyle behaviors that I highly recommend implementing for the goal of fat-loss are:
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Adequate water intake is crucial for fueling an optimal metabolism and ensuring you burn the most calories you can per day. Men need at least 120 oz. per day, and women no less than 90 oz.
- Simply being more active. Instead of taking the elevator, walk the stairs. Park further away from your office. Walk around outside during your lunch break. Use a small water glass at your desk so you have to physically get up and walk to the water fountain. These may seem like small behaviors, but when they’re completed every day, of every week, of every month…they really add up!
- Get enough sleep. One of the worst things you can do for your metabolism is become sleep deprived. Our bodies use sleep to recover and grow, so without enough of it we become deprived; our bodies don’t like letting go of fat during deprivations!
- De-Stress. Along with sleep deprivation, being chronically stressed wreaks havoc on our metabolisms. It’s common to take our work home with us, or lie awake at night worried about the future, family, etc. It’s crucial to find an outlet for all the everyday stress, something to take your mind off it all, even for just a short period of time. Your body will thank you for it in the form of fat loss! Yoga, stretch meditation, your favorite hobbies, listening to music; anything relaxing will do, just find what works best for you.
There you have it folks, now you can create your optimal fat loss plan! Remember, it sounds simple, but it takes a strong sense of dedication, focus, and planning. Things won’t always work out perfectly, that’s just life. But once you’ve developed your fat loss plan, do everything in your power to stick to it! In tough times, remind yourself why you started by anchoring your motivation to your most sincere aspirations and values. It will take time and there are no shortcuts. But by sticking to the plan and taking satisfaction from the small progress you see along the way, you can stay focused to see it through the end and reach your ideal fat loss goals!
