Weight loss: five things to focus on
I’ve been coaching for over a decade now, and in that time, I’ve seen weight loss trends come and go, but as some weight loss trends vanish, they still seem to leave some damage – the misinformation still sweeps the industry and creates confusion.
Prefer to watch than read? Then please check out the video below:
So, in today’s article, I aim to provide clarity with five things you want to focus on when looking to lose weight.
Five things to focus on to lose weight:
Calories
Number one is calories – whatever approach your take, the success is dictated by whether or not said dietary intervention puts you in a caloric deficit. Does low carb work? If it puts you in a deficit, yes! Does intermittent fasting work? If it puts you in a deficit, yes! Your calories need to be low enough for your body to justify breaking into its energy reserves – AKA body fat.
Activity Levels
Number two is activity levels – controlling your intake is just half the battle, as we need to burn more calories than we consume. If we just drop our calories, we could subconsciously compensate by moving less, potentially resulting in zero weight loss. But, if we both reduce our calories and increase our energy expenditure by training or hitting plenty of steps, or both, we will effectively tilt energy balance in our favour and lose weight.
Protein
Number three is protein – losing weight is hard work and is much harder when you’re hungry. Protein is the most satiating macronutrient, so if your diet is rich in protein, you’ll find being in a deficit much easier. Furthermore, we need protein to build and recover muscle tissue – the more muscle we have, the more calories we burn, as lean mass is very energy-demanding.
Fibre
Number four is fibre – among having a host of health benefits, fibre is super satiating, similar to protein. If your diet is rich in fibre, you’ll not struggle too much with hunger. A little bit of hunger is okay – we want to be content with the feeling of slight hunger, but extreme hunger sucks, and we need to avoid it. So, eat your vegetables!
Food Volume
This brings me nicely to number five – food volume. Food volume is another tool to attenuate hunger. We want to focus on foods that are low in calories and high in volume – like broccoli, for example. We can add a mountain of broccoli to our plate, which adds volume to the meal, with very few extra calories. This is advantageous both physiologically and psychologically. You don’t want to feel like you’re eating very small meals. So, again – eat your vegetables, and I’ll aim to do the same!
Focusing on these principles will make your weight loss journey smoother, less confusing and will allow you to bypass the latest weight loss trend that would over wise throw you off track. Keep things simple, stay focused and keep smashing it!