Now the big thing on [almost] everyone’s mind this time of year is, I need to lose some weight.
REMEMBER, what you are really wanting is
the body behind the weight loss.
This means you need to lose some fat and build some muscle and that’s why we train the way we do – to build muscle and burn fat simultaneously.
But you still need to sort some stuff out on the eating side of things and stay healthy.
So let’s list some high return tips to kick start your transformation.
Cut out wheat.
It causes inflammation and is problematic in many, so stop eating it. There’s other grains you can eat and wheat free beer and bread, so the world won’t end. And it doesn’t mean you stay away from it forever, unless you choose to.
Drink clean water.
Tap water is full of crap. Get a filter or buy spring water and always add a pinch of salt to every litre of water you drink.
It will help maintain your electrolyte balance and keep you from having to run to the toilet every hour.
Terminate sugar.
As you start to cut out wheat and sugar, you’ll notice sugar cravings go away significantly.
That’s cos the bugs that live in your digestive system feed off sugar and make you crave them. But starve them out and you don’t crave sugar or food in general so much.
Sprint.
Sprinting can be running and it can be many other activities. But your ability to sprint will help you burn more fat faster, and keep you ahead of the field when the zombie apocalypse arises.
Do this once or twice a week at the most. At times of high stress, a short session once a week is plenty.
This may just be a warmup at the start followed by a 10 minute session of sprints of 10 x 20m, where you sprint every minute on the minute. Set a timer and get moving.
Stretch more.
If you stretch more regularly, you are more likely to stay injury free which means there’s no interruption to you continuing to train.
Sure there’s other reasons to stretch, but for fat loss it’s all about being able to keep training. If you can train, you will eat better. If you can’t train, you won’t care about your diet so much.
Go to bed earlier.
If you don’t get enough sleep, your body won’t recover and you won’t get the results you crave.
Get 8 hours or more if you can and aim to be asleep by 1030 for optimum mind and body recovery.
Get to training regularly.
Just by joining a club you are more likely to succeed with weight loss. By becoming a regular, you start a consistent exercise routine, become accountable to the trainers and others in the group and you’ll want to eat better so you don’t waste your workout. You’ve still got to turn up.
If you can’t train at a club for whatever reason, try to train with a friend. You are far more likely to succeed and stick with training if there’s someone else to talk you out of just going for coffee instead.
If it’s just you, schedule your workouts like important appointments you must keep.
You are worth the investment and the fitter and healthier you get, the more work you will get done in less time.
Eat different coloured vegetables with every meal.
Vitamins and minerals are all necessary for your body to work optimally. So eat a broad range of vegetables and try new stuff whenever you can.
This affects the microbiome [gut bacteria levels] which in turn keeps your immunity high. If you are sick all the time, this should be a priority to address.
Take a Multivitamin.
No one can eat everything they need to get all the vitamins they need, so unless you eat a broad and perfect organic diet from your own garden, a general supplement is a must.
I like the Energy Revitalization Powder from Enzymatic Therapy, but try a few different ones and see what feels best for you.
Prepare food in advance.
Keep food in the fridge and freezer always.
Cook meals in advance and leave them handy for when you are too busy.
Have enough storage containers.
Put aside some time to prepare your meals for the week so it’s locked in.
These things are essential to long term success.
Eat organic.
Organic means foods which aren’t sprayed with pesticides and often aren’t grown with modern farming methods.
The soil quality is high, farming is practiced in a way to support the land for future use and not bleed it dry as modern farming does.
It’s expensive, but it’s also not expensive. If I spent my money on organic food I would likely have not gotten Chronic Fatigue and that has been far more expensive.
Choose organic meat first as they animals consume organic greens already so you’ll get the benefit of the greens with your meat intake.
If you can’t afford to eat organic, farmers markets and locally grown stuff will be the next best option, but wash it with apple cider vinegar in water before you eat it.
Walk more.
Walking is a great stress reliever, it’s social and you can use it to go places, which is my personal favourite.
But modern life limits how much we walk as we strive to squeeze every bit out of every day. If you slow down and walk a little more, you’ll still get plenty done and get the fresh air out in nature.
It’s the best exercise to do on one of ‘those days’ where you are exhausted but need to blow off some steam. In that case, a walk around a lake or by the ocean is ideal.
Focus on your health as the highest priority.
If you lose it, you’ll spend all your time and money trying to get it back, so don’t lose it!
If you can afford to work with a naturopath, they can help you maximize how your body looks, feels and performs.
They can do a bunch of individual tests to see what your body needs and then give you just that. We are all different, so this approach delivers an edge over just guessing our diet.
I found it very interesting to go through my raw genetic information with my naturopath as she pointed out the mutations on the genes, why my body responds to this but not this, etc.
Don’t eat so much.
Just cut back portion sizes and you’ll reduce your total calorie intake. But don’t cut it back too much too soon or you will end up starving.
Make it gradually smaller. If you get too hungry, add a little back in.
You should still feel full after you have eaten your smaller meal, but take your time and don’t starve yourself. Some foods such as broccoli are low in calories and very filling.
Do some strength training.
2-4 times per week you should be doing some strength training. It can be with kettlebells, bodyweight, gymnastics, powerlifting, whatever.
Getting stronger makes everything in your body work better. It encourages good posture, give you shape or tone to your muscles and gives you confidence galore.
I believe that most people would benefit from moderate intensity strength training 2-4 times a week, sprinting once and walking a lot, with some stretching thrown in.
More time should be spent eating with friends and hanging out without excessive food or drink intake. Mediterranean cultures have been eating this way for years and are among the healthiest on the planet.
Don’t go on a diet.
I’m not on any diet and I don’t hate all diets.
In fact I’m looking into the ketogenic diet at the moment for particular health benefits that it may produce.
But I do know that the majority of people don’t succeed on a diet long term.
This can mean you lose a bunch of weight really quickly, only to put it back on really quickly and often more than you started with.
There are cleanses around that promise lightning fast results in the short term, but are expensive and the results don’t last. Don’t burn your money.
You don’t need a diet.
It’s certain elements that make up a diet that consistent with long term results.
Follow the advice I laid out here.
If you just followed this and didn’t concern yourself with much else, you’d absolutely clean up with your health and fitness goals for the year.
Have a great week!
Trav
