Weight Loss....is it Really That Complicated?

As a trainer I am always answering client's questions regarding weight loss. With an ever growing array of diets and programs out there, my clients often believe that weight loss is some complicated formula that they will never truly understand. The truth of the matter however is that in its most simple form, weight loss is really just basic math. 

The human body requires energy to sustain life. Humans provide this energy in the form of food and drink, or more accurately the calories in that food and drink. Even if you did nothing but lie in bed all day, your body still needs energy to perform its most basic functions such as breathing, circulation, and maintaining organ function. The amount of energy needed for these functions is called your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR is influenced by several factors including age, gender, and body size. Younger people need more energy daily vs. older people, as do males vs. females, and larger people vs. smaller people. For those of us who don't lie in bed all day (which I really hope you don't), these energy requirements are increased dependent upon your activity level.

You may be asking, well how does this relate to me losing weight. As I said earlier weight loss, and conversely weight gain, is just simple math. When we consume more calories than our body requires in a day, we will be in a calorie excess. The human body, being as smart as it is, will convert these extra calories to fat to be stored for later use and you will gain weight. When we consume less calories than we need in a day we put ourselves in a calorie deficit and your body will break down its existing fat stores and gets the energy needed from that and you will lose weight. It's as simple as that. 

In order to lose one pound of fat per week we need to be in a deficit of 3500 calories per week, or 500 calories per day. As I said earlier physical activity also influences energy requirements of the body. People who are more active (and I don't just mean exercise) will burn more calories in a day. I usually recommend to my clients who want to lose weight to cut 250 calories from their eating, AND to burn 250 calories through exercise, thus meeting the 500 calorie a day deficit needed to lose one pound a week. Be careful however of cutting calories too drastically as this can slow metabolism and actually make it harder to lose weight. The American College of Sports Medicine warns that calorie levels should never drop below 1200 calories/day for women or 1800/day for men.

So as I said, its all just basic math; calories in vs. calories out. One thing I make all my clients do is download the LoseIt app. It is a food journal and calorie counter that will make you more aware of what you are consuming because as I always explain to them, you can't put yourself into a safe calorie deficit, if you aren't aware with what you are putting in to begin with.The app will also help calculate your basic energy needs, but if you don't want to use that there are other internet programs that can do the same thing  such as MyPyramid.gov. These calculators use your age, weight, height, gender, activity level, and other factors to determine your personal energy needs.

I hope this post helps demystify weight loss a little for you and can help you on your way to a healthier weight and life. - Aaron

Basic Rules to Making a Lifestyle Change in Diet

When dealing with new clients the topic of diet always comes up. I am astonished time after time at how off base many people in the public are when it comes to diet. Fads and gimmick diets have everyone looking for the next big thing to melt off pounds. Well let me tell you....WEIGHT LOSS TAKES WORK. There are no magic pills. You pay your dues with sweat and tears and sacrifice and you come out better on the other side for it. In honor of all those shitty diets out there I am going to give you my rules to help make your lifestyle change in diet go as smoothly as possible. By the way, notice I didn't just say diet? I said a lifestyle change. If you are truly ready to lose the weight that is how you need to think of this. It isn't a diet. Diet to me are synonymous with temporary. This type of change needs to be permanent.

1. EAT 4-6 TIMES PER DAY. This will help to boost your metabolism so you will be burning calories throughout the day as well as keeping your blood sugar stable. Make sure to eat within one hour upon waking up and every 2-3 hours thereafter. 

2. COMBINE CARBOHYDRATES AND PROTEINS WITH EVERY MEAL. This combination in the right proportion (60/40) will not be as easily stored as fat and will be easier for your body to digest. Keeping your carbohydrate levels up is important to make sure you have the energy to get through the day.

3. DO NOT AVOID FATS. Fats are a vital part of good health. Avoid consuming too much fat in one sitting as it is hard for the body to process and may lead to some stomach discomfort. Keep fats listed to good sources such as avocado, nuts, olive oil, and reduced fat dairy.  Avoid full fat dairy products and heavy creams and sauces.

4. EXERCISE PORTION CONTROL. I cannot stress this one enough. Our portions in the US are out of control!  Get into the habit of actually looking at the label and see what the calories are per serving and also what a serving actually is.

5. BE ACCOUNTABLE AND LOG WHAT YOU EAT. Knowing what you are putting into your body is an easy way to start reducing caloric intake. You can’t cut your calories if you don’t know how many you are consuming in the first place.

6. HYDRATE PROPERLY.  A total of 6-8 cups per day.  An additional 8 oz for every 15 minutes of exercise. More in hotter weather or if wearing heavier clothes.

7. PLAN MEALS IN ADVANCE. This will make it much easier to stick to the 4-6 meal rule. Cooking meals in bulk and dividing them into single serve Tupperware makes it easy to grab and go before you leave the house for the day. Also remember to plan snacks. Nuts, fruit, and protein bars can be a quick and easy way to squeeze in a meal.

8. KEEP YOUR GOALS IN MIND. The exercise is always the easier of the two, yet diets account for 65-80% of failures in life changes.   Every time you want to cheat on your diet or skip a workout remember why you decided to make this change. If you are not happy with yourself or your look then do something about it and stick to your goals!