5 Practical Tips to Fat Loss
I know - there’s so much information out there. It’s hard to distinguish between fads and facts. I want to share with you some practical, evidence-based ways to achieve fat loss. These don’t just take four weeks, or even eight, but are a long-term commitment to the life you want to create for yourself.
Most fat loss journeys end in people putting the weight back on, because people don’t have long term vision. Doing it for the summer holidays or an event sets you up to achieve it, but then you’ll quickly end up back where you started. It’s important to note that weight may fluctuate over time due to different circumstances including age, menstrual cycle, and illness.
Follow these 5 steps to get started on your fat loss journey:
Set Realistic Goals
It’s easy to aim big - which is also totally acceptable - but what isn't acceptable is setting goals that are so far out of reach that you have no drive to keep going after them when things get tough.
What you can do is set a goal for the next 6-12 months, and then break it down into 12 week increments, then monthly, weekly, and daily.This could look something like this if it was a weightloss journey (and I've made the math simple for the both of us).
In 12 months time I want to lose 12kg
That means every 3 months I will lose 3kg
That means each month I will lose 1kg
This takes the pressure off achieving weight loss in a short space of time and instead encourages you to build daily healthy habits, become more self aware, and make better decisions. Over time, this will increase your ability to keep the weight off, rather than repeating the same cycles.
2. Understand Your Eating Habits
You’ll know about calorie deficit (more calories out than in), and this is always great to think of to help guide you. Unfortunately, I see far too many people, especially women, interpreting this as undereating. This can compromise your health, and can be detrimental to everything from your menstrual cycle to basic bodily functions. Eating 1000-1200 calories per day and continuing with physical activity can be dangerous. I urge you to do your own research as well as hiring educated coaches, so you understand the role your eating is playing in your weight loss. When it comes to losing fat, building muscle, training for performance and so forth we need food as fuel for energy as well as for our brain and cognitive function.
3. Create a Nutrition Plan
What you’re putting into your body is one of the biggest factors in losing weight. Having a nutrition plan can help you create a better relationship with food, manage portion sizes, eat quality food, and make more informed choices.
This doesn’t mean restricting yourself - it means nourishing yourself whether you’re busy working, travelling, a full-time mum, a working parent. It means making nutrition work for you and what you need. If you find yourself eating out too much or making poor choices, ask yourself what you need to do to change.
An example here could be:
- I will only eat lunch out 3 x a week (research new places or options that suit your diet)
- I will have 2 x lunches with my leftover dinner (make an extra portion)
- I will have breakfast at home
- I will have dinner out 1 x per week
- I will plan out dinners so I have the right food in
Here you’re saving money, you’re acknowledging that sometimes you will want to join colleagues for lunch, a dinner out or takeaway with your partner, and you’re able to save money and time with meal prep.
4. Make Smart Choices
It’s easy to continue in the same mindset that you’ve always had in how you approach things. But if you change nothing, nothing changes. That goes for you physically, emotionally and mentally. So remember every action you take is a vote for the type of person you want to be. Get clear on what that looks like and then take actionable steps towards that person.
5. Be Self Aware
Unlocking your subconscious mind and being aware internally and externally will help you make the right choices. Psychologists Shelley Duval and Robert Wicklund propose that self-awareness is "the ability to focus on yourself and how your actions, thoughts, or emotions do or don't align with your internal standards. If you're highly self-aware, you can objectively evaluate yourself, manage your emotions, align your behavior with your values, and understand correctly how others perceive you". Put simply, those who are highly self-aware can interpret their actions, feelings, and thoughts more objectively.
If we apply this to your health and fitness journey, it means getting to know why you put walls up, resist going to the gym, sleep through your alarm, and make excuses. Ask yourself: Why am I really doing this? What does this mean for me? How can I help myself and get the work done? The next time you find yourself at resistance ask yourself: Where is this feeling coming from? What do I need to do to overcome it?
If you start consciously understanding and applying these five principles you will begin to transform your mindset, which is the ultimate tool you need to master and make progress in every aspect of your life!
Remember shifting your mindset will take time. With conscious discipline and a can-do attitude, you can literally change your life. If you need some extra help, book in a free, no-obligation call with me right here: Let’s talk here.
