★ Weight Loss For Beginners ★
Disclaimer: I'm not qualified in personal training or nutrition. You may need to consult your doctor before implementing any changes in your diet or levels of physical activity, especially if you have any health issues. Please be careful and use your common sense :)
★ Part One: Eating ★
Don't call it a diet!
First thing's first - don't think of the fact you're eating good or 'clean' as a diet. If you're calling it a diet all the time you're convincing yourself AND everyone around you that it's temporary - meaning you're more likely put it off and slip back into your old pattern. This is a lifestyle change NOT a diet. Also, we've all seen people roll their eyes when you say you're on a diet. Learn to say "No thanks, I'm trying to get fit and healthy."
Let's talk about calories
How many calories to have
This may seem a little technical, but this is the method used by personal trainers,
fitness coaches, and anyone reputable in the fitness world - so listen up :)
fitness coaches, and anyone reputable in the fitness world - so listen up :)
1. Find out your BMR - click here
BMR stands for Basal Metabolic Rate and it is the amount of calories a body burns from just existing. It is different for everybody and does not take into account any movement at all. As a general rule, your calorie intake should never go lower than your BMR, or your body won't have enough energy to function properly.
2. Factor in your lifestyle - click here
Now we will take into account how many days you work out, or how much you walk around, or if you have a demanding job by using the Harris Benedict Equation. The result is how many calories you need to consume daily to maintain your current weight.
Now we will take into account how many days you work out, or how much you walk around, or if you have a demanding job by using the Harris Benedict Equation. The result is how many calories you need to consume daily to maintain your current weight.
3. Choose your calorie deficit
Here you decide how many calories you'll consume per day, depending on how quickly you want to lose weight. As mentioned above, it’s important to not go any lower than your BMR, and it is medically recommended that women should not consume any less than 1200 calories per average day, and men no less than 1800.
Take 250 from your result to lose ½ pound per week, take 500 to lose 1 pound a week, take 750 to lose 1½ pound a week, or take 1000 to lose 2 pounds each week. It’s not recommended to deficit more than 1000 calories a day.
Why can't I just have below 1200 calories? Won't I lose weight faster by eating less?
Although 'starvation mode' is actually a myth, it is proven that eating a low amount of calories a day will slow down your metabolism substantially, causing future fat gain. This is partially because you'll lose muscle from a lack of protein in your diet, meaning your body will burn less calories each day. Besides the fact that you'll feel awful and won't have the energy to do anything. To learn more, check out the video below from Sharee, an American personal trainer who has lost 118 lbs :)
Take 250 from your result to lose ½ pound per week, take 500 to lose 1 pound a week, take 750 to lose 1½ pound a week, or take 1000 to lose 2 pounds each week. It’s not recommended to deficit more than 1000 calories a day.
Although 'starvation mode' is actually a myth, it is proven that eating a low amount of calories a day will slow down your metabolism substantially, causing future fat gain. This is partially because you'll lose muscle from a lack of protein in your diet, meaning your body will burn less calories each day. Besides the fact that you'll feel awful and won't have the energy to do anything. To learn more, check out the video below from Sharee, an American personal trainer who has lost 118 lbs :)
Should I count calories?
Personally, I have never counted calories because personally, it seems a bit ridiculous and too restrictive. I prefer to just keep a general idea in my head and take the calorie, sugar, and fat content into consideration whenever I introduce a new food product into my diet. I've just been keeping an eye on what I eat, sticking to proper portion sizes, and trying to make healthy choices. Saying that, I know people who do count calories using websites such as MyFitnessPal etc. who are getting along just fine, so obviously calorie counting can serve as a useful tool to some, especially when you’re still new to losing weight. It can help by:
- Giving you an estimate of how much food you consume on any given day before starting a healthier lifestyle
- Helping you understand how many calories are in particular foods, especially junk and fast food
- Helping you gain discipline in planning your meals ahead of time and holds you accountable
- Helping you make better food choices and establish portion control
- Giving you the motivation and control that most people look for when they begin losing weight
- Helping you understand basic core principles of weight loss in general
With that said, calorie counting should be a tool to help you get started, not a crutch that you lean on for the rest of your life. Why? Because if you never learn how to walk without the crutch, you’ll never be able to. The downsides to calorie counting are:
- Counting can quickly turn from an easy to follow diet plan into disordered eating and unhealthy obsession. Being sucked into a “I need to track every single thing that goes into my mouth” is a really hard mentality to get out of, and only gets harder the longer it proceeds. It can turn social events and going out to eat into a chore, which could cause you to become antisocial and weaken relationships with friends and loved ones.
- Eventually, your body will hit a plateau and you're required to lower your calorie limit in order to lose weight. This can become dangerous if you continuously lower your intake each month instead of working out more or opting for healthier foods.
- Not all calories are created equal, and calories alone don’t represent the quality of a food. You can eat a low calorie diet of junk food and miss out on vital nutrients required for good health. You risk ignoring nutritionally dense foods which are high in calories (eg. avocados), while opting for nutritionally poor foods simply because they are low in calories (eg. popcorn) - you can miss out on learning how to take care of your health intuitively, and the fundamentals of healthy eating.
For some it is a great aid during a weight loss plan, and there are certainly some great aspects to calorie counting, but the bottom line is, just don't let it take over your life. I'm not going to tell you not to count calories - that's down to you, how much willpower you have, and whether you trust yourself to stick to a healthy eating plan without keeping a food log. Find out what works for you.
What you should be eating
Generally, in a healthy eating plan your calories should come from around:
40% Carbohydrates (stick to wholegrain/wholewheat), 50% Protein, and 10% Fats.
These needs can slightly differ depending on your sex, height and weight and any medical issues.
Practicing Moderation
Generally, in a healthy eating plan your calories should come from around:
Let's talk Protein
Protein is extremely important in your diet for two reasons:1. You need your minimum amount of protein to just maintain your current muscle mass. If you exercise and don't get enough protein it can actually cause you to lose muscle mass thus appear less toned and gain weight in the future. This is because muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you're doing nothing. Muscle is your friend, so protein should be too!
2. It's proven to satisfy hunger for long lengths of time, preventing cravings.
So you need to at least get your minimum amount a day! Use this calculator to find out what yours is, then write down the things you like from the high protein foods list below and take it shopping.
Let's talk Carbohydrates
Cut out junk food & find healthy alternatives
Learn when you're really hungry
How to avoid cravings
Breakfast - the most important meal of the day
The one thing overweight people have in common all over the world is that they skip breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and is a critical part of a healthy weight loss plan. As a general rule you should eat breakfast within an hour of waking up, as this kick starts your metabolism up so your body can work optimally, there has been many studies to prove this. Foods with protein or fibre are good because they satisfy you for longer. Think about all those times where you've had breakfast and not felt hungry for hours, and then think about when you skipped it and ate everything in sight a few hours later.
Some good ideas for breakfast:
- 1- 2 eggs (cooked with healthy oils - read below) with 2 slices whole grain toast/whole grain with seeds
- Look for low-sugar & low-salt whole grain cereals (look for "Sugar per 100g" on the labels at your local supermarket, go for the lowest option)
- Breakfast biscuits if you're in a rush (eg. Belvita)
- Bananas, apples, etc. any fruit is great
- Homemade fruit smoothies. For less expensive fruit look in your local farmer's market or look for frozen berries in your supermarket's frozen section
Bagels (high in carbohydrates & usually white), sausages (high in fat), muffins, donuts, store-bought fruit juice (or at least get "not from concentrate"), pancakes, waffles, pastries, cinnamon rolls, etc. Generally anything with high sugar or refined carbohydrates (white carbs) will give you a sugar rush followed by a sugar crash - meaning you'll feel like you're hungry again very quickly.
Healthy Swaps
- If you are a coffee drinker, or drink a lot of milk, look for a healthier option eg. lower fat milk eg. semi-skimmed/skim, or a milk alternative eg. almond, coconut, flax, hemp, rice, or soya milk
- Avoid foods with lots of sugar and opt for raw cane sugar (brown sugar/demerara) instead of white sugar which is less processed, retains some nutrients, and it's easier for your body to digest. White sugar is highly refined and bleached with chemicals. Some other alternatives are coconut sugar, raw honey, or a sugar substitute eg. Splenda. You can also add frozen berries to your breakfast for added flavour and natural sweetness.
- Opt for a healthy cooking oil. The best ones to use are olive oil (low heat only), extra virgin olive oil (low heat only), rapeseed oil, linseed oil, or avocado oil. Avoid using vegetable oil and sunflower oil. Use small amounts as oil it's high in calories, and dab any excess off with paper towel after cooking.
- Check out the fat content in your butter/margarine. Most spreads are around 59% fat and some are even higher! I switched from Utterly Butterly (59% fat) to Flora Light (30% fat)
- Don't add salt to your food. Salt makes you retain a large amount of water. Instead, choose spices like Paprika, Curry Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Black Pepper, etc. Before buying, make sure there is no salt in the ingredients. Hot spices also boost your metabolism and are proven make your body burn more calories for 3 hours after (good to eat before a workout!)
Portion Control
- Smaller plates are really helpful, if your food fills the whole plate you won't feel like you need to add more food to it. I use 9 inch plates.
- To start off with, try having half or 2/3 of what you would've had before eg. if you had two pieces of toast and 3 eggs in your omelette, try having one piece and 2 eggs. Your stomach will adjust to the smaller meals and eventually you'll feel super full from eating way less than you used to.
- For boxed foods eg. frozen chicken, cereal, etc. read on the label what a proper portion is.
- Buy a measuring scale to avoid pouring double the calories.
Avoiding overeating
Don't reward yourself with junk food!Think how long it will take you to burn it off before you dial the pizza number! Set yourself some achievable goals and rewards that aren't food related, eg. getting your hair did, going to a spa, booking a trip, booking a holiday, buying clothes, joining a class at the gym, etc.
What to do if it all goes chocolate cake..
Up your water intake
Up your water intake
Believe it or not, water makes up almost 70% of the human body and is vital for digestion, circulation, joint function, transportation of nutrients, and removal of toxins. You should be drinking around 2-3 litres a day, depending on your sex, height, and weight. Even mild dehydration of 1% (750ml - 1L) can cause a reduction in muscle performance, headaches, dry eyes, drowsiness, loss of concentration, and irritability. Plus when you don't get enough water, your body stores it because it thinks there is a drought. So buy yourself a water bottle and keep it with you at all times. Yes, you will have to pee more often, and yes, it is worth it.
Green Tea
Green Tea has been proven to improve fat loss by 17% in conjunction with exercise, not to mention it's amazing for your metabolism, skin clarity... well, everything basically. If you don't like like/want to drink the tea, you can also buy it in tablet form, which is what I do :).
Green Tea has been proven to improve fat loss by 17% in conjunction with exercise, not to mention it's amazing for your metabolism, skin clarity... well, everything basically. If you don't like like/want to drink the tea, you can also buy it in tablet form, which is what I do :).
Forget liquid calories & fizzy drinks!
95% of the time, fizzy drinks won't satisfy your hunger. Think about it, 500 ml of Coca Cola is 210 calories - you could have had a small meal such as egg on whole wheat toast and felt full for 2-3 hours instead. Diet fizzy drinks aren't really good for you either as they contain artificial sweeteners, which some studies claim can cause cravings for sugary foods.
95% of the time, fizzy drinks won't satisfy your hunger. Think about it, 500 ml of Coca Cola is 210 calories - you could have had a small meal such as egg on whole wheat toast and felt full for 2-3 hours instead. Diet fizzy drinks aren't really good for you either as they contain artificial sweeteners, which some studies claim can cause cravings for sugary foods.
Alcohol
Spirits with a diet mixer are the best thing to drink if you're trying to keep your calories down. Avoid alcopops as they are packed with sugar. The next day, make sure you have 2-3L water as alcohol causes dehydration, slowing down your digestive system and metabolism, hindering your weight loss progress for days.
★ Part Two: Exercise ★
"Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner
or later have to find time for illness.” - Edward Stanley (1779 - 1849)
or later have to find time for illness.” - Edward Stanley (1779 - 1849)
"I really regret that workout."- No one ever
Join a gym if you haven't already. Try out all the cardio machines, then you can use this to your advantage. Take the machine you find mediocre and do that first, then go onto the one you find challenging, then do the one you find easiest last. This way you are maximising your workout and making efficient use of your time and energy. Keep a diary or a blog (secret if you like) of all the calories you burn, and choose a set amount of calories to aim for each session. I would try to burn between 650-950 calories during my 90-150 minute sessions. If I have all the time in the world, I'll do treadmill for 45 mins, cross trainer for 50 (I do my interval training on this one - really good for fat burning, you just go fast for a bit then go back to normal pace, and repeat that over and over.) Then for my easiest work out I row for up to 1 hour!
Go to the gym every other day, not every day. Rest is extremely important for your physical and mental state. Your muscles need time off to repair and grow, and it's important for your happiness and comfort levels for you to have a break too :)
"If you go every day you won’t be able to maintain a useful intensity and you’ll get bored. It becomes a chore and you’ll start missing sessions, beating yourself up about it and losing motivation." - Lee Archer, Pro Fitness
Try the 30 Day Shred
What Is It?
'30 Day Shred’ is the #1 fitness DVD in America. It’s basically cardio (moving to get your heart rate up), then weights and ab work, and repeat. It has three levels of intensity which you work your way up - each level gets easier each time you do it, really helping to get your fitness levels up and it only take 25 MINUTES each session so there’s no excuse. You won't regret doing the Shred, it gives serious results with the tape measure! Make sure you do all your measurements before you begin :)
What About Equipment/Space?
Jillian recommends using 3 - 5 kg weights but to be honest just use whatever you’re comfortable with/can afford. You could even use cans of soup if you don’t have weights! You might need a mat, but I do most of the exercises in a tiny corner of my room and just do the lying down ones on my double bed haha!
Which Level When?
You do Level 1 for the first ten days, Level 2 for the next ten days, then Level 3 for the last ten days. It’s up to you and your schedule if you do it every single day, or 5 days a week, or every other day. I don’t usually manage to do the shred every day, but I usually do it on my rest days.
Free Links
Level 1 - Day 1 to 10 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pc-NizMgg8
Level 2 - Day 11 to 20 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxvLerfthAA
Level 3 - Day 21 to 30 - http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjcyMzA2MDA0.html
Level 2 - Day 11 to 20 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxvLerfthAA
Level 3 - Day 21 to 30 - http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjcyMzA2MDA0.html
How To Calculate Calories Burnt
Put your current weight and 25 minutes in here:
My Tips
1. Don’t worry if you can’t shred every single day or you’ve missed a day (or even a week); in the grand scheme of things, doing a workout every so often is better than not doing it at all. You’ll still get results on the tape measure if you are eating clean and doing other cardio, just not as quickly.
2. Find a routine that works for you - if you don’t like doing the same level for ten consecutive days or feel it isn’t challenging you, remember, it’s not set in stone. Don’t be afraid to mix up the levels.
3. You can maximise your fat burn (and/or make up for lost time) by doing two levels one after another. Level one has a lot of cardio, abs and inner thigh work, so I’ve decided to always include it before/after the other levels - the order depends on how energetic I’m feeling.
4. Make sure you are on form. Really pay attention to how the moves are done. If you’re not feeling the burn, there’s a chance you’re doing it wrong. When doing abs exercises, make sure you are looking up at the ceiling and depending on the move, keep at least one shoulder very close or in contact with the mat. If you find yourself falling over a lot like I did, your footing is probably slightly out. Don’t be afraid to pause the work out to get in the correct position - you might lose a few minutes now but you’ll get much better results later.
5. If you really can’t do one particular exercise, don’t just lay there and let your heart rate sink - do one you can do in its place. On days where I’m really struggling with push-ups, I do the stomach crunches instead; or if skipping is giving me cramp, I’ll switch to one of the other cardio moves, eg. jumping jacks.
Get a Heart Rate Monitor
If you can afford one, wear a HRM watch to the gym. Heart Rate Monitors are a much more accurate way of measuring how many calories you burn during your work out. Machines are often giving you a completely incorrect number, for 'the average person'. The picture below shows a machines calculation compared to the accuracy of a HRM during someone's work out.
"If you don't put the incline up on the treadmill, the belt is basically doing the walking for you." - Chris Powell, Personal Trainer (chrispowell.com). So when you're on the treadmill, make sure you put it on at least 1% incline to simulate the outdoors. This also burns more calories & tones the thighs and bum. For walking, I started off with mine on 6.5%, and now I usually have it on 8-11%.
- Don't forget to chug water at the gym - For every hour of exercise, it's suggested you drink an additional litre of fluid, more if exercising in a warm environment.
- Go at your own pace when you're working out. If it hurts, slow down! An injury is more of a set back than a rest for a few minutes.
- Take a cereal bar or small snack with you to the gym. If you feel dizzy, this means you have something sugary with you to munch on =] If you don't feel better after 10-15 minutes, go home and eat :)
- Make a playlist to listen to at the gym. Put all the songs that make wanna dance, or make you mad at someone on there, and take it out on the machines :)
- Get yourself a skipping rope! It burns calories faster than almost every other exercise.
- If you are feeling down, turn to exercise instead of food. It makes you feel better, honestly. I feel happier, stronger, and more accomplished every day :). They say when you lose weight, depression is 55% lessened (among many other benefits.)
★ Part Three: Tracking Your Progress ★
The Scales
Don't get too hung up on what the scales say. Once I lost an inch off my waist and stomach area, and my stomach got a lot firmer, but the scales didn't budge. Remember that the scales are weighing everything, including muscle. The scales can be a real de-motivator, so don't weigh yourself more often than once a week.
Don't get too hung up on what the scales say. Once I lost an inch off my waist and stomach area, and my stomach got a lot firmer, but the scales didn't budge. Remember that the scales are weighing everything, including muscle. The scales can be a real de-motivator, so don't weigh yourself more often than once a week.
Daily weight fluctuations are normal, they are not indicators of your success or failure. If you just can’t bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarise yourself with the factors that influence it’s readings. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale.
• Water
Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body’s water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don’t understand what’s happening. Strange as it sounds: the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto it’s water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution? Drink plenty of water.
• Salt
Excess salt can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon contains over 2,000mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000mg a day, so it’s easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance, a food doesn’t have to taste salty to be loaded with it. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That’s why it’s wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.
• Periods
Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Premenstrual water weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high sodium processed foods to a minimum.
• Glycogen
Glycogen is a form of energy storage from carbohydrates that is stored in the liver and within muscles. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and is packaged with 3-4 lbs of water when it’s stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbs. As the glycogen supply shrinks, you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it’s associated water. It’s normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 lbs per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you’re prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.
• Food weight
Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it’s wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you've had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It’s the actual weight of everything you’ve had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you've finished digesting it.
• It weighs everything
It doesn't just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose ‘weight’, that doesn't necessarily mean that you’ve lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you’ve lost (or gained.) Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you're just sitting around. That’s one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.
It doesn't just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose ‘weight’, that doesn't necessarily mean that you’ve lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you’ve lost (or gained.) Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you're just sitting around. That’s one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.
The girl is the same weight in both pics because she lost fat & water, but gained muscle!
Weight in the morning because your weight will vary throughout the day
Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact, it’s not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 lbs overnight, rest easy - it’s likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner.
In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. Generally, it’s only possible to lose 1-2 lbs of fat per week. When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it’s physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you’re really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle.
Measurements
The tape measure is your friend. Measure stomach, hips, upper arms, upper thighs, calves, forearms etc. every fortnight. Always take these in the morning after going the toilet and before eating or drinking anything. Take some full length photos too, and compare them every week or two. If you've been working hard, these are the ultimate motivators! Watch yourself transform :)
The tape measure is your friend. Measure stomach, hips, upper arms, upper thighs, calves, forearms etc. every fortnight. Always take these in the morning after going the toilet and before eating or drinking anything. Take some full length photos too, and compare them every week or two. If you've been working hard, these are the ultimate motivators! Watch yourself transform :)
Don't get worked up over BMI
Remember that BMI does not account for weight distribution and therefore cannot differentiate between fat and muscle mass. This means that a healthy, muscular individual with a low percentage of body fat can be classified obese using the BMI formula.
Remember that BMI does not account for weight distribution and therefore cannot differentiate between fat and muscle mass. This means that a healthy, muscular individual with a low percentage of body fat can be classified obese using the BMI formula.
★ Part Four: Stay Motivated ★
What to do if you stop losing weight (plateau)
Make a list of 50 reasons why you want to do this. Every time you feel like quitting take a look at that list. Take a look at your progress pics. Look how far you've come. Are you really going to give up after you've come this far?
Never forget that every pound counts
- Take a look at something that weighs how much you've lost so far - type how many pounds you've lost into Google pics or just take a look at these:
Keep an eye out for motivation
- If you have difficulty quitting, put on your phone background and on your PC background, or print them off and put them on your bedroom wall or in your kitchen if you want!
