Which will provide the most benefit when it comes to the goal of fat loss?Changing your nutrition or increasing the number of times you exercise each week? HINT: It’s NOT EXERCISE.Strength training (exercise) 3x a week is a great way to maintain muscle mass throughout the fat loss process but exercise is not going to result in more fat loss than dialing in your nutrition.
The majority of people that come to me, want fat loss results NOW. They think that the best thing to do is to increase their frequency and duration of exercise in order to attain their fat loss goal.
The exact opposite is true.
Think about it…the average person eats more than 3 times a day.
That’s 21 chances to have to change the way your body feels each week.
3 vs. 21
Your eating is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than your exercise. Also, the more you exercise the hungrier you get! As a coach I like to think of sustainable fat loss like balancing a see saw. The more we find balance between our nutrition and our exercise the easier fat loss becomes. Nutrition is the driver of fat loss, strength training maintains the muscle we need for fat loss to be sustainable. When they are balanced the two create the perfect environment for sustainable fat loss.
I truly believe that you can ADD to your nutrition results by simply strength training 3 times a week. I have a lot of clients that get in the zone when they can attach their nutrition and exercise all at once for a true lifestyle change.
The bottom line here is, you don’t have to be perfect.
YOU JUST HAVE TO START!
When people start freaking out about fat loss they overanalyze all the diets that worked for their friends, their mom, their sister or the diet they used to lose 20 lbs fast 10 years ago…instead of LEARNING TO FEEL what works for them NOW.
(YOU need to be your own detective for your nutrition to work for you long- term as a lifestyle) STAY THE FUCKING COURSE. Journal the stuff thats in your head, find a group to guide you and hold you accountable.
I have heard all the excuses in the book:
I hate to cook. I’m not hungry. I’m so good during the week, it’s the weekend that’s the problem. People are judging me, when I try to improve my eating habits. I travel too much. I am single and cooking for one is a pain in the ass. I cook for my kids and my husband and I have no time for myself. I’m not giving up drinking.
IDGAF.
If you want it something, you will find a way to make it work.
If you learn “which food represent which macronutrients” the excuses start to disappear. For the most part our food choices can be broken down into 3 main categories.
PROTEIN | FAT | CARBOHYDRATES
In my Progress Not Perfection Nutrition Coaching, I have made it a game! I call it PLUG N PLAY.
Whether that means you are doing some food preparation at home or eating on the run, YOU MUST understand which foods represent which macronutrients in different situations. You can either be prepared or have faith in your ability to make the right educated decision if you find yourself unprepared. This takes practice and mistakes, but if you keep pushing forward and don’t quit it becomes a lifestyle.
Review your weekly grocery shopping list and pick your favorite proteins, fats and carbs. Then you can figure out how you can combine them to create your meals.
Here is what’s in my fridge.
Protein: Chicken sausage, whole eggs, tuna, greek yogurt, turkey deli meat, turkey pepperoni, bison, lean beef, scallops, shrimp, cottage cheese and protein bars a few protein powders.
Fat: Single serve guac, single serve trail mix, cheese slices, peanut butter, olive oil, marinara sauce, dressings, condiments.
Carbohydrates: Zucchini, cauliflower rice, broccoli, green beans, spinach , kale, broccoli slaw, frozen mangos, berries, strawberries, watermelon, tortillas, English muffins, potatoes, rice cakes, pretzels, popsicles, yasso bars and white rice.
As you can see the MAJORITY of the food in my kitchen is REAL FOOD.
Here are a few of my go-to plug n play meals that I eat on a weekly basis.
Smoothie- Protein powder, spinach, mangos + almond milk
Breakfast- Greek Yogurt, strawberries, peanut butter
Lunch- Big Ass Salad with deli turkey meat, cheese, + cooked broccoli slaw
Dinner- chicken sausage, cauliflower rice, single serve guacamole
Think about YOUR favorite (proteins/carbs and fats) and create meals and snacks that YOU love that follow this macronutrient PLUG N PLAY rule.
ONE MORE NOTE ON CREATING YOUR OWN SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION PLAN.
Deprivation is the main reason people “quit their fat loss journey,” along with not striking a balance between nutrition and exercise. People either burn themselves out with too much intense exercise OR they don’t incorporate regular “treats” to their weekly eating.
When it comes to sustainable nutrition I highly recommend adhering to the 80/20 rule because it doesn’t deprive! I eat “real food” 80% of the time and save room for my favorite “treats” 20% of the time.
Some people think they have to be perfect in their nutrition to get results. This is not true. The methods you incorporate in order to be CONSISTENT with your calorie deficit matter much more.
Including pretzels, popsicles, diet coke (OMG), yasso bars, cheese + bread in my weekly nutrition, enable me to continue making progress because I am not deprived at all!
THIS IS SO AMAZINGLY DOABLE PEOPLE.
Take some time to think about how you like to eat.
Do you eat 3 square meals?
Do you prefer to skip breakfast?
Do you like to snack?
Do you find yourself eating late?
None of these are GOOD or BAD. They just are what they are. You can make your nutrition work based on your preferences or try altering your approach as you see fit!
These are just a few of the topics and questions I raise awareness with my clients during Progress Not Perfection Nutrition Challenge!
