Sustainable Fat-loss
Losing weight (fat) in theory, is easy. Just expend more energy than you consume, right? So be in a deficit.
However, evidence shows it cannot be that simple. Be careful not be fooled by the few tricksters that claim to debunk this then usually try to promote a fad diet or quick fix such as a fat-loss belt that “shakes the fat off”. I’ll spoil the surprise right now and tell you that the key to sustainable health and fitness is sticking to a training plan and diet that you can maintain for the long term. i.e, not a crash diet.
This scientific equation is yet to be debunked, and I’m referring to the second law of thermodynamics. Energy in = Energy Out to put it simply. If you are in a deficit and not consuming enough calories, you will lose weight. If you are in a surplus and consuming too many calories, you will gain weight.
In reality, 95% of the people that start undertake the fat-loss journey by picking a diet and workout plan do lose weight. However, within 3 - 5 years, they regain that weight, and in most cases they put on more weight than they lost in the first place. This is the complexity that makes this theoretically simple task more complex in real life.
What happens is the bodies self defence system (Fat-loss Forever, Peter Baker, Layne Norton, PHD.) kicks in to protect itself against starvation.
In a deficit, the bodies self defence system kicks in to prevent any more fat-loss by manipulating specific hormone production and your metabolism.
Then it works overtime to restore any energy(fat) lost. The bodies chemical reactions restore energy lost faster than it was lost by increasing fat storage efficiency.
Finally, it will decrease probability of losing weight in the future by increasing storage potential.
The good news is, with adequate support. Fat-loss can and is sustainable through certain lifestyle choices. Here are just a few solutions I came up with!
Additionally, I have clients eat smaller meals to reduce levels of Ghrelin production while speeding up their metabolism. I highly encourage prioritizing stress management as those hormones produced in higher stress situations promote high fat storage and lead to bad habits such as stress eating. Best of all, I encourage building lean muscle!
The benefits of carrying lean muscle on your frame are in-numerous! To list a few, lean muscle requires more energy to maintain than fat cells which translates to a higher metabolism. Higher metabolism give you more leeway in what you can eat on a daily basis without storing that energy as fat. Lean muscle also means increased strength and functionality for physical exercise. We all know a lifestyle with consistent physical exercise not only burns fat but releases endorphins making us feel good everyday.
In summary, diets and training plans must accommodate your social life, and provide psychological and emotional well-being, while still progressing towards your goals. Which means begin with the end lifestyle in mind.
Happy training!
Browse my nutrition and training plans in my Activ8: Fit Challenge app to see what works best for you.
