by | Jul 30, 2014 | Life Application: Monthly Calendars
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As summer draws to an end, many of our followers are thinking about back to school time being just around the corner and getting back into those familiar routines. While routines and schedules may not seem like a lot of fun after the freedom of summer trips to the beach, afternoons in the park, and long nights relaxing in the backyard, healthy habits and routines can make the difference between floundering and flourishing when life gets busy.
This month’s challenge is intended to look at building healthy routines that are sure to help you succeed in your fitness journey. You will be challenged daily to take small steps that yield great rewards.By building these small challenges into your weekly routines, you will likely discover that a little bit of planning and advance preparation go a long way at eliminating the stress of sticking to a healthy lifestyle.
This month you will be challenged to plan for success in the following areas:
Plan time to Relax
Rest and recovery are just as essential to your success as remaining consistent with your fitness and nutrition. Make sure that you take at least one, and preferably two days per week to rest from your intense workouts. These challenges will encourage you to unplug, rest, relax, and pamper yourself. Enjoy this time, guilt-free, knowing that you have earned this time!
Plan to take a break from the scale
At EM2WL, we recommend not measuring your progress solely by the number on the scale. While the scale does give some data that may be helpful in assessing your progress, for many women obsessing over this number can do more to hinder progress than to keep you moving forward. These challenges give you a once-weekly break from weighing yourself and encourage you to look for other, more valuable markers of progress.
Plan to be active
An essential part of your EM2WL lifestyle is remaining active and making progress in regard to your fitness performance. These challenges will encourage you to plan ahead for success in the gym, push a little harder, squeeze in some extra activity, and in general become a more awesome version of yourself. Enjoy your active lifestyle !
Plan to make healthy substitutions
Making very small changes to the foods that you eat can make a big difference. Simple changes to a recipe may increase the protein or fiber of a recipe, cut down on the calories, or bump up the nutrient value. Try experimenting with some healthy substitutions with some of your family favorites!
Plan to eat for success
Planning your meals in advance can be a huge lifesaver when remaining consistent with your healthy lifestyle. Taking simple steps like prepping a few dinners or breakfasts, planning your meals and cutting down on your grocery trips can save you time in the kitchen so you can spend more time doing the things you love!
Plan to indulge mindfully
Planning for occasional indulgences should be part of any healthy lifestyle. Choose to treat yourself to a decadent dessert, enjoy a date night out with your honey, or catch up with a good friend at your favorite lunch spot without any guilt. Eat mindfully and without remorse, paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues. One off-plan meal will not derail your goals! Indulging in moderation will help you to see that all foods can and should be part of your healthy lifestyle!
Plan to make fitness fun
While your scheduled gym workouts and strength training sessions are key to your success, remember to think outside the box in regard to your fitness. Invite your friends and family to join you in these fun fitness challenges.
Photo credit: John Kasawa, stockimages, phasinphoto, Ambro of www.freedigitalphotos.net
Becca is a busy wife and homeschooling mother to five children ages 5 to 13. About three years ago, she embarked on a journey to health and fitness that resulted in the loss of approximately 100 pounds. Today, she is a competitive powerlifter and strongwoman who loves ice cream and deadlifts. As an ISSA certified personal trainer, she is passionate about helping women to get started on a lifestyle of strength and fitness.
by EM2WL | Jul 29, 2014 | Binge Eating, Interviews/Guest Posts, Intuitive Eating, Nutrition
I recently heard dietician/nutritionist, Leslie Schilling, speak at the NSCA National Conference. She instantly wooed me with her Southern drawl, love of food, and “anti-diet” approach (a dietician against diets?! What’s not to love?). Of course, I commenced to immediate stalking, and cornered her for an interview ;) ~Kiki
EM2WL: Your session at the conference “When Diets Don’t Work” focused on Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Can you explain to our readers what BED is?
Leslie: A diet, whether it is the first or fiftieth, could be the trigger to a life-altering or even life-threatening eating disorder. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, these illnesses can affect people of any race, age, sex, or size. Last year, the most common yet under recognized disorder received an official diagnosis code. Now those suffering with BED can no longer be overlooked. BED is associated with the following signs: recurrent binging (once a week for more than 3 months), eating larger than normal amounts of food in a short period of time, and lack of control during the binge episode. According to the Binge Eating Disorder Association, BED may affect 3.5% of women, 2% of men, and as many as 40% of all those seeking weight loss treatments.
EM2WL: Other than lack of purging/excessive exercise, what separates BED from Bulimia and Anorexia?
Leslie: There is no compensatory behavior like over exercising, restricting or “getting rid” of food (purging in any way).
EM2WL: I wonder if it is possible to have this disorder and not know it. A lot of people refer to “cheat meals,” justifying overeating on the weekends after “being good” all week. Does this type of diet mentality have any bearings on developing BED?
Leslie: Yes, it is possible to have BED and not realize it. Dieting over the years, as well as a common culture of “diet-mentality,” may mask an underlying problem. Many of us overeat from time to time, and even eat when we are not hungry. Those with binge eating disorder, however, eat for reasons not always associated with hunger. For example, people suffering from BED may use food to reward themselves, or to escape emotions associated with grief or anxiety, stressful situations, anger, hurtful memories or even past traumas.
My philosophy about “cheat meals” is simple. If what you’re doing requires that you “cheat,” I don’t believe it’s a sustainable or healthy. You could absolutely be eating better than you once did, but perspective matters. I believe in an 80/20 approach which I define as eating whole and low-ingredient foods most of the time and comfortably blending it with pleasurable foods that may or may not have a high nutritional value. Like, I have this thing with cupcakes…
My philosophy about “cheat meals” is simple. If what you’re doing requires that you “cheat,” I don’t believe it’s a sustainable or healthy.
EM2WL: Would you consider an overindulgence, say eating an 2 or 3 servings of a favorite dessert, a binge? How can we distinguish between an overindulgence v a binge?
Leslie: It’s possible I could eat two cupcakes here and there. I likely over-indulged and won’t do that again for a long time. A binge may look like 4, 6, or even a dozen cupcakes but it really depends on the person and the motivation.
Here’s an example—If I eat an extra cupcake because Aunt Betty makes amazing strawberry cupcakes, it may be a simple indulgence. If I’m eating 2, 4, etc.. of Aunt Betty’s cupcakes because my boss said something horrible to me—I’m “using” food and therefore, potentially binging.
EM2WL: The term ’emotional eating’ is used quite a bit with regard to challenges faced when trying to lose weight. Is this just another label for BED?
Leslie: Normal eaters sometimes eat for emotional reasons vs. physiological hunger. However, when you find yourself eating for reasons other than hunger frequently, it’s possible there could be some form of disordered eating going on, like BED.
If someone is over “using” food, it’s possible to teach them the tools to recognize and redirect those behaviors. Once they improve those behaviors, it’s very likely that weight loss becomes a side-effect.
EM2WL: You mentioned that if the shame-based approach worked, that the problem might not be as widespread. How does the media, trainers, friends, or parents contribute to the shame-based approach to fat loss? And how does that play into BED?
Leslie: Many of us who work in the field of disordered eating say “if shame worked, no one would have a weight issue.” Making someone feel bad about themselves is NEVER productive. Our “war” on obesity has become a war against people, real people, like you and me, with real life problems. I like to think you catch more flies with honey. Being caring and non-judgmental opens the door to sustainable change. Here’s one of my favorite quotes.
Nobody really gets anywhere “shouldn’t’” on themselves. When we feel the pressure to change things like our bodies, our diets or exercise routine, it’s important that trainers, dietitians, parents, health professionals, etc… use an approach that moves someone towards making healthy decisions for themselves. I rarely support someone’s goal of “weight loss.” I discuss what’s going on with their food, lack of food, over “use” of food, and help them set goals that promote lasting healthy behaviors. If someone is over “using” food, it’s possible to teach them the tools to recognize and redirect those behaviors. Once they improve those behaviors, it’s very likely that weight loss becomes a side-effect.
EM2WL: If someone suspects they might have BED is there anything they can do on their own to treat the disorder?
Leslie: It’s unlikely, yet not impossible. It’s about the food and NOT about the food at the same time. A successful team usually includes an experienced mental health professional along with an experienced dietitian (one who works with BED/emotional eating).
If you’re wondering if you may need a little help, you can absolutely start by helping yourself. Keeping a food journal (no calories, numbers, etc) to record when you eat, what you eat and how you’re feeling (am I hungry, angry, lonely, tired?). An individual non-judgmental investigation of how you’re using food can provide tremendous insight.
EM2WL: As a dietitian, what do you feel the biggest flaw is in the “eat less, workout more” philosophy?
Leslie: If it were as simple as eat less, work out more, I think most every person on the planet would have mastered the food and weight thing by now. We often assume it’s all about energy in and energy out. It’s not really when you think about all the other factors that influence our body weight & eating—emotions, endocrine issues, body types, dieting history, fitness levels, and so on…
I love giving this example. Say you have a 50 calorie snack and a 150 calorie snack. If you’re simply eating based on a quantity (calorie) approach, it’s very possible you’ll pick the fat-free, sugar-free chemical soufflé. If you eat based on a quality approach, you’re more likely to pick the higher energy choice—almonds—ingredient: almonds.
EM2WL: You have a new dinner menu service launching soon, deets please!! What awesomeness should we expect from Your Supper Solution?
Leslie: I’m incredibly excited about this launch! Earlier this year I’d enrolled in a business development course because I needed direction for my next steps as an entrepreneur. As you know, I’m a registered dietitian/nutritionist but I was stuck. This desire to do something that could positively impact people on a larger scale was really eating at me. I didn’t know if I needed to focus on expanding my private practice, speaking engagements, write a book, or what. The lack of clarity was incredibly frustrating.
As I was doing my homework (which I loved because I’m a total geek), it came to me. I rock planning a menu like nobody’s business and I realized that planning has been a major part of what I’ve been helping people with for the last 10 years.
Many people can cook, follow a recipe and shop but most HATE the planning. So, I’ve created Your Supper Solution—an online monthly membership service that delivers weekly dinner menus. It’s a balanced, back-to-basics, real food approach to getting supper solved! Menus roll out August 1st! Here’s a quick video about it.
EM2WL: Sweet! You know I’m already on the pre-launch list, lol. Where else can our readers read/see/hear more from you?
Instagram: http://instagram.com/leslieschilling
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NutritionLeslie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NutritionLeslie
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/leslieschilling/
Meal Planning Website: www.yoursuppersolution.com
Memphis-based Private Practice Website: www.schillingnutrition.com
Leslie Schilling
Leslie is a master’s level, registered, and licensed dietitian/nutritionist who specializes in wellness, disordered eating, sports nutrition, and the prevention of chronic dieting. She received her Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees from Appalachian State University in NC. Leslie owns Schilling Nutrition Therapy, LLC, a Memphis-based nutrition counseling practice, and is the creator of Your Supper Solution.
She is a member of Sport, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN), Behavioral Health Nutrition (BHN), Nutrition Entrepreneurs (NE) Practice Groups of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), the Eating Disorders Coalition of Tennessee (EDCT), and The National Speakers Association (NSA).
Leslie has served as an adjunct instructor in the Graduate Nutrition Program at the University of Memphis. She has also been invited to provide her humorous, down-to-Earth nutrition programs and presentations to groups and professionals across the nation. In addition, she writes for local media, professional, and consumer publications. Whether it is through appearing on a television show, speaking to a crowd, or writing, Leslie inspires those she encounters to get back-to-the-basics with food and make self-care a priority through planning.
by | Jul 24, 2014 | Motivation, Testimonials, Transformations
I found EM2WL in January 2014 and it was an answer to my prayers. EM2WL has forever changed my life, health, mind, and my relationship with food and myself. I am still certainly a work in progress, but each day I am closer to reaching my goals. I have lost 40 pounds over the past 7 months, and I credit the last 30 pounds to EM2WL. But more than weight loss, I have gained strength, confidence and a drive to move forward with my life.
A little about me…I am a wife of 10 years (to an incredible husband who has loved me at every size) and currently a stay-home mom to my super active 2 year old boy. I struggled with the cycle of under eating/overeating for as long as I can remember. I was a heavy child and I became aware of diets (food restriction) and followed them from an early age. At age 7, my mom began taking me to a nutritionist weekly. I don’t remember it helping me as I was so young, but I do know that it communicated to me that I had a problem with my weight. My mom, having her own weight issues, was only trying to help me while I was young. At age 11, I remember being weighed at the doctor’s office and I weighed 133 pounds. I asked my mom if I weighed too much and I remember her carefully saying, “You could work on losing a little”. That day began a lifelong struggle of severe dieting and what I now recognize as disordered eating. At age 11, I put myself on a diet and lost 17 pounds. Of course I gained it right back and more as I grew into my teenage years.
Sports and activities filled my high school and college years, but the pressure to weigh less fueled my unhealthy eating cycles. I weighed anywhere from 160-180 and would yo-yo up and down easily. I would severely restrict calories for a few months and then massively binge…over and over and over…all on top of extreme exercise. If I managed to lose any weight, I would regain it all back through the binging…plus more. I tried often to purge, but thankfully, my body would not cooperate. These unhealthy cycles continued through my 20’s and early 30’s, throughout my married years, and through my first pregnancy.
My family went through a series of tragic events and multiple relocations and my weight began quickly increasing from the 170’s upward. In 2013, one year after my son was born, I reached my highest weight of 207 pounds and a size 18 at only 5’3. I had pretty much lost sight of myself and any goals I had once had. I was told I was an emotional eater. I hid stashes of food and sweets in my home and at work. I ate if I was happy and when I was sad. My biggest fear was that I would continue to live the rest of my life in that misery and set a negative example for my children.
I knew low calorie and fad diets did not work, but I returned to them because I knew nothing different. I blamed my lack of success on lack of discipline, willpower, and emotional eating. I always felt like a quitter because I could not stick to anything. I had tried everything over the years – Weight Watchers, Medifast, Slimfast, Liquid Amino Diet, Six Week Body Makeover, Nutrisystem, low calorie, juicing, fasting, and starving. I would lose weight at first and then stall for weeks before giving up and overeating to compensate for the low calories and then gain everything back and more. Weight Watchers gave me partial success, but again I stalled after the first few months and couldn’t understand why since I was working out every day and not consuming any extra points or earned exercise points. I thought the weight should be melting off, but it wasn’t, and many weeks I actually gained. When I later did the calculations, I figured I was only eating 1200 calories on Weight Watchers. At one time I even trained for a half marathon and was running 7 miles a day. Little did I know that eating 1200 calories and running 7 miles daily would stall my weight loss for weeks. I felt defeated but I couldn’t give up.
I knew there had to be a different way to approach weight loss and I wanted to find it. I started reading and researching about a different type of weight loss strategy…one that was maintainable. I committed to being happy with a .5 or 1 pound loss a week instead of trying/expecting to lose 3 pounds every week. I joined MFP in January (user name Jennbecca33) and started seeing people talk about how under eating can actually hinder and keep you from losing weight. During this time, I found the EM2WL group and I have not looked back! Something finally made sense and clicked for me.
The wonderful ladies in this group have taught me how to eat properly and eat ENOUGH (way more than I thought I could) so that my body could lose weight more easily. I learned that the low calorie diets in conjunction with working out simply did not give my body enough to lose weight properly, hence the weight loss stalling. Since then, I’ve committed to eating more to weigh less. I actually found that I did not need to do a reset, surprisingly. As I started slowly increasing my calories, my weight immediately decreased by a couple of pounds. I couldn’t believe it. I then increased my calories a little more, and again, I dropped a couple more pounds. I kept increasing until I found my maintenance level which is around 2100-2300.
This concept of eating more, or at a slight deficit, went against everything I had ever been taught about dieting. I now happily eat between 1800-2000 calories daily (-15% TDEE) to lose weight and I do all my workouts from home. When consistent, I average between .5- 1 pound loss per week. I am now incorporating heavier weight training (which I love!) to help reshape my body. I usually work out 4 times a week for about 30 minutes each – 2 or 3 weight lifting sessions and 1-2 workouts on the elliptical. My only permanent success has come from following the EM2WL lifestyle, and the best part is, I’m able to keep going because I’m giving my body enough food so that I’m not hungry, worn out, and irritable all the time. Since I have started allowing myself to eat more, I have not had even one binging episode, or even the desire to binge! Have I overeaten at times? Sure. But even then, I’m able to work it into my calories. I’ve come to terms with losing weight in a responsible and healthy manner and I am so motivated to know that I now have the proper tools to reach my goal.
Before and After
When I started EM2WL in January 2014, I weighed 195 and was a size 16. I had lost about 10 pounds on my own at that point. I have lost the last 30 pounds with EM2WL, for a total of 40 pounds. I still currently weigh 165 pounds and at 5’3 I wear between a size 8 and 10. I don’t really have a “goal” weight in mind anymore and I’m not stressing about it. When I get there, I will know. I still have quite a bit of fat on certain body parts that I want to lose. My hips and legs hold most of my weight, but slowly, even my legs are shaping up. I know I will always have thicker legs, and I’m ok with that. I look better now at 165 than I did at 145 (a weight I never maintained after 3 months on only 800 calories). EM2WL works. It will work for anyone. Eat at a smaller deficit so that it’s maintainable and so that you can keep going! Yes, it’s slower paced weight loss. But in the long run, you are able to keep it off. Keep muscle, build muscle!
The biggest change for me though, has been the mental shift about food. I no longer hate food. I really love food. I am not on a diet. Food is ok to eat and I do not feel guilty for indulging in moderation! There is nothing that I cut out of my diet. I love eating with my family and not having to cook separate meals every night. No more missed birthday dinners. I enjoy eating out and making healthy food choices. I will never again be tempted by low calorie dieting or a fad gimmick diet. EM2WL has given me freedom and it has truly helped me to take back my life.
Thank you to all the EM2WL moderators and members who have been so supportive and helped me and continue to help me through this journey. I have learned so much from you. You truly were an answer to prayer during one of the darkest and heaviest times in my life. I pray my story may help and encourage others now to trust this process as well. I look forward to posting an update when I reach my end goal!
Have you overcome disordered eating? Have an EM2WL transformation to share? Let us know! Be featured on our Transformation/Journey page by submitting your story to Success@EM2WL.com
Ready to begin your own Journey? Start here.
by | Jul 17, 2014 | Consistency, Fat Loss / Cutting, Nutrition
Planning ahead can be a critical piece of the puzzle in seeing the results you desire and progressing towards your fitness goals. In the beginning stages, it can feel pretty overwhelming and stressful to get all the pieces in the right place. Don’t let it overwhelm you! “Winging it” is usually a recipe for inconsistency. When life gets busy, it’s second nature to resort back to whatever habits come naturally. The key is to “trick” yourself into building new healthy habits. Coming up with a system that works is going to be a very individualized process, but once you discover what works for you, its easy to include some basic routines that help you remain consistent and on-plan.
1. Be specific about your fitness goals.
Know what you want and what you are expecting out of a lifestyle change. Simply saying that you want to “get in shape,” “be fit,” “look better,” or “feel better” is not enough! Is your main fitness goal to get stronger, improve athletic performance, lose fat, or gain muscle? Start there, but take it a step further by narrowing those goals down a bit more. Maybe you want to run your first 5k, add 20 pounds to your squat, lose 5% body fat, or gain 5 pounds of muscle. Narrowing down those goals will help you determine what type of nutrition and training program you need to stick to. Understand that some goals might be hard to attain at the same time, and usually one goal will need to take priority over another. For example, it can be very difficult to gain strength while losing fat. Decide which goals are your first priority and plan accordingly.
Disclaimer: For the first year or two, pretty much anything you do will get you results, so keep it simple and enjoy those newbie gains while they last.
2. Tackle your nutrition head-on
It’s been said that success boils down to 80% nutrition, and 20% training. Other people will tell you that you “can’t out-train a bad diet.” It could be argued also that you can’t out-diet bad training, but you get the idea. Nutrition is a critical component, if not THE critical component in seeing the results that you want. If your nutrition is not on point, it is pretty much useless to add in supplements, metabolic conditioning, finishers, or the latest strength training plan that you found on the internet. Contrary to what you may have heard, eating less and moving more is not always the answer. Undereating can cause more harm than good long-term, resulting in metabolic problems that make it more difficult to lose weight. Eating enough of the right nutrients is a big piece of the puzzle. Balancing a sound nutrition plan with heavy resistance training is a surefire way to look and feel your best for years to come!
3. Stay one step ahead with meal planning
Given that nutrition is such a key part of the puzzle, it is wise to plan ahead to succeed. Generally “winging it” in the nutrition department leads to inconsistency and frustration. In the beginning stages, it can feel downright stressful to think about eating “all that food”. Don’t get overwhelmed! A little organization and forethought goes a long way in this department.
- Coming up with a few meal templates in your food diary can be incredibly helpful. Choose at least 3 go-to breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks and store them in your nutrition tracker of choice (We’re fond of My Fitness Pal!). Keep it simple, and make sure that you have staples for these meals on hand most of the time. This puts you at a huge advantage when you just can’t imagine adding one more thing to your plate.
- Try to limit your trips to the grocery store to once a week, with maybe a larger trip to a warehouse store (like Costco or Sam’s club). The night before you do your grocery shopping, take inventory of your fridge and cupboards and come up with a loose structure for weekly meals. I like to come up with six meals to serve my family, assuming that one night a week we will either do leftovers, order pizza, or go out to eat. I post these meals on a dry-erase board on the refrigerator and when asking, “What should I make for dinner?,” the choices are pretty simple. After coming up with my list of meals, I make sure I either have the ingredients already or add them to my grocery list.
- Devote one day to food prep. This doesn’t mean you need to spend all day in the kitchen, but do make up some lean protein sources and store them in a way that is convenient for you. Make up some rice, quinoa, or potatoes and chop your veggies and fruits for the week. This will seriously cut down on the amount of time you spend in the kitchen and if you work outside the home can be a huge time-saver when it comes time to pack your lunch. Think about using the grill for preparing your protein sources. You can generally get away with cooking up a lot of meat in a very short amount of time, with minimal clean up. Investing in a rice cooker or a good slow cooker might make these ideas easier as well! I prefer to do my food prep days on the days I do grocery shopping because it seems to make sense for me. I’m usually able to get quite a bit done in only an hour or two, and this saves me a ton of time in the kitchen throughout the week!
4. Make a date with yourself
Once you have your nutrition in place, commit to making time to exercise. This does not mean that you need to spend hours in the gym! 30-60 minutes per day of an efficient workout can be very effective. If you have trouble getting to the gym, think about investing the help of a friend or workout partner who can keep you accountable. You’re unlikely to skip the gym if you know that you have someone depending on you! Write down your workout times in your calendar, or set up alerts on your smart phone to remind yourself to get moving. For best results, strength train 2-4 days per week and add on some cardio if you like it and it complements your fitness goals.
5. Set up your own support network
Having people in your life who are willing to support your goals can make a huge difference! Enlisting the support of your spouse or significant other is often very beneficial. Even if they don’t have the same set of goals as you do, share what you are trying to accomplish and a brief description of your plan moving forward. Be clear about ways they can support you and examples of things that may be a hindrance to your fitness journey. They are likely to be your biggest cheerleader and encourager! Who knows, they may even decide it wouldn’t hurt them to make a few changes in their own life! Apart from your spouse, you may find there are others in your life that want to join with you on your fitness journey. Maybe there is someone at your workplace who could use a little encouragement and accountability as well. Take your headphones out occasionally while you are at the gym and get to know those who work out at the same time you do. Meet a friend for a weekly HIIT date in the park. Having a training partner to bounce ideas off of can be an invaluable resource, but isn’t always practical.
Our EM2WL forums are a great source of support and friendship as well.
Photo credit by Stuart Miles, LeeGillion, Ambro of freedigitalphotos.net
Becca is a busy wife and homeschooling mother to five children ages 5 to 13. About three years ago, she embarked on a journey to health and fitness that resulted in the loss of approximately 100 pounds. Today, she is a competitive powerlifter and strongwoman who loves ice cream and deadlifts. As an ISSA certified personal trainer, she is passionate about helping women to get started on a lifestyle of strength and fitness.
by EM2WL | Jul 7, 2014 | Consistency, Fat Loss / Cutting, Nutrition, Troubleshooting
If you listen to the media, fat loss can sound pretty complicated. High carb, low carb, nutrient timing, intermittent fasting, carb cycling, ketogenic diets, carb backloading, juicing, green smoothies, magical supplements…
It can be challenging to keep a level head and avoid all the latest trends, wondering if a tweak (or two) might be a way to break out of a plateau or to get better results. There are definitely times to include a tweak, but generally speaking, its best that you save these for times that you really need them.
So how do you know if its time to include a tweak?
At EM2WL, we encourage you to take a very no-nonsense, simplified approach to fat loss with minimal rules. Instead of spinning your wheels to figure out which diet is best — take a moment to strip away the “nonsense” from various diet plans that are often just minute variations on the basics. There are a few best practices that we believe to be critical to your success. It’s best to make sure that these elements are firmly in place before tweaking anything.
Think about building a successful fat loss program like building a house. When building a house, you wouldn’t want to try putting up walls before the basic foundation has been laid. Without a firm foundation to build upon, everything else is pretty useless.
What makes up the foundation of a successful fat loss program? We believe there are four key components that are critical to have well established before incorporating any other “tweaks.” We recommend looking over your current fat loss plan and evaluating whether you have a good handle on the following four elements before making any additional changes. How do you measure up?
1. Sufficient calorie intake
If you’ve been following EM2WL for some time, you know that we firmly believe that eating enough is a key component of a successful fat loss plan. The standard “eat less, exercise more” model of weight loss can lead to more muscle than fat loss, lowering your metabolic rate over the long term. Without eating enough calories, you run the risk of causing metabolic damage which does more harm than good. If you’ve been dieting for a very long time and are not seeing the results that you desire, it is very likely that you would benefit from doing a metabolic reset. If you are still struggling to get in an appropriate number of calories daily, it is highly recommended that you become consistent there before incorporating any additional changes. If you’re curious about how many calories is considered sufficient, check out our calorie calculator.
2. Protein
Not only do most women typically not take in enough calories, but tend to be lacking in the protein department as well. This macronutrient can be one of your biggest weapons in winning the fat loss game! Generally, we recommend taking in about 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight. A number of studies have shown numerous benefits to high-protein diets. Since protein takes longer for the body to break down and digest, it promotes a feeling of fullness, making it easier for you to stick to your plan. Protein also is essential in sustaining your lean mass, helping you to recover from workouts, and maintaining healthy skin, nails and organs. Protein also has been reported to improve brain function, lower blood pressure and improve sleep quantity.
It can be very challenging to get in all that protein! Give yourself time to get acclimated to a higher protein diet by setting reasonable goals and increasing them weekly. For instance, if your goal is to eat 150 grams of protein, but you’re currently averaging around 75 grams daily, you might start by trying to get in just 100 grams daily and increase slowly. Divide your protein among your meals, and it will likely seem a bit more manageable. Focus on making sure to hit your protein target daily, and then allocate the remaining calories to carbohydrates and fats.
3. Fiber
Most Americans only average about 15 grams of fiber daily, while most people should be taking in anywhere from 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily. Foods high in fiber are more filling and generally take longer to eat than foods low in fiber. They are a great way to “stretch out” your meals, thereby eating a high volume of food without adding many calories. In addition, including fiber in your diet will slow the digestion of carbohydrates and absorption of sugars, keeping blood sugar stable. High fiber foods also promote digestive health and prevent problems like constipation, hemorrhoids, IBS, and other digestive complaints. High fiber diets also promote heart health by moving fats and bile salts out of the body, lowering cholesterol in the process.
Tip: Yummy snacks like Quest Bars can provide 20g of protein, and 17g of fiber per serving. They can be helpful to reach your goals in a pinch, or if you’re newer to tracking these macros, but be sure to try getting as much protein and fiber from whole food sources as possible.
4. Heavy Resistance Training
Heavy resistance training should be a key component of any fitness program whose goal is fat loss. Heavy resistance training has a number of metabolic benefits that will pay off in the fat loss department. Unlike cardio, the metabolic benefits of this type of training last for 24-48 hours after completing your workout as your body must work harder to rebuild its oxygen stores. This effect, commonly referred to as the afterburn effect or EPOC (post-exercise oxygen consumption) has a number of metabolic and athletic benefits that will improve your body composition as well as your gym performance! If you don’t know where to start, there are a number of strength training programs to get you started on your journey to a leaner, stronger, healthier you!
If your current fitness program does not currently involve heavy resistance training at least 2-3 times a week, it is highly recommended that you start here before adding in cardio or other forms of exercise to accomplish your goals. You will be amazed at the way your body transforms when you consistently hit the weights!
DISCLAIMER: We know that many of our followers love running and other forms of cardio and we firmly believe that you should regularly engage in a form of exercise that you truly enjoy! However, there may be times to evaluate whether your preferred form of activity supports your goals.
The Take Away Message
If you feel that you have a good handle on these four elements, there is absolutely nothing wrong with making a small change or two to see how your body responds. We emphasize that it is usually best to change one thing at a time and give your body a chance to respond before changing another variable, however. As you make adaptations to your plan, you will want to make sure you are listening to your body! Pay attention to how you look and feel, how you are performing in the gym and your energy level any time you make a change. Often times, just a very small change can lead to some great results, but if you change too many things at once you will never know what that missing part of the puzzle was!
Photo credit: Apolonia, hin255 of www.freedigitalphotos.net
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