As a fitness coach, the greatest want that most people are looking to attain is losing FAT! Being a coach is all about getting people where they are at NOW to where they want to GO. So, the sooner I can get a client to lose fat and make it a sustainable solution, the sooner I can become a Rockstar!
For this reason alone, I am super motivated to find the best methods to assist all in losing fat (not weight). Haven’t you heard? The obesity rate is through the roof (about 1/3 of society in the US is obese), so working diligently on developing the safest, most efficient, long term approach is imperative.
Unless you want to be a Sumo wrestler you probably want to lose some weight and have it be predominantly FAT.
If you are a young adult you probably want to lose fat to look EXTRAordinary for spring break, vacations, or just self esteem value.
And if you are obese to morbidly obese, you straight up need to lose weight for your health and overall quality of LIFE.
LOSING FAT is important regardless of WHY, it’s coming up with the best strategies to make it happen!
Now, in your fat loss pursuit there are concepts critical to understand – some strategies are temporary solutions and others get your mind, body, and spirit RIGHT for the long term. I know from experience that most people have achieved weight loss in the past. Unfortunately over some length of time, the weight gradually comes back on. WHY?
- Extreme measures. Cutting calories to aggressively, overwhelming exercise and overtraining, lap band/gastric bypass surgeries. All of these work temporarily, but it doesn’t stick because its not sustainable.
- Lack of education. Nutrition is 80% of your success. However, there are many variables like hydration, cortisol levels, correct exercise methods, and overall regeneration that are game changers.
- Circle of influence. We are the average of the five people we surround ourselves with the most. Who are they? What do they do? If they are obese, there is a good chance you will be overweight. If they are billionaires, there is a good chance you’ll make dough.
Having a coach that cares, holds you accountable, empathizes, and has been there, done that is key to success! Along with a culture of like minded individuals that are looking to accomplish the similar goals is definitely a major value. We need to develop the resistance team to ensure we don’t keep losing weight over, and over, AND OVER AGAIN!
HOW do we stop this vicious cycle? Here are 10 NOT so obvious tips that Coach Peter devised to get his clients losing fat, toning, and being ON FIRE!
- Stop starving yourself. We cut calories too much on most occasions and it works a few times. But we bog down our metabolism every time we use this approach and eventually it doesn’t work anymore. We end up in the same situation! Deconditioned, out of shape, and overweight. EAT MORE with the right principles and see fat loss happen, you feel amazing, and performance sky rockets.Principle #1- Eat every three to four hour
Principle #2 – Get protein every time you eat
Principle #3 – Get 6 to 10 servings of fruits and veggies a day!
Principle #4 – Sprinkle in 1/3 saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats - Exercise with strength training as the #1 method of activity. The challenge of this is efficient movement pattern quality. Tie in corrective work to improve mobility and stability. Then add in metabolic training, power training, steady state cardio, and Hit training. Purposeful training is a method of fitness that transfers to everyday activity. So hiking, recreational sports, and just playing with your kids becomes more enjoyable when you move so well.
- Hydration. Drink half your body weight in oz of water each day to detoxify the body. If your body is constantly fighting toxins from free radicals and other pollutants. The liver cannot metabolize FAT like we would like.
- Human movement performance is key for exercise. We are compensatory machines and if we don’t exercise and live life with efficient movements, this is just one added stressor on the body. Stress leads to fat storage and that fight or flight response. Change how you look at exercise as a fat loss method and use exercise as a means to perform at great levels. Becoming fundamentally sound with squats, lunges, deadlifts, push, pull, and rotate/anti-rotate is critical. Then fat loss will become the biproduct of your success.
- SLEEP MORE. Getting a gradual increase in sleep quality is essential for multiple reasons. 8 hours a night is the gold standard. Lack of sleep increases stress levels, sucks energy dry, affects brain and physical performance (making workouts non existent), and gives you more time with late night snacking. OH NOOOOOOOO! Meditate, develop a routine, and stay away from electronics 1 hour prior to rest.
- Behavioral modifications. Diets and meal plans can only take you so far. Get excited about the fact that as you chisel away on better choices with food, alcohol, and exercise. You will be bringing the best version of you to achieve more with every day opportunities. Break those strong cables of less than optimum behaviors(i.e skipping breakfast, fasting, binge drinking, and…) and develop new cables of outstanding habits(i.e exercising 3x a week, eating 3 to 4 hours hungry or not, limiting alcohol to 1x a week). Its so easy to do, its so easy not to do!
- SET GOALS. Constantly set a couple outcome goals and behavioral goals – both personal and professional. Make sure the personal goals connect mentally and emotionally with the professional goals. We have heard this several times in life. So JUST DO IT! As a coach, it is my objective to keep people fired up to constantly set GOALS. Particularly performance goals. Utilize your new found POWERS, STRENGTH, and MENTAL FORTITUDE to challenge yourself with passion and purpose. Sign up for an event, race, or even a vacation that gets you FOCUSED with a deadline.
- Surround yourself with positive people who are looking to achieve MO! MO-energy, MO-productivity, MO-passion, MO-purpose, and MO-Impact! Get away from energy vampires that will suck the life and energy right from YOU. RUN FOREST RUN!
- Clear out your kitchen. It all starts with cleaning out your kitchen. Make no mistake: If food you shouldn’t be eating lurks in your fridge, cupboards, or freezers, you will give in at some point or another. You may think you have willpower of steel, but wait until your leptin levels start dropping and hunger clouds your every waking thought, and a few of your dreams. Few people will leave their house to satisfy their taste buds – they’re much more likely to hit the fridge.
- REAL SIMPLE (MY FAVORITE) EAT LESS SHIT, EAT MORE GOOD STUFF!
There you have it! Now that you have the tips, it’s time to ACT!
Lean more about weight loss at Impact MetroWest.