Fat Loss is the goal for about 95% of people I’ve ever worked with.
People want to lose FAT.
(Truth is they want the FEELINGS that go with being lean and fit, but that’s another tale!)
So, at Hurley Fitness we have a very clear philosophy to fat loss, weight loss, health and fitness.
?It needs to be simple, fun, sustainable. Life is too short to weigh every vegetable for the rest of your life. Food is natural, a pleasure, to be enjoyed.
So ………
What are the simple things we should be mindful of in order to get amazing results and feel like life is for the taking?
UNDERESTIMATING CALORIES IN.
It’s SO easy to do. It’s estimated (excuse the pun) we underestimate our calorie intake by about 40% which is staggering. Confusing labels, little snacks that “don’t count”, not including drinks, eating amnesia in front of the TV, being “good” all week and going overboard at the weekend.
It all adds up!
The SIMPLEST way to eat, is stick to three nutritious meals, with mostly vegetables (50% of the plate), a piece of protein, the size of your palm and a small cupped handful of complex carbs.
If you’re adding or maintaining weight, add in more activity AND/OR reduce your portion sizes by 10%. Monitor it and see what happens. Simple!
OVERESTIMATING CALORIE BURN.
The biggest, most effective tool in fat loss is nutrition, however, exercise is vital. Exercise MUST be about INTENSITY not time.
That means getting your heart rate up, challenging your heart and lungs and muscles. Getting fitter and stronger as you progress.
You could do 3 x intense 20 min sessions per week or 5 x leisurely 60 min sessions. Guess what’s more effective?
(Over the years I’ve seen LOTS of people reading magazines on a machine. It might make them feel less guilty BUT there’s no point!)
Last point: Even if you do make exercise intense, you still need to eat well. It’s the old cliche: “You cannot out-train a bad diet”. No matter what.
TOO MUCH CARDIO
I’ve said this over and over so I’ll keep it short and sweet!
Cardio makes you feel hot, sweaty, red-faced perhaps, tired. But weight training must be the foundation of your regime.
Endless running on a treadmill for example, will burn valuable muscle, make you light, thinner. And give you the metabolism of a slug.
Weight training turns you into a lean ,mean, calorie burning machine! Done!!
SLEEP
Or rather lack of!
When we want to burn fat we focus on food, exercise, the usual stuff.
But sleep and recovery is SO important. A relaxed, fresh, replenished body means you can make your next session intense (remember that word?), not the equivalent of walking through treacle.
Your muscles and central nervous system recover during sleep – without this, forget it! Doesn’t matter how good your food is or how many times you train.
STRESS
Like sleep, never considered but SO important.
If you’re stressed, your cortisol levels are surging through the roof making fat loss incredibly difficult.
In this state, our body shuts down, metabolism, slows, we’re in survival mode.
Dealing with stress is vital. I use meditation and exercise (shock!).
*Aside from weight loss, we shouldn’t be too stressed in life as a rule right? The Hurley Fitness philosophy: feeling fit and healthy is important, but life is about happiness!**
Go for it, de-stress!!
There you have it, my Top 5. If you agree, disagree, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks.
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