HOW YOU LOSE WEIGHT MATTERS MORE THAN HOW QUICKLY YOU LOSE WEIGHT.
That you need to be in a caloric deficit in order to lose weight is a physiological fact. However, how much of a deficit you aim for, or the manner in which you achieve it, will decide how long you will be able to maintain your lower body weight.
Let’s assume you decide to opt for Keto and do away with a whole macronutrient to get there, it’s most likely that you will NOT be able to sustain that pattern of eating for long.
Unless you’re someone who hates pizzas, pastries, fruits, vegetables, bread, pulses, legumes, happiness, sleep, joy… And get your mojo on by adding butter to your morning coffee and eating mostly meat, paneer, cheese, etc… Then by all means, go ahead!
But for the general population, it’s too drastic a plan. Much like trying to do a cartwheel to cross the road when you can simply walk!
(Don’t get me wrong, I love cart wheels but doing them to cross a busy street would be kinda stupid!)
Or let’s say you opt for IF (Intermittent Fasting), or going on a raw foods diet, or giving up sugar, etc. it’s most likely that you won’t be able to sustain that pattern lifelong. Unless it’s a medical necessity, I recommend eating a balanced diet made up of mostly whole foods that are nutrient dense, with a special emphasis on protein, fruits & veggies.
Because regardless of how long it takes you to lose weight, you’re going to spend a much longer time maintaining a lean & healthy body.
That’s the goal, at least!
IF YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT A NUMBER ON THE SCALE, YOU WILL STRUGGLE FOREVER.
Even though you may be losing fat, the number on the scale may not reflect that. That’s due to the sensitivity of the scale to overall body weight, i.e. water, undigested food, muscle glycogen, excess fluid retention, etc. The scale cannot differentiate between fat mass & fat free mass (at least not accurately).
So stop measuring your progress based on a dumbass piece of plastic. Use various other ways to gauge your progress. Some excellent non scale markers are:
- The way your clothes fit you
- Your energy levels & the strength you feel
- The mirror
- Friends and family telling you that you’re starting to look leaner
- Improved sleep & poop quality
- Improved relationship with food
- Your increased ability to walk, lift, run… the list goes on.
Let’s assume you drop a size but the scale hasn’t moved. You probably gained muscle and lost fat! Will that number still bother you?? Your weight is a tool, it is not your identity.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE FITNESS A PRIORITY, THERE WILL BE SACRIFICES.
- You’re going to have to be disciplined when others aren’t.
- You’ll often have to skip that extra round of beers or pass on that late night slice.
That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. It just means you have to stay mindful, and consider the pros & cons of each decision you make.
THE BEST FOODS FOR WEIGHT LOSS ARE THE ONES YOU ENJOY AND HELP YOU STAY CONSISTENT
- Eat whole foods you enjoy
- Include ‘fun foods’ you enjoy
- Never ever resent your food choices
- Cravings won’t disappear. You’ll just get better at delaying gratification
- Some people will say you’re obsessed, don’t let them get to your head… The same people will envy your ‘good genetics’ later on… Help them!
- It’s going to take longer than you want it to just like anything worth having.
It will all be worth it. Because making fitness a priority will help you look better, and put you in a position to do better for the people around you.
It’s idealistic to assume that you will dedicate all your energy and effort into your physical transformation goals. There are various ‘life-factors’ that need to be accounted for.
The right approach then is…
- Figure out your maintenance calories & macro splits
- Stay in a deficit when looking to lose some fat
- Take planned ‘diet-breaks’ to coincide with demanding/celebratory times.
- Train regularly, irrespective of your schedule.
- Consume adequate protein
- NEVER SETTLE