By Losing weight has nothing to do with the gym at all. The gym plays a small part in your weight loss. What is 90% of your results is the things you nourish your body with. For years I spent hours and hours in the gym, killing myself with cardio, and always wondering why my body didn’t change. Then I started to train with weights, and saw a difference, but nothing significant. I wanted to be lean and muscular. It seemed like no matter how much I smashed it at the gym; nothing would change. It wasn’t until I started to train for bodybuilding competitions that I realised how imperative diet was. I did a complete turn around of what I was eating. Before I would eat toasts and cereal for breakfast, lunch would be pasta or rice with some protein form – maybe some salad. Dinner would be meat or some sort with veggies. It was so long ago that I can’t even remember it! But what I know for sure, is that I ate complete rubbish! Some nights, I would sit in bed and munch on some potato chips. I would sit there mindlessly eating some BBQ, Salt or Chicken flavoured chips. When I think about it now, I actually can’t believe it! Whatever possessed me to do this, I will never know, but I guess when your partner is a junk food addict, it kind of rubs on you a bit too. When I sit and think about all my junk food binges, I become very appalled at myself. I don’t know how I could have expected to be ripped given that kind of nutritional conditions! Most people do not like to hear that the results of weight loss happen in the kitchen. It’s too hard for a lot of people, that’s why they keep on exercising and wondering why no fat deposits are shifting. I was once one of those people too, and I want you to know, that anyone who thinks they can out-train a bad diet, is in for frustration, anger and will be the type to tell everyone that the gym doesn’t work for them. The gym itself works for many people – it all starts with what food you eat, and what kind of exercises you do. Marathon runners will require different training than someone who is transforming their body shape. It’s a real shame that people automatically assume that running or long duration cardio is the key to weight loss. It’s not the key to weight loss. The key to weight loss is diet. It always has been, and it always will be. The key to strengthening your body, building muscle, and maximising your metabolism’s efficiency for life – is weight training. The key to eliminating stubborn body fat is HIIT. The key to being a great long-distance runner or a marathon runner is running for hours on the treadmill, and on a track. I will give you some fast and straightforward track hacks to weigh loss with food, to get you started.
Five fast-acting hacks to weight loss
- Try intermittent fasting – this is a fast-acting hack and one you can implement for life. Fasting is something you want to do regularly, and it won’t be hard when you start seeing the results from basically just skipping a couple of meals. That’s how easy it is!
- Be aware of portions – even if you are fasting, you still have to be mindful of your portions and how much you are eating. Even if you eat excess protein, whatever the body doesn’t need will be stored as fat. To find out how much you need for your body type, search for a macro calculator online, or do what I do – use your hand as a gauge of how much protein (palm), carbs (fist) and fats (top of index finger) you should consume.
- Eat whole foods – forget processed options for convenience – always do your very best to eat whole REAL foods. Cook from home as much as you can so you are part of the entire cycle of your meal, from ordering the product to receiving it, chopping and cooking it, then eating a nice, wholesome meal. Yes, it does take time, and most of us don’t have time. But think of it this way, you possibly spend hours watching TV or scrolling on your phone. Why not sacrifice some of that mindless time, by cooking meals that nourish your body and help with your weight loss goals instead?
- Drink lots of water – most people don’t drink enough! I have a wonderful friend who somehow manages to survive on 500ml per day, and forgets to top up her bottle. I do not recommend this! Being dehydrated makes you feel tired, gives you muscle cramps and allows for overeating. We do mistake our thirst for hunger. Please do yourself a favour, buy a large bottle of water, fill it up and keep drinking.
- Rest – Most people ignore this one simple thing, and I will admit, I have been very guilty of this now, and for many years. I do have my moments when I feel too exhausted to train. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE training, which helps me deal with my inner turmoil. Missing one day sirs the pot for me. But, I know that I should have listened to my body before breaking down, and allowed myself rest or sleep in day. I now tend to do this every Saturday. I switch off, sleep in, get up when I am ready to, and start my day. Having a day off for me means that I can still be active, I have to stay away from the gym. Trust me, we all need a day or two like these for our sanity too.
Hopefully, these tips and the article has been useful to you. I want you to know that I have been there myself and I know just how challenging it is to lose weight. But if you embrace that results are based on diet alone, you will never become frustrated or annoyed with your body. I understand it’s challenging, but think about the positive changes, such as enhanced mood, clarity of mind, better health and longevity. Sometimes when we think about the benefits long term, it can help us see that we’re making the best decision for us now, and in the future. If you appreciate this post, please feel free to upvote it, and do come along and get your complimentary goal setting guide for 2021. I’m also on social if you are active in that space.
