There are so many resources online on how to lose weight fast that clients are often overwhelmed by the options. There are many ways to lose weight, but you might be surprised that it’s the simple rules that can change everything. There are fancy methods to lose weight and there are very simple, straightforward and almost too easy tricks to lose weight. The difficulty lies not in how to lose weight, but actually doing what needs to be done on a daily and consistent basis. The most challenging part of any weight loss journey is being able to stay consistent. Consistency means being disciplined enough to repeat the same habits daily. For our purposes, we will discuss daily diet habits that are simple on paper but, just like everything else in life, must be practiced daily in order to get the results you’re looking for. Also remember that any discussion found herein is for educational purposes only and if you seek dietary or nutritional advice to address a health issue, please consult a licensed medical professional. And as always, if you seek professional help with exercise and accountability, please feel free to contact us for a Los Altos personal trainer.
1. Get Enough Sleep - 7 to 9 Hours
There are numerous studies that link sleep deprivation to weight gain. Sleep deprivation can occur over a short amount of time (less than week) or chronic sleep deprivation (months to years). With lack of sleep, you are less likely to exercise or be as physically active as you could be which contributes to a more sedentary lifestyle; therefore, you burn less calories over time and all else constant, you will probably gain weight. Lack of sleep affects the brain negatively: it tends to dull the brain’s frontal lobe which helps you control impulses. If you become more impulsive, then you may be more likely to make more bad food choices and increase snacking on unhealthy foods. The frontal lobe also contributes to decision-making so you might not make the healthiest choices when you’re tired. Snacks that you may lean towards would be higher carb snacks since they tend to stimulate the brain’s reward center more. The high-carb foods you intake, the greater your sleep-deprived brain will crave those types of carbs which will further increase your weight gain. Sleep deprivation also has been shown to slow down your metabolism by triggering cortisol spikes which are stress hormones that signal your body to conserve energy and slow down. It also slows down your insulin sensitivity which also causes weight gain. Before you even consider hiring a personal trainer Los Altos, please make sure you’re at least getting enough sleep. It would actually be counterproductive for you to try to exercise when you’re sleep deprived.
2. Calorie Deficit - Burn More Calories Than You Eat
Losing weight is a simple calculator: you need to burn more calories than you intake at the end of the day. A pound of fat contains 3500 calories. So in order to lose a pound of fat per week, you need to burn 3500 extra calories. To achieve this, it is recommended to be in a 500 calorie daily deficit. This means if you burn 2700 calories in a day, then you should consume 2200 calories per day and no more. What is the best way to calculate how many calories you can burn in a day? You can wear a smart watch that estimates your calorie burn based on your heart rate or you can use an online calculator called a Total Daily Energy Expenditure Calculator. This calculator will estimate how many calories you burn a day based on your current height, weight, age and daily activity levels. How do you measure how many calories you consume in a day? You can use a calorie counting and tracking app such as MyFitnessPal which allows you log in what you eat. MyFitnessPal’s food database is very comprehensive and is always expanding so you’ll most likely find any food item you enter into the search box. Calorie counting is not for everyone as it may cause obsessive behavior and anxiety. Food tracking is by no means mandatory, it has proven helpful to many people so it might be worth a look into. Your Los Altos personal trainer can definitely recommend different methods to accomplishing the same goal when it comes to tracking calories. Most importantly, your personal trainer should provide some level of accountability so that he is checking in on you to make sure you’re managing your daily calorie intake properly.
3. Macronutrition - Proteins, Fats, and Carbohydrates
Not only is it important to keep a daily calorie deficit, it is just as important to make sure you’re eating the right type of calories. Everything you eat contains a combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbohydrates contains 4 calories each; 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories each. These make up what is called Macronutrients which is what your body uses to convert to energy. Different diets contain different breakdowns of macronutrients. A high protein, low carbohydrate diet might contain 35% protein, 35% carbs and 30% fat. For a 2000 calorie diet, this means 35% of 2000 = 700 calories are from protein and 700 calories are from carbohydrates, and the remaining 600 calories come from fat. Generally speaking, carbohydrates is what your body primarily uses to fuel muscles during exercise. Proteins are used to build bodily structures like muscles, skin, nails, organs, and many others as well as regulate hormones. Fat is used as an energy reserve and also to help transport fat-soluble vitamins. If you have any questions regarding these, your personal trainer Los Altos should be able to explain the different types of diets out there and what kind of macronutrients they consist of. For example, a Keto diet might consist of 70% fat and 30% protein. Not every diet and macronutrient breakdown will work for every person. You need to find out what works best for your daily lifestyle and preferences.
4. Drink Plenty of Water
Something as simple as drinking water can help you lose weight. Generally, drinking 3 to 4 liters of water a day is a good rule. Water will help suppress your appetite by keeping you full. Drinking water has been shown to increase your metabolism by stimulating thermogenesis which is your body’s way of burning energy to increase the water’s temperature to that of body temperature. Drinking water will also help you drink less liquids that contain calories such as sodas and juices. Water will also help you exercise better because water helps transport much needed electrolytes to your muscles. Water is needed to help your body burn fat since it is drives lipolysis which is the body’s way of converting fat to energy. Water also helps your digestion and your body’s ability to flush out waste which will prevent cramps, constipation and bloating. Every personal trainer understands the importance of water during a training session. Your personal trainer Los Altos should always keep a watchful eye on you to lookout for signs of dehydration during a training session.
5. Focus on Eating Enough Protein - Personal Trainer Los Altos
There are countless research articles proving that protein is the king of all macronutrients when it comes to promoting weight loss. Protein regulates the hormones in your brain that regulate weight - specifically, protein will help signal the brain to feel satiated or full faster which will help you eat less calories. Protein helps reduce the levels of ghrelin which is a hormone that signals to your brain that you’re hungry. Furthermore, protein can help you reduce your urge to snack on foods that will make you gain weight. Protein also helps you build muscle which tends to increase your metabolism at rest so you’re burning extra calories throughout the day. Generally speaking, about 30% of your daily calories should come from protein if you’re looking to lose weight. Considering all the rules we covered, you should always pair your nutritional strategies with an exercise regimen. Contact us today for all your Los Altos personal training service needs.
Find a Personal Trainer Near Me with NBI Fitness
NBI Fitness is the leading nationwide provider of in-home and gym personal training services with trainers and locations throughout California, New York, New Jersey and much more. Check out personal trainer near me to see if we have a trainer for you in your city. NBI Fitness specializes in weight loss, body fat reduction, body recomposition, muscle toning, bodybuilding, powerlifting, strength training, weight lifting, yoga, corrective exercise, prenatal exercise, postpartum exercise, rehabilitation, senior fitness, youth fitness, boxing, kickboxing, MMA, soccer, swimming, nutrition, mobility and flexibility, and much more. We offer flexible location options: we can train at your home or apartment gym, at a local gym (we are partnered with various fitness studios in every city), outdoors, at your corporate office or event, or virtual. Get started today by signing up for a free trial session or send a text/call us at 201.970.5533 for an instant response. We will get back to you right away :)
Comments