Permanent Weight Loss Boils Down to 4 Things…

The truth is weight loss can be seriously intimidating. There is a figurative minefield encompassing the industry because there is such a desperate need to “Solve” the problem. You have keto, injections, Mediterranean, point counting, calorie counting… and on and on. The truth is that if you have an understanding (not even a mastery of) 4 concepts and you apply them you should find success losing weight and improving your health long term. So let’s go over each one.

1. What you eat – Seems obvious right, what you eat is going to be a main driving force of whether or not your body decides to metabolize fat (lose weight) or store fat (gain weight). Again, there are countless different ways to attack this as listed previously. In my experience, and from what I have read, The best and most efficient eating pattern to not only lose weight but to have the tools to maintain that weight loss long term is something I call Low Cal Dirty Keto. In this style of eating the client keeps there calories low while still having flexibility to eat food that actually tastes good. The goal with this type of eating plan is to obviously efficiently lose weight, but at the same time to satisfy the clients cravings.

2. When you eat – This one is often overlooked but when you eat is also important when trying to lose weight. The timing of when you eat can help control hunger and calorie intake. So when should you be eating? Again there are countless ideas of when you should be eating from 5 small meals per day to only one meal per day (OMAD). Again, what I have found to be best is a regular daily eating window of 6 hours when actively trying to lose weight. This window can be expanded to 8 hours once a person reaches the point where they are ready to maintain their weight loss.

3. What to take – Here we have everything from prescription meds to over the counter supplements. My personal philosophy here is that if you become reliant on a particular product to lose weight you won’t develop any skills to maintain in the long run. So does this mean I am against all products that may benefit weight loss? Absolutely not! We often recommended products especially when initially working with a client that help control hunger or supplement for potential nutrition deficiencies. These products should, however, be used as one part of a more encompassing plan in order to not develop a reliance upon them. There is nothing wrong, in my opinion, in getting that little extra advantage as long as life skills are being learned at the same time.

4. What to do when it’s not working – Despite our best efforts sometimes life will get in the way of our best laid plans. This goes for all things but it is especially true when trying to lose weight in a world where everything is set up against it (cheap food, busy scheduled, sedentary jobs, etc.). Holidays will come up and so will vacations. Your body will also likely also go through periods where it is resistant to weight loss (we call these plateaus). So what do we do when these situations present themselves? Do we adopt the attitude of “This just isn’t working” and quit or do we rely on fundamental strategies along with our support network (coaches) to move past these situations. The reality is, these circumstances are going to continue to happen for life and we need strategies that are not only effective but also fit into our lives.

So what did I leave out??? - Exercise! The truth is exercise sucks for weight loss! It is great for cardiovascular fitness, overall health, and athletic performance. But just doesn’t work for weight loss. As such, it should not be relied upon to help much with the weight loss process.

I hope this information is helpful if you are struggling with weight or weight related conditions.