We are a generation that likes to over complicate the processes of daily life, not just our weight loss goals.
I love to read about strongmen/bodybuilders from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, how did they achieve such feats of strength and have muscular physiques that would rival today’s lifters.
The answer is they kept it simple and we can use these simple steps to achieve our own goals.
Patience
This is key, we are too impatient we want results straight away. Weight loss and muscle gain are chemical responses in the body, these take time they aren’t instant changes. It is known the short term losses are less likely to remain but if you lose weight gradually over time you are more likely to keep the weight off. The trend the body tends to take when losing weight is it will drop over a few days to a week then go up slightly before it drops again. It will continuously follow this trend as it’s your body’s way of adapting. Remember you are trying to get the right balance of calories in vs calories out for weight loss and the right amount of calories in for muscle mass and strength gain without the extra fat being stored from excess calories. This takes time!!!
Sleep
This a hugely underestimated part of any fitness/strength/weight loss journey. Sleep is king and 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is ideal. When you sleep this is your body’s ideal time to recover from the stress you have applied to it from your workouts or daily life. Alcohol massively affects your sleep cycle so you may fall asleep quicker but you won’t fall into a deep sleep which is where most of the recovery happens.
Balanced Diet
I say balanced because you should eat healthy and sensibly but not have to give up the occasional treat. After a week or two of eating well you should be able to enjoy the odd glass of wine, a sweet treat or something you can’t live without. A balanced diet goes hand in hand with patience. If you’re patient and eat a balanced diet you will achieve great results and the weight will stay off. If you try and lose weight quickly with a fad diet then you are more likely to put the weight back on. This is simply because you can’t stay eating that way forever. Hydration is a huge factor in your balanced diet so drink plenty of water. There is no written rule as everyone is different. Try drinking 2-3 litres a day and see how it feels, if you’re still dehydrated drink more.
These are not difficult steps to follow but we like to overcomplicate the simple and then let ourselves get down and unmotivated from a lack of results. Stay positive and go back to the simple approach, track everything in a diary of how long you slept, what you ate and how much weight you lost that week/month. You will start to see a pattern emerge of what works best for you.
I hope this has been helpful, stay positive you’re doing a great job and remember it just takes time.
Stay fit, stay healthy and stay strong