I have been known to say that your goal is to lose 1-2lbs per week of fat. And yes, that is a great goal. But if you are committed to losing more, you can lose more. I have had committed members lose up to 50lbs in 90 days.
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So, if you have been exercising hard and improving your eating habits, and are not losing weight…you should be losing weight.
Look at what you are eating now and weigh yourself at the beginning and end of the month. If your weight has not changed you are eating too much! If your weight has increased, you are eating way too much (or not getting enough calories burned through exercise)! Reevaluate your portion sizes. You really don’t have to eat that much at a meal! And the North American standard of meal size is not helping you!
For fat loss, people should eat 10-12 x (your desired bodyweight in lbs). (Example 12 x 100lbs – your goal bodyweight = 1200 calories per day). Do not go lower than this number (1200 calories), as you will slow your metabolism down so much that you will starve yourself fat. If this is the case, you will have to start eating more! In addition, you do not want to ever have a diet where you have a drastic drop in calories (greater than 500 per day).
For example, if you are a 150lb woman who regularly eats 2000 calories, and you want to be 100lbs, you would not start eating 1200 calories per day. This will work well in the immediate short term, but eventually backfire on you. Instead, you would eat 1500 calories per day, and then as you get closer to your goal weight, you will adjust accordingly.
Most people’s metabolisms don’t seem to be working like they should. So if you have decreased your intake and are not losing weight, we may need to look at other aspects, but the main reason people can’t get skinny is because they can’t stay consistent and stick with the plan long enough. So find a healthy balance that works for you!!!!! It’s all about finding the “diet” that will work for you long term. The only “diet” (have I mentioned I hate that word due to its short term connotation), that works, is the one that works for you!
Having said that, if you are eating consistent small meals full of protein and vegetables in your desired calorie range, you should find success. Read The #1 Reason You Can’t Lose Weight for more incite.
www.myfitnesspal.com is a great tool to track your calories and shed some light on what your daily totals are.
Getting lean is BRUTALLY hard. That is why the weight loss industry is a billion dollar industry! Everyone is looking for an easy out. Most people will eat well Monday thru Thursday then eat shit the other 3 days and wonder why they are not losing weight. You have to go at this 100%. And think for a moment…
Do you know what doing something 100% feels like? It’s complete and total devotion. It’s the kind of thing that will make you a little sick of said subject….But if you can be consumed for a short period (3 months), then you will gain so much momentum that you being fit and healthy will be as automatic as breathing.
So get used to saying no, consider how your choices impact your body and just look great.
You can achieve anything you want – start acting like you believe it.
Josh Saunders, BSc, CSCS
The Bootcamp Effect
