5 Fat Loss Facts You Need To Know

Is it just me, or has fat loss become a total mystery? We’re given soooo much information about the latest and greatest fad, led to believe that this time it will be different. Only this time turns into every other time before, because in the quest for lasting fat loss it’s easy to get lost in the weeds of misinformation.

With today’s post, I want to help you get out of the weeds … FOR GOOD. I’m going to give you practical, fad-free fat loss tips that will help you not only thrive, but also feel empowered to make health-conscious choices that stick. Let’s get it to it!

FACT #1: ABS REALLY DO START IN THE KITCHEN. HERE’S WHY.

You can’t out-train an unhealthy diet. Repeat that with me again. For a lot of us, there’s a point in our lives when we realize our body isn’t keeping up with our food vacations the way it used to. Suddenly, it seems to be rebelling and we start gaining or plateauing! It makes sense … starting around age 30, every year physically inactive people start to lose 3-5% (or more) of muscle mass … and muscle is a big part of our resting metabolic rate.

Does this mean you can never have that yummy, ooey gooey deliciousness you’ve been dreaming about? Nope! You can still enjoy life, but you’ve gotta stick to the plan the other 90% or so of of the time if you want to see results.

The problem is, “sticking to the plan” usually turns into foods that are not only bland, but the same thing over and over again. I always stress to my clients the importance of flavor, texture and v-a-r-i-e-t-y. It’s not that nutrient dense (aka healthy) food is boring and bland … it’s because (no offense) you’re preparing it that way.

Go out of your way to ensure you’re keeping things interesting and I promise you’ll actually enjoy those nutritious foods and look forward to the endless flavor profiles, textures, and combinations you can whip up.

And as a sidenote … if visible abs aren’t really a motivator for you, that’s okay too. Health is wealth, so grab hold of those deeper motivations and do your thang, because eating mostly nutrient-dense foods goes way beyond how you look.

FACT #2: STRENGTH TRAINING IS ONE OF THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR METABOLISM AND FAT LOSS.

If you want to lose fat while simultaneously increasing your resting metabolic rate (think: calories you burn just being you), you need to incorporate weights into your routine, period. There is just no getting around this. And no I’m not talking the same pair of dumbbells you’ve used since college … you need to incorporate something called progressive load to your muscles to see change over time. Basically, as you get stronger, your weights need to increase. If you use the same weights over and over again, you will stall your progress and get frustrated.

WHEN PEOPLE COME TO ME FEELING LIKE THEY’RE STALLING OUT, I HAVE THREE QUESTIONS:

Q1: What type of nutritional plan are you following? Are you sticking to it, or starting to deviate more than you realize (enter: food logging)?

Q2: Are you exercising at least 3 days per week with weights (HIIT included) and a total of 4-5 days per week at a high enough intensity for your goals?

Q3: Are you making sure to increase your weights when the ones you’ve been using start to feel like they’re getting too easy?

A RULE OF THUMB:
(my opinion based on 5+ years of group fitness and personal training and coming in contact with thousands of people)

If you can get to 8 reps and feel that burn, and bust out between 3-4 more reps with good form, that’s a solid weight for you to be lifting. If, however, you find yourself blasting right through, say, bicep curls with little to no burn after 8 reps, it’s time to consider increasing those weights!

When you build more lean muscle, you naturally burn more calories at rest and during your workouts which means … you guessed it … overall a more efficient fat burning process. And because muscle takes up less space than fat, once you lose the layer of fat on top of the muscle, you’ll also achieve that aesthetic you’re going for.

This is why I’m such a huge fan of HIIT training. Unlike a formal strength training regimen, HIIT is a 1-2 punch in the metabolic department. Not only are you building a more efficient metabolism by getting stronger weight weights, but you’re also incorporating cardio elements to then help accelerate the fat burning process.

It’s the exact reason we choose not to deviate from our HIIT focus at Inspired Wellness. The best part is, you can go at your own pace and do what works for you. It is not a requirement (nor is it recommended) to go from 0 to beast mode when you’re just starting out.

I was able to do our classes until 37 weeks pregnant by modifying and focusing more on my weights used – and you can too!

Exercise

FACT #3: STRESS YOU DON’T NEED IT. IT’S SABOTAGING YOU – HERE’S HOW.

When’s the last time you could pinpoint a stressful event and the effects on your body? For most, they are so busy go-go-going that they’re no longer in tune with what their body is telling them. They exist in a cycle of suffering and don’t know how sick they are until they’re better.

When we’re chronically stressed out we produce more stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. The chronic output of these hormones that were originally meant for pure survival means weight gain. For instance, high levels of cortisol are known to beef up your cravings for junk food, increase your appetite and can lead to unrelenting belly fat. There was even an Ohio State study that concluded chronic cortisol output may impede the amount of calories we burn in general!

Yikes.

It’s no secret that we need to stress less. But what does that look like? For starters, it looks like taking control of your reaction to what’s going on around you. Meditation, journaling, and reading have been life-changing for me. And I’m formally diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and med free for ten years, so believe me when I say that being consistent with those practices can do wonders! I also see a therapist 2-4 times per month and work with business and life coaches to help me fill my cup and make sure I’m living a life of fulfilment instead of just surviving day to day.

In fact, I would venture to say that lack of fulfilment is an epidemic in our country. How many of us trade time at places that don’t bring us joy in order to obtain that steady paycheck? How many of us abandon our gifts and talents in service of stressful events and being “too busy”? How many of us wear busy as a badge of honor (spoiler: it’s not)? How many of us spend more time on social media than we do with the very people we crave connection within the first place?

One of my favorite pioneers in the holistic mental health space is Cornell University trained Dr. Kelly Brogan. Check out her stuff here.

FACT #4: STRESS YOU DON’T NEED IT. IT’S SABOTAGING YOU – HERE’S HOW.

Intermittent fasting. Keto. Paleo. Vegetarian. Vegan. [insert nutritional approach here].

There is no shortage of nutritional approaches in today’s day and age. Generally speaking, they will work if you do. The problem is, most people I meet jump from thing to thing hoping it’s going to be the magic pill they’ve been searching for.

What they fail to realize is the power of consistency (more on that below) and being in tune with what their body is saying.

While some do well really low carb, others may need a moderate or even higher carb approach. It’s important to focus on how you feel just as much as how you look and to also take into account any health conditions (especially my thyroid warriors).

My basic tenets for establishing the benefits of any program is, after 30 days, to ask yourself these questions:

✔️ How do I feel? Do I have more energy or am I feeling even more lethargic than when I started?
✔️ What does my lab work look like? Are those numbers improving in tandem with how I’m feeling?
✔️ How’s my brain? Does my mind feel clear or is brain fog still lingering?
✔️ How has my body responded weight, body fat and muscle mass wise?
✔️ Do I still have inflammation or has it noticeably reduced?

The goal would be to see an improvement in all of the above. If that’s not the case, or even if it is and you want to keep it going, that’s where having a coach/trainer can be incredibly beneficial for helping you to stay the course even on the days you don’t wanna. Speaking of …

Woman waking up

FACT #5: CONSISTENCY OUTPERFORMS EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

Whatever you do, as long as it’s healthy you need to be consistent. So often, people jump around (sometimes week to week) and never give whatever they’re trying a real chance.

They get frustrated when they’re not seeing results as quickly as they’d like to, which, when you consider everything we discussed above, makes total sense – the majority of us are first having to repair some metabolic damage. Give your body a break and the space it needs to heal.

The more you focus on consistency – getting up for that morning workout even when it’s cold and dreary and your snooze button keeps whispering sweet nothings, setting a minimum movement goal every week, making sure the majority of your energy is directed at nutrient dense foods, you WILL start to see change. But first? You’ve gotta believe in the process and honor your unique journey.

What got you here won’t get you there. You’re learning and growing and evolving and you need to give yourself the mental, physical and emotional space to transform.

Cheers to getting out of the fat loss weeds and coming into a place of peace about your journey. To finally seeing the results you crave when you take time to step back and let your mind calm down. You’ve got this, and I’m rooting for you.

Until Next Time,

Christina

P.S. I’ve got ONE more spot in my Lifestyle Transformation Academy! See how I help women (including those with thyroid disease, PCOS and more) shed 10, 20, 30+ pounds all while building lean muscle, increasing their metabolism and developing healthy lifestyle patterns. Click here to apply and I’ll see if you’re a good fit!

P.P.S. We’ve also got the next season of our Get Fit Challenge coming up soon! You can learn more and get on the waiting list for it here.