HOW TO START LOSING FAT RIGHT NOW A Beginner's Guide v.1.1
I see and get asked this question with sufficient frequency that I am making this consolidated post of first principles for future reference and update.
1) MINDSET. What are your fitness goals? Why do you need to lose fat? What do you want from your journey? Dress size? Wedding? Reunion? Tinder? Divorce? What do you want to see in the mirror? What are the benefits that will accrue in your life from achieving your fitness objectives? What are the negative consequences of your failing to achieve your fitness goals? Now? 5 years from now? 10 years from now? 20?
Write that shit down. Really. Do it. This is literally the most important thing. Put it someplace safe where only you can find it. Keep it to yourself. Reference it 6 weeks from now when you are sick of dieting, scrounging for a reason to quit, and "frustrated" with the glacial pace of your results.
2) GET REAL. Strip down to underwear or swimwear and take pics. Don't try to hide shit or filter or angle test or facetune like you're trying to catfish on Tinder. (Yes, ladies, I am talking to you.) Keep it real. Weigh yourself. Measure your waist (at belly button), ass (at its max), thighs. Bust, arms are optional. I say it's best to own your shit completely, post your worst pre pics and stats, and publicly commit to change.
Responsibility is the foundation of success.
3) MEASUREMENT - DAILY PROGRESS. Get a decent, basic, scale. (Like this - https://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Bathroom-Ultra-Wide-Platform/dp/B0032TNPOE). Skip the "smart" scale, which is not. Weigh in every single morning in exactly the same way - first thing post pee, ass naked, pre coffee. Post on fridge. Or here. Or both.
4) MEASUREMENT - WEEKLY PROGRESS. Once a week, put on what you wore in your "pre" pics and take new pics. Update your measurements. Record and save everything for future reference. Post if you want.
5) MEASUREMENT - INTAKE. Get a decent, basic, food scale. (Like this - https://www.amazon.com/GreaterGoods-Digital-Kitchen-Multifunction-Measures/dp/B01JTDG084.) Weigh and record EVERY SINGLE MORSEL that passes your lips. Everything. Don't fuck around. If you don't track, or half ass it, then you have already failed.
6) CALORIC DEFICIT. This is the key to fat loss and accomplished 99.99% through diet. That means eating less - less than you have been eating and less than you burn each day. If you haven't already committed to a specific "Way of Eating" that includes a daily calorie budget, a simple effective rule of thumb is to set your starting daily calories at 9X - 11X your scale weight. So 1,800 calories/day if you currently weigh 200#. I prefer a more aggressive 9X target weight; or 1,665 calories/day for a target weight of 185#.
7) DIET. Research and find a way of eating that appeals to you. For many who are obese, pre-diabetic, diabetic and/or suffering from NAFLD, Keto has been life changer. Curative even. Others have cut fat with an "If It Fits Your Maros" approach, horking down Twinkies and Fruity Pebbles along the way. Many super lean folks, including some world class athletes, thrive on a whole food/plant based diet. Other athletes, body builders, and experienced dieters cycle carbs and/or calories to great effect. Extended fasting has helped many blast fat off at a rapid pace and in many cases regain their health, while others prefer to eat more and lose their fat at a glacial pace in the belief that they will be better able to maintain their losses once achieved. Intermittent Fasting is an effective and popular tactic for controlling intake and, when combined with heavy lifting, has produced some incredible transformations. The point is - It's all good!
The only thing that matters is finding your path. Do your own research, talk to people who have already achieved that to which you aspire, and make your own decisions.
Diet, like politics, masks, and vaccines, is not religion, but is treated as such by many. Avoid the tribalism, make the best choices for you, adjust when necessary.
8) WALK. Helps keep your burn rate up in a deficit. Not catabolic. No brainer.
Let's go!
Diet Calendar Entry for 28 May 2021:
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1852 kcal
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Fat: 91.82g | Prot: 76.37g | Carb: 179.38g.
Dinner: Falafel , Zaxby's Crinkle Fries (5), Halal Guys Hummus, Halal Guys Large Combo Platter, Halal Guys White Sauce. Snacks/Other: Spanokopita (Jimmie's Recipe). more...
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