Battle of the Bulge! How to Lose Weight Effectively!

It's the age old battle that seems to ramp up every January when resolutions are in excess and motivation is in overdrive. I want to lose weight. I want build muscle. I want to be fit. Listed below are a few fail safe methods for sustaining a healthy lifestyle. 

1. CLEAN EATING

Most experts will tell you time and again that an extremely important element of maintaining a healthy body weight relies on what we put into our mouths. The word diet usually means a prison sentence to most people so let's just call it a new and improved way to look at food. The term clean eating has made quite a splash within the fitness community with it's focus on eating lean proteins, good fats and fiber rich vegetables. Cutting back on simple carbohydrates (starches) and sugar rich foods is a must when trying to achieve optimal health and wellness. The USDA defines lean proteins as having less than 10 grams of total fat per a 3.5 ounce serving. Some good examples would be the white meat from a chicken, most types of fish (also rich in omega-3 fatty acids) and cuts of beef that meet the standards for lean meat. Unsaturated fats when eaten in moderation can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease. Some of the best unsaturated fats are avocados, walnuts, and olive oil. Substituting unsaturated fats for processed carbohydrates will lower insulin levels. They can also quell your appetite, cutting the amount of calories you eat per day, while improving your metabolism. Fiber rich vegetables or whole carbohydrates are unprocessed and contain the fiber found naturally in the food. Some fabulous whole carbohydrate options are broccoli, spinach, green leafy lettuce, apples, berries, yams and sweet potatoes. If you switch to a clean eating regiment, you can lose up to 10 lbs in one week.  The members at our West Los Angeles gym noticed significant changes in their bodies after they cleaned up their eating habits. 

2. Calories In vs. Calories Out

Once you adopt a clean eating regiment into your daily routine, you will automatically cut your calorie intake. A pound of fat is 3500 calories. If you limit your calorie consumption by 500 per day, in 7 days you will have lost a pound of fat. It is pretty simple math. What is not simple is the fact that different foods can have different effects on the body. Only focusing on the calorie content of foods and disregarding the metabolic effects of certain foods can be a disadvantage. All calories are not created equal. For example, a 100 calories of fructose (soda, candy, sweetened yogurt) will have completely different effects on the body than a 100 calories of lean protein. There is really no nutritional benefit from eating 100 calories of fructose so you are likely to stay hungry and eventually consume more calories.  Therefore adopting a clean eating lifestyle will automatically reduce caloric intake and ensure beneficial effects on the body. A good personal trainer or nutrition coach can help you determine the most nutrient rich foods to include in your diet. 

3. Strength training / Building Muscle

The human body burns more calories each day when you have more muscle mass. Image muscle as firewood, the more firewood you add the bigger the flame. When strength training, your body continues to burn calories during the reparation of damaged muscle tissue. That recovery process and increased fat burning can continue for 72 hours post workout. Cardiovascular training is essential for heart health and building endurance but when it pertains to losing weight you only burn the calories you expended during that period of training. A good CrossFit workout that includes strength exercises like a Squat, Deadlift or Strict Pull-Up could have you burning calories for up to three days post workout. Finding a knowledgeable personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach or CrossFit gym will optimize your fitness goals. 

These three tips are integral for consistent weight loss and ideal health.