I have been training people for 10+ years now for weight loss and people are still stumped as to why they can destroy themselves in their workout and pay a premium for “the best gym in Edinburgh” but still get no results
The answer to the blank in the title is “controlling your nutrition”
You can be doing everything right during your workouts and lifestyle but if they are only 15% of the equation, results will be hard to come by. Don’t believe me? Then how do those FAD diets work?
Usually they only work in the short term as.
People that want a quick fix can’t stick to a diet for long (if it’s too restrictive it won’t be stuck to by anyone.)
Their hormones are all out of whack by following an extreme diet their body is not ready and prepped for.
Hormones effect weight loss
After a little research we will all know that if we eat carbohydrates then insulin is released. Insulin is one of the bodies most powerful and fast acting growth hormones. It will sure help you grow muscle but it will help fat cells increase fat storage too.
Thats why one of the most popular ways of losing weight is to cut out carbohydrates completely from the diet. This only works for a short while for the majority of people. See below for why.
With a drop of leptin levels from severely restricting carbs you will get a decrease in fat burning and this usually is partnered with decreases in physical activity as the hormones created by the thyroid are reduced also as a result to no carbohydrate input.
This explains how you can be on a severely restricted diet and see great results for the first few weeks and then stagnate later on.
Your body has many mechanisms of burning or storing fat and most of them are food related.
Even overconsumption of some of the more modern health foods can cause change in hormone profiles that have a negative impact on weight loss. These are Organic crisps, gluten free products (especially sausages), most vegan deserts and soy products.
How much food and what kind can dictate if fat is going to fall off you or accumulate.
How to eat and how to workout for weight loss
Diet:
Eat as close to natural and as diverse as possible inside your calorific window. Have a cheat meal once per week but make sure you don’t go over your daily calories. I personally stick to Paleo as much as possible as it guarantees no processed foods and contains some carbs in the form of fruit and potatoes that helps me fuel my workouts.
Workout:
Find the best personal trainer in Edinburgh you can for your circumstances. I am a weight loss specialist and this is the kind of programme that my clients follow and succeed with over and over again.
Learn to lift HEAVY
Under the careful eye of a personal trainer it is perfectly safe for a complete beginner to start learning to lift heavy (relative to your current strength levels)
Why? It will improve your glucose and insulin sensitivity levels which is very common in overweight individuals. This means your body is more efficient at using blood sugar for exercise and daily movement so there is less chance at turning it into fat, and it makes your body more likely to break down fat, turn it to sugar and put it back in the bloodstream for use during exercise.
Working on diet and lifting heavy can help reverse type 2 diabetes, it’s that effective. Not to mention from losing weight and getting stronger and more toned you will feel an increase in confidence and wellbeing.