Calories, Calories, Calories...
What if I told you the hardest part of fat loss was NOT actually the diet?
I know, sister friend, hold your gasp!
Rather it seems to be something else that most women continue to experience and struggle with even after they see results.
Real talk here - anybody can lose weight as long as they follow a calorie-W.controlled plan. Whether it's a meal plan from some fitness "guru" on Instagram or the trendy diet plan of the year (#HeyKetoHeyyy), you WILL see results as long as you are consistent with calories intake.
However, the challenge usually comes after the diet is over and you've reached your fat loss goals!
Congrats! You've Lost The Weight, Now What?
Maybe you can't possibly stick to never eating bread again in your life or eating only out of colored plastic portion containers for ever...
This is where understanding your body's needs comes into play. It took me a few years of spinning my wheels to figure it all out on my own. But, I now understand how much protein, carbs and fats MY body requires.
Once I learned how to track my macros, I was finally able to maintain my physique even after I was done dieting because of the flexible approach. It gave me to knowledge to cater my nutrition towards whatever goal I had, whether I was trying to lose fat, maintain my weight, or even build muscle.
Think about it: You've worked so hard and sacrificed to finally lose that weight and feel amazing! But you know you can't sustain never eating bread again or eating out of colored plastic portion controlled containers for the rest of your life, right?
You need a strategy now for every day life to keep that physique you fought for! One that doesn't leave you feeling deprived or cutting out entire nutrient rich food groups...
Following a flexible approach helped me to stop dieting and start living again.
I could eat what I wanted without the fear of "gaining it all back" - cue the HALLELUJAH Chorus!
This is not to say that I could suddenly live off of pizza and ice cream, personally I love me some roasted asparagus anyway... But the idea that certain foods were no longer considered off-limits and that my guilty pleasures weren't going to derail my physique, I consider this a huge win.
Starting Today!
If you are new to tracking macros, start by making small adjustments first and focus only on calories and protein intake. Try following these simple steps and pay attention to how your bod feels:
1. Eat about a palm-sized amount of a protein source per meal - This will help your body recover from your workouts and keep you satiated throughout the day.
2. Eat about 2 fist-sized portions of vegetables per meal - Micronutrients like vitamins and minerals are important for our overall health and fiber will also fill you up, especially while dieting.
3. Prioritize eating wholesome, nutritional foods first - then when you are craving something in particular, know that you can work it into your diet still
without sabotaging your efforts.
4. Don't over stress the numbers - unless you are a bikini athlete or have a serious competition coming up (I always get much stricter with my numbers when I know I have a vacation or fitness event approaching), it can be difficult to account for every single meal to a T. Stick to a moderate range of 10g + or - of your goals and you will be just fine, love. Guesstimating is still better than nothing.
If you are still not sure really what a "macro" is or how it applies to nutrition outside of economics, head HERE to download free a reference guide I've created just for you! It is totally free and non-spammy :)
Client spots are also NOW OPEN! Email me at Sydnee@Viciousfit.com if you are ready to burn fat for good without losing the foods you love!
For the love of strong,
Sydnee