7 June
9 min. read
Съдържание:
There are a variety of reasons that awaken the desire to lose weight in us - the pursuit of the dream body, the motivation for higher self-esteem, the need for more attention from the opposite sex, a health problem, etc.
More than 10 years ago when I started doing what I do, I thought I knew more than necessary.
I thought it was all about keeping low-carb diets (turned out it’s not exactly like that). Having seen that this strategy doesn’t work in the long run, I tried almost every other diet...
I thought cardio training was the only effective solution to my problems, and I’ve tried all kinds of nonsense until I found the right approach to change.
I’ve made many mistakes and realized that none of the methods I had tried earlier were the right way to succeed.
After so much time and hard work, through my personal journey and through my work with people, I found and will share with you 11 invaluable tips I wish I knew from the beginning!
Here's what they are:
11 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started...
I present to you a list of nutrition, training and lifestyle tips I gathered and want to share with you after many years of dedication to my work:
1. Your Metabolism Adapts – So, Don’t Starve Yourself
If you reasonably limit your calorie intake and combine your diet with intense strength training, you will turn your body into a fat burning furnace.
But if you restrict food too much and starve, your body enters in economical mode; metabolism slows down and you burn fewer calories.
This is the reason why you fail every time you‘re on a low calorie diet. When your body has nothing to use for energy, it tries to store everything you consume.
So, at some point, you find yourself stagnant and the pounds stop decreasing, even though you eat less.
2. Muscles Burn Fat
At the beginning, when I was struggling with my overweight (I was still 100kg at 160 cm), I thought the only thing I needed to do was losing weight, without increasing my muscle mass.
Now I know that muscles are not just for bodybuilders and if you really want to lose weight, you must work on them.
Muscles speed up your metabolism, which means that your body burns more calories, not just in the gym but 24/7, even while you’re sleeping. This explains why athletes eat so much food and don’t gain any weight.
Anyone who wants to lose weight should strive to maintain (and even increase) their muscle mass. One of the main functions of muscles is to store carbohydrates in the form of glycogen.
Glycogen is used as a source of energy for intense physical activity. Think of your muscles as a reservoir that fills up when you eat carbohydrates and empties when you exercise.
3. Progress Won't Always Be Linear
It would be great if the positive results of a healthy diet and training were a straight line that goes only up and forward ... Unfortunately, the body doesn’t work that way.
There will be times in which you will progress much faster than you thought it was possible.
But ... sometimes you’ll have stagnation. However, you should not despair and surrender because these drops are completely normal!
Everyone has their moments of weakness with no desire to make any effort. The important thing is to remember that these are just bad days - they will be gone.
Don’t stop fighting. Trust your body and the time it takes to react.
4. You Shouldn't Fear Carbs (If You Know When to Eat Them)
Quality carbohydrates are essential if you train hard and want to build a healthy and athletic physique.
Processed carbs are the ones to avoid!
Which carbohydrates are refined? All which have undergone some sort of industrial processing. When you wonder if the product is refined, just ask yourself if it grows like that in its natural form - spaghetti, croissants and donuts don’t grow on the trees, right?
Contrary to refined, natural carbohydrates are foods that are in their natural form (or have undergone minimal processing) and contain nutrients valuable to the body.
These are: brown rice, potatoes, oatmeal, whole grain pastries, sweet potatoes, quinoa, buckwheat, beans, lentils, chickpeas and all fruits.
5. Cardio Is Not the Most Effective Way to Lose Excess Weight
Are you still hanging on the treadmill for hours in an attempt to burn more fat?
Do you make cardio workouts a daily commitment?
If the answer is “Yes”, I guarantee that this is one of the reasons why you are not achieving the desired progress.
When your goal is to lose weight, you need to burn as many calories as possible through physical activity. For this to happen, your body needs to use its energy in the most efficient way possible.
The problem with cardio is that the more you do it, the more your body adjusts and becomes more efficient (uses less energy).
In strength training, things are the opposite. The stronger you are and the heavier the weights you use, the more energy (calories) you will consume.
Well, what do you prefer?
6. Strength Training Is Essential
Strength workouts are often underestimated when it comes to weight reduction...
The truth is, if you want a well-formed and tight body with a low body fat percentage, strength training is the one that can give it to you.
If you want a fast metabolism and effective weight loss, I advise you to exercise with weights 3-5 times a week with 30-60 second breaks between the series. The workout should last no more than an hour – this way you’ll maintain high levels of the hormones that stimulate fat burning and low levels of the hormones that prevent fat burning.
As you have already learned from the second paragraph:
The more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism is. This means that you burn more calories even when you rest.
7. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
One of the worst things you can do to yourself is to constantly compare yourself with others.
There will always be people who will be leaner or more muscular than you, but that shouldn’t bother you ... Don’t pay attention to them!
This is your personal journey. The only person you have to compare with is yourself! Otherwise, the negative emotion can very easily break you down and give you up.
Are you better than you were yesterday? Yes - great! No - then give more of yourself! This is the question you need to ask yourself, if you want to stay motivated.
8. Fats Won’t Make You Fat
Fats are extremely important for optimal health and participate in a number of body functions. They are the most concentrated source of energy - delivering a total of 9 kcal per gram, which is over 2 times the energy content in proteins and carbohydrates. In addition, fats serve as a building block for various cellular structures.
Many people believe the myth that the fat intake leads to weight gain. Is this true?
The answer is "depends". In a literal sense, the intake of fats will not make you fat. Unless you consume too many calories and it happens that the surplus comes from fats. In this case, the fat intake will result in weight gain. But the reason for gaining weight is not the fat, but the calorie surplus. Whether excess calories will come from fat, carbohydrates or protein is irrelevant.
The conclusion is that fats taken through food make you as fat as any other excessively consumed food. In fact, moderate intake of certain types of fats can help reduce weight and improve overall health.
Note: Of course, there are different kinds of fats and some of them are harmful. Always avoid trans-fat and emphasize on unsaturated fats like avocados, olives, olive oil.
9. Do It for the Right Reasons
Why do you want to train? Why do you want to lose weight? If your answer is "to please others", this is NOT the right answer!
Find a worthy reason to keep you motivated all the time.
I can tell you from my personal experience that wearing a certain amount of clothing or being in a certain shape will not make you happy for long. Go to the gym because deep inside you, you want it, not for others!
If you go on this journey with the intention of impressing others or fitting in the "standards" - it will drain your energy and leave you unhappy.
... Then you will most likely get tired of all this and you will fail.
So find your inner motivation and make sure you want it with all your heart!
10. Be Happy and Proud with What You Achieved
...No matter how small it is!
People will always want more, and will always want what they don’t have yet. We're just like that.
But I want you to realize where you are at the moment? You are there for a reason! Believe me, everyone has their own unique path and nothing is accidental!
Rather than being sad with the small losses, be proud of the small achievements! Stop criticizing yourself for what you are not, but be proud of who you are! This way you will be happier and will have a stronger desire to continue.
If you take the way you went on as a punishment, you will probably soon deviate from it. No one likes to torture himself...
The world is a mirror of what we think. Make sure you stay with a positive attitude. Enjoy the little wins and celebrate. Don’t just wait for the big goals to take place. This will give you an incentive to continue fighting!
11. Having Fun Should Be a Priority
And finally - remember that all of this should make you smile more often. If you are not interested in the gym, you will hardly stay there for long. Find something to keep your desire burning.
For example, why don’t you try to work out with a friend?
Together, it will surely be more fun. It's great when someone have the same interests and goals as you. This will give you mutual support and motivation.
Remember this advice and recall it. When you are a beginner, you form the foundation around which you will build everything related to fitness and training. Make sure it is a positive one.
And when you begin to see the results, you will fall in love with what you’re doing and will want more and more!
In conclusion
The road to change is not always as easy as it seems. In order to avoid the same mistakes I made, I made for you this list of the most important tips I wish I knew at the beginning of my transformation. I hope they've been useful to you.
Your Turn!
I will be glad to hear your opinion. Are there any things you wish you knew before you started?
Share in the comment section below!
