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HOW MANY MEALS SHOULD I EAT A DAY ?
WHAT TIME OF DAY SHOULD I STOP EATING ?
DO I NEED TO CUT CARBS OR FAT ?
CAN I DRINK ALCOHOL ?
There are a few basics of fat loss that we need to cover and that are a necessity in order for you to achieve your goals. You don’t need to drastically cut out all the carbs, alcohol or the yummy foods – it’s all about balance! ENERGY DEFICIT An energy deficit is simply and imbalance of energy. Your body must burn more calories than you consume via food and drink. That means put simply that we must: - Eat Less - Move more - A combo of both Now it isn’t exactly that simple but we need to control our food intake to get the result we want. There are a few ways that you can do this and we will show you how later in the guide. HIGH PROTEIN Weight loss is VERY DIFFERENT to fat loss. Weight loss can be anything, including muscle and water. Losing “weight” will not help you achieve that toned body that will make you feel confident in your bathers in summer. If you see a guy/girl who looks great in their swimmers – we don’t say “Oh i think they weigh 60kg” we say “Gee they look great”. The number on the scales isn’t what makes you look and feel great, it is your body fat percentage. If you are consistently in an energy deficit, yes you will have a lower number on the scales, but you are at a much greater risk of losing muscle and that lean muscle is what gives us the “toned” appearance. Therefore, to make sure we lose most of our ’weight’ from fat , it is crucial that you consume a moderate to high protein diet. There are many methods that you can use to calculate how much protein you need for your body weight but for most of our clients we use the follow method. 1.6g-2.2g per kilogram of body weight or just make it 40% of your total calories.
PROTEIN Protein is the most important macronutrient. It is KING! Protein has 4 calories per gram of protein. Benefits of protein in our diet include: - Protein contains essential amino acids that are responsible for tissue repair and growth (the building blocks to all muscles), - Protein helps keep you feeling fuller for longer - Protein has a high thermic affect of 25%. The body has to increase your metabolism by 25% to process the protein. So by having your protein set at a higher amount than your fats and carbs you are burning more calories just because your eating protein. - Protein also helps prevent muscle loss while dieting which helps getting that toned look for girls and ripped look for guys. Carbs and fats only take about 1-4% energy for your body to burn. Some great sources include: Poultry, Lean meats, Eggs, Tofu, Seafood, Greek yoghurt.
CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates are the most efficient energy source and help you stay mentally focused. Carbs have 4 calories per gram of carbohydrates. Benefits of carbs in our diet include: - They make you feel good so you wont kill anyone! - They help your serotonin levels, help your dopamine levels and help your body to remain regulated - Carbs fuel your workout so If you want to push hard in the gym and keep performing we suggest you have some carbs in your diet It is crucial to eat carbs and they are so delicious so please don’t exclude them from your food!! Some great sources include: pasta, bread, potato, rice, vegetables, fruits & sweets. FATS Fates are very calorie dense. There are 9 calories per gram of fat. This is not a low fat diet and we do not encourage a low fat diet. A lot of the time low fat = high sugar. Sugar is the killer and responsible for the obesity epidemic. Cell membranes are made from fats in our body and so we need fat to keep our cells functioning properly. Fats also help our hormones (estrogen, testosterone, thyroid) function properly. Bottom line, everything functions better with fats in our diet. If we take good fats out of our diet everything in our bodies starts to stumble, our training will be affected and we can get sick. Your testosterone will drop and you will cause havoc with your estrogen levels. Some great sources include: Nuts, Seeds, Oils, Oily Fish, Avocado & Egg Yolk.
FIBRE & WATER The final thing we need to consider for fat loss is how much water and fibre we consume. This is crucial for gastrointestinal health and well as feeling full whilst in a calorie deficit. Aim for 2-3 serves of vegetables per day or 15g of fibre per 1000 calories. Most clients are actually not drinking enough water, especially when they are training. Traditionally we are told to drink 2L per day but we advise our clients to drink a minimum of 3L per day and more if you are training in the heat. You want to aim for 6 clear urinations per day. If this sounds like a lot of water to you, please don’t stress about it. Slowly build up a little more water each day and before you know it you will be drinking 3L per day. TIP: Grab a 1L water bottle and give yourself a water ‘schedule’. For instance you may need to drink 1L between 7am and 11am, another 1L between 11am and 3pm and then your last 1L between 3pm and 7pm. RESISTANCE TRAINING As mentioned above we want to lose body fat not just ‘weight’. Our in house and online clients follow a resistance training program that focuses on progressive overload. Our trainers carefully program the sessions to ensure massive results in the shortest period of time. Now years and years ago ’lifting weights’ was considered to be manly and there was a school of thought that females would ‘bulk up’ if they lifted a few weights. There a numerous studies that show many benefits to adding in some resistance training in your program but they also show that resistance training is crucial for fat loss and the most effective way to get results. Cardio does have it’s place in your training program and has some great cardiovascular benefits but it shouldn’t be the only type of training in your program if you are trying to drop body fat. We ask our clients to do around 4 resistance training sessions per week that also include some conditioning work to get a sweat up.
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