Senior Personal Trainer
The Basics of a Sustainable Fat Loss Program
Weight loss is one of the most common goals among our clients. “I want to lose 10 pounds in a week,” or “I need to shed 50 pounds fast!” are common phrases our personal trainers hear when performing a fitness and lifestyle assessment. While there are no healthy quick fixes to “lose weight fast,” our approach centers on guiding you through what’s involved in fat loss—the sustainable way.
Take Kathryn, for instance, a dedicated Body + Soul Fitness client, who came to us with one goal in mind: lose weight. She achieved remarkable success under the guidance of personal trainer Nolan. Through specific and measurable goal setting, a lot of hard work and dedication, Kathryn lost over 30 pounds in over a year.
Many might assume that her training program primarily involved high-intensity cardio workouts — a prevalent misconception in weight loss training. However, the reality is much more complex.
Although cardio training is important, achieving your weight loss goals involves a multifaceted approach.
How Strength Training Supports Fat Loss
If your fitness goal is to lose weight or burn fat, strength training must be included in your training program. Full-body strength training, at least three times per week, induces metabolic stress in your body, which drives body composition changes, like weight loss.
Two pivotal modes of strength training to include in your routine for weight loss are hypertrophy and muscular endurance training.
The first is called hypertrophy training and is based on the fact that by building more muscle mass, you burn more fuel, even at rest. Hypertrophy training is designed to increase your body’s muscularity, which in turn will support fat loss.
Example Hypertrophy Training Routine
The second is called muscular endurance training, which is the ability to engage in physical activity for a longer time. Exercising for an extended period increases the metabolic stress on your body, which, as we learned, leads to burning fat.
Example Muscular Endurance Training Routine
In summary, hypertrophy and muscular endurance training are the best for weight loss because:
- The reps are higher
- There is more time under tension
- Less rest on average
Combining these three attributes allows your body to work harder, leading to higher calorie burn and more fat breakdown.
Cardiorespiratory Training
As mentioned above, the notion that weight loss hinges solely on cardio workouts is a misconception. We now recognize that your weight loss journey is much more complex than that, though including cardiorespiratory training into your program remains pivotal.
Cardio-based workouts will help you improve your endurance, which will allow you to work harder and recover more easily both during and after strength training. This means you can push yourself harder during workouts, burning more energy overall, and, therefore, increasing fat loss.
When adding cardiorespiratory exercise to your routine, remember to:
- Moderate intensity, steady-state cardiorespiratory exercise
- For more than 150 minutes per week
- Minimum of 30 minutes per session.
Activities such as running, biking, rowing, swimming, and jump rope are all great choices.
Nutrition + Hydration
Another critical aspect of any weight loss journey revolves around nutrition – including what you eat and drink – which plays a pivotal role in your progress.
Diet
Adopting a healthy, nutritious diet is imperative. Your progress in the gym relies on having the necessary nutrients to fuel the body.
In a digital world inundated with countless dieting tips, it’s important to understand that nutrition is highly individualized – what works for one individual may not work for another. Rather than adhering to restrictive dietary regimens, prioritize understanding the building blocks of nutrition.
For instance, protein is the most complex macronutrient meaning it takes the most amount of energy and the longest to digest. Incorporating more protein into your diet will keep you full for longer and support the development of lean muscle mass. Aim for 1 gram per pound of lean mass daily.
Hydration
Just as what you eat is imperative for weight loss, so is what you drink. You’ve probably heard that drinking water is amazing for your health, and that’s because it is! But exactly how much water should you be drinking?
You may have heard that you should drink 8 cups of water per day, but just like your dietary and fitness needs, hydration is custom to you and your body. This guideline lacks specificity, failing to consider factors like body composition, activity level, time of year, diet and how much you sweat.
To learn more about proper hydration habits and the benefits of drinking adequate amounts of water, explore our Hydration Series.
A healthy diet and hydration habits are highly individualized. Guidance from a personal trainer can help you create custom dietary goals and strategies, that will allow you to reach your weight loss goals.
Recovery
To hit your weight loss goals, recovery is just as important as your work in the gym. Recovery comes in many forms including proper sleep, mobility and stress management.
Sleep
Improving your sleep is an extremely powerful way of improving every aspect of your life. And a good sleep – falling asleep quickly and easily, staying asleep throughout the night and waking up feeling refreshed – is important for your recovery from the gym.
Explore how to improve your quality of sleep from the moment you wake up until your head hits the pillow.
Mobility
Recovery from strength training, in the form of mobility work is also imperative in your weight loss journey. Downregulation of the nervous system can help to improve stress tolerance, joint range of motion and health. Comprehensive mobility training serves as a proactive measure against pain and injury and allows you to move through fuller ranges of motion during workouts. Both of these combined help you to work harder and burn more energy and muscle.
Learn more about mobility and why it should matter to your training.
Stress Management
A final, very important recovery tactic is stress management, paramount to optimize your fitness goals and ultimately, weight loss. Brainstorming strategies to mitigate stress, such as seeking social support, working out with a friend, or getting guidance from a personal trainer, can profoundly impact your overall well-being. Engage in exercises or activities that bring joy, and you’ll notice further stress resilience.
By prioritizing stress management techniques, individuals can enhance their ability to cope with life’s challenges, safeguard mental and emotional health, and create an environment conducive to achieving their fitness and weight loss goals.
Begin Your Journey with Us
If you’re finding it challenging to get started on your journey, feel free to reach out to us for a complimentary consultation. We would be more than happy to offer some guidance to help you move forward. Sometimes taking the first step is the hardest, so don’t hesitate to get some help to kickstart the process. We all start somewhere.