BEGINNERS GUIDE TO FAT LOSS

Nutrition

Food is one of THE most important components when it comes to fat loss and it shouldn't be something that is hard to achieve. 
When it comes to nutrition, focus on a few key things; 

1. Eat Whole Foods ; WHY? Whole foods are unprocessed and unrefined. They contain a number of vitamins and minerals that are essential in fuelling your body on a daily basis and keeping you fuller for longer. 

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1. When going to the supermarket, generally staying in the outer sections of the shop is a good way to avoid the majority of the processed food and only shop for fresh produce. 
2. Make protein a priority! WHY? Protein has major benefits for areas such as metabolic health, muscle gain and fat loss. Your body relies on getting adequate protein in order to function efficiently. Without it, you risk becoming deficient in certain amino acids, resulting in trouble building muscle mass, low energy, concentration and memory. As well as this, there are also issues with mood swings, unstable blood sugar levels and even trouble with losing or maintaining weight. 
3. Drink 2-4L of water each day. WHY? Approximately 60% of you is water. You lose water throughout the day, through sweat, when you breathe, when you go to the bathroom and even when you sleep. Not only does water rehydrate you, but it assists with removing waste from the body, transports nutrients in our bloodstream and aids digestion. 

Exercise

1.  Resistance Training; 1-3 days of resistance training is important to maintain overall function, allowing you to complete day to day tasks. It is also vital to maintain muscle mass, more so when you get older in order to protect your joints to keep you strong, healthy and mobile. Resistance training works to increase your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) which is the amount of energy you burn at rest as muscle burns more energy than any other tissue in the body. 
2. 30 mins or more of Activity each day; Whether it’s a 30min walk, swim, run, or even a sport. Remaining active is important, especially with most of the population working sedentary jobs that require long hours of sitting down at a desk, staring at a computer screen. Your body needs to move and your mental health will thank you for it also! Get outside, go for a walk.. Just move.  

Sleep
Yes.. sleep is essential in weight loss. Poor sleep triggers cortisol which is the stress hormone/ the fight or flight signal in the body. It increases glucose (sugars) in the bloodstream and can also trigger cravings for sugary, fatty or salty food. 
Every night, aim for your 7-8 hours and make it a priority to go to bed at a consistent time each night and wake up at the same time each morning, getting your body into a regular sleep cycle.  
Don’t scroll on your phone for an hour in bed, dim the lights, read a book or listen to a podcast and let your body wind down naturally. 

Now you have some of the main ingredients when it comes to fat loss, it’s time to put these in to action. Reach out and book your initial consult with one of our qualified Personal Trainers and start your health and fitness journey today! 

SAMANTHA ROBERTSON

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