Around 95% of people starting a new fitness routine want some form of weight loss..and it’s for good reason.
A snippet from a comprehensive BMJ research study between 1975-2012 around Obesity and life expectancy concluded that:
This long term study showed that weight loss is indeed hugely significant for increasing your life expectancy and reducing your chronic disease risks. It also argues that weight loss should be educated and managed in different ways across different countries dependant on many factors I.e the plan needs to be individualised for greater success.
Although many personal trainers and so called “fitness gurus” preach to have the next big guaranteed weight loss plan, they often forget that for significant long term results a client must have a bespoke solution.
They instead advocate the same diet and exercise routine for everyone no matter the individual life circumstances.
But why?
More often than not this mis-judged thinking plays out like this, “if this specific diet and exercise plan has worked for me in the past it must also surely work for you to! If it doesn’t work, then you can’t have followed the plan well enough”.
We hear stories like this all the time and I would bet your bottom dollar that you have to!
Unfortunately, this type of thinking rarely works for the long-term weight loss success of the client and although may show early signs of working, it inevitably lacks the sustainability needed for the clients long term Weight loss.
Instead, as the BMJ (British Medical Journal) research above suggests, weight loss must be individualised not only for the gender of the person but also the country they belong to. This is a mile away from the cookie cutter approach many seem to be adopting.
So here are the 7 weight loss truths personal trainers are often forgetting to tell you.
- There is not a single way for everyone to see success, each person on their weight loss journey is different and what works for you will not necessarily work for your friend - however hard the weight loss guru sells their perfect plan to you!
- There is no perfect plan!! A true weight loss journey is just that, it’s a journey of trial and error to work out what works best, which must take into account your personality, relationship with food, lifestyle and SMART goals amongst many others.
- No personal trainer can guarantee a specific weight loss within a certain time frame - if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. As personal trainers we have a good idea of what is possible within time frames but we could never 100% guarantee a specific amount.
- Loosing a lot of weight very quickly is almost just as bad for your health as gaining weight as it shocks the bodily systems too much and can put them under undue stresses.
- Training 1-2 x per week in a gym will not drastically loose your weight. For long lasting weight loss you need to be not only training 2-3 x per week with effective resistance training and cardio, but also increasing your NEAT activity (non exercise activity) everyday by at least 20%. This NEAT activity might include, walking, gardening, DIY, house chores, running after the kids, running for the bus etc. You must also be eating healthily 80% of the time for the real sustainable results that change your life.
- Carbs are not the devil. Believe it or not carbohydrates are a macronutrient that is essential to human survival and growth, and they can play a big role in weight loss. Carbohydrates come in different forms and are not all equal, so choosing low GI (glycemic index) sources will help stabilise your blood sugar levels when digested, compared to high GI sources like, white pasta or refined wheat.
- Increasing your fibre intake is one of the most effective weight loss strategies you can adopt. Fibre is often the forgotten macronutrient when it comes to weight loss but it is essential in helping you to stay fuller for longer between meals and keeps your large intestine healthy to.
These 7 weight loss truths often get lost in the noise of the weight loss marketing scripts of many personal trainers and “online gurus”. The truth is that weight loss is not always easy and many people seek our help for this reason.
But it‘s also just as true to say, that when the right plan is designed and thought out with an appreciation of fluidity (trial and error in the right direction) where an individuals situation and lifestyle are taken into account - weight loss can be one of the most rewarding experiences not just for the client but also for us as coaches.
If you are struggling to find the plan that works for you in the long-run and/or have been on the yo yo diets for decades (most have), then give us a call or email us to talk to a friendly, knowledgable coach.
Good health,
FF Team
p.s To help take the risk away from you taking the action your body needs, we have FREE trials and consults available so you can get to know us first 😊 For some FREE ADVICE Visit www.functionalfitness.me
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