If you’ve ever tried to lose weight before, I’m sure you know firsthand how much conflicting information there is out there.
It’s confusing!
There are so many “gurus” shilling so many different approaches. All with the claim that “this one thing” is the magic pill that’s going to solve all your problems.
Hint: It isn’t, and it won’t.
Let me help you block out all the noise and give you a very simple, step-by-step process, that will not only get you the results you want but will allow you to keep them forever.
The goal of this ‘4-part series’ is to take you through a complete lifestyle transformation, using everything I’ve learned about fitness, nutrition, and behavior change, over my last 15 years of coaching.
I’m going to approach this from a beginner’s perspective and assume that there’s no personal trainer in my corner, guiding me along my journey.
It’s going to be from my perspective, assuming I suddenly woke up 50 lbs. heavier, and wanted to get healthy.
Here’s how I would approach this scenario, from Day 1, with everything I now know.
Step 1: Evaluate and Understand the Change
Before making any drastic decisions, it's crucial to approach the situation analytically.
Why do I want to lose weight? My answer can’t be superficial. It needs to have some weight behind it. The kind of thing I’d only admit to myself.
Why does this matter?
It’s going to be my anchor. A set point, that’ll keep me from drifting off course and losing all motivation when things get boring, busy, or monotonous.
All of which are likely to happen from time to time.
I’ll need patience. True change, both physically and mentally, takes time. Most people miss the time part.
Pro Tip: Understand why you are doing this, be patient, don’t quit when it gets hard. As simple as it sounds, if you do all three of these you can’t fail.
Step 2: Strategically Adjust My Diet
With my background in fitness and nutrition, I would revisit my diet to adapt to my new body's needs. A complete overhaul is probably too much for me to handle right now.
So, I’d start small and build from there. The way I’d fix one meal, is the same way, I’d fix my entire dietary strategy.
I’d make one ‘Non-negotiable’ change (something that I do no matter what), with some other general considerations that I try to hit most of the time.
My Non-Negotiable: High protein breakfast
Start each morning with at least 40 grams of lean protein. Here’s Why
Here are two more ‘general considerations’ I’ll begin to think about. I don’t have to be perfect with these, but I need to start to become familiar with them.
Portion Control: Given my new weight, it would be essential to recalibrate portion sizes to suit my current metabolic needs. I’d buy a cheap food scale, measuring cups/spoons and begin to weigh and measure my protein, carbs, and fats (compared to serving size labels). For now, this is just to get a better idea of how much I’m actually eating.
Regular Meal times: Maintaining a regular cadence with my eating schedule would help regulate my body’s hunger signals and metabolic rate, which can be especially important to control cravings and reset my body’s satiety (feeling of fullness) signals.
Step 3: Adapt My Fitness Routine
Exercise would naturally be a significant part of my strategy to handle the weight gain. I would devise a fitness plan that respects my body's current condition while aiming for improvement, using the same strategy I used for the dietary changes.
My Non-Negotiable: Walking
To accommodate the extra weight and avoid injury, I would begin with the low-impact activity of walking. It’s easy on the joints and surprisingly effective at burning calories. I’d start with a 30-minute walk every day, with the overall goal of 7,000+ total daily steps.
Here is another ‘general consideration’ I’ll keep in mind.
Where would I like to train (gym, home, etc.)? This doesn’t have to happen now, but in Phase two, I’ll be adding in some resistance training.
Incorporate Strength Training: Building muscle is key to increasing metabolism, improving body composition, maintaining (or improving) bone density, increasing longevity and overall improvement in mood and general well-being.
Putting It All Into Practice: My Daily To-Do List
Day 1-30
*DO THE ABOVE THREE ACTIONS EVERY DAY FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT ADDING ANYTHING ELSE.
Slow Equals Fast
While suddenly waking up 50 pounds heavier is a hypothetical scenario, I know my tendency would be to try and get the weight off as fast as possible.
Afterall, it’s human nature to want everything now. However, often times slow equals fast.
This approach would allow me (and you) to build a foundation, get some wins, and better fuse our new habits with our developing identity as a fit and active person.
So, if you find yourself constantly starting over, I highly recommend starting with “Putting it all into practice: My Daily To-Do List” and ONLY doing that for the next 30 days.
In phase two, we’ll go over the best next steps to build upon our new foundation, to take things to the next level.
I’ve seen this approach work hundreds of times with all types of people, in all types of situations.
Get this down and I’ll see you in 30 days for the next phase!
Committed to Your Success,
Coach Michael
PS I’m doing this with you. So, if you ever feel alone in your effort, you’re not. There is at least one person in your corner, waking up with you, and putting in that work every single day.
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