November 10

How to lose 4 stone, and 11 inches from your waist…

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How to lose 4 stone (and counting) and keep it off.

Jan to Oct progress 4  stone down

This is my client Deb, who has been online coaching with me for the last 10 months.

Deb has burned off an incredible 4 stone.

Lost an amazing 11 INCHES from her waist.

And dropped from a size 20/22 to a size 14.

I’m super proud of her, and we’re not finished yet! We’re still working together to achieve Deb’s ultimate goal, but at this point I wanted to share with you some of the habits and principles we’ve put in place that have helped to get this far.

The key for Deb at the beginning of this process was to find a way to lose weight that was healthy, sustainable, and didn’t feel like a diet. This is a LIFESTYLE change.

Lifestyle change = results that last for LIFE.

Like most ladies that I work with, Deb had tried various diets before, lost weight with some of them, but always ended up putting it back on again.

Diets don’t work long term.

What does work long term are developing some easy habits and principles to follow, and I’ll share these with you below.

 

Principle 1

Find a way to consistently consume less calories, that doesn’t leave you hungry and miserable.

This can be done by eating mostly (think 80-90%) natural, healthy, nutrient-rich foods along with a bit of whatever else you fancy. The healthy foods will fill you up for a lot less calories, and give your body all the nutrition it needs to help you feel energised and at your best. The unhealthy stuff you want will stop you feeling deprived and falling off track (more on this below).

Most women want to eat healthy foods and feel that they are nourishing their body. They just sometimes lack inspiration, or don’t feel they have the time. I sent Deb my Healthy Recipe Ebook at the start of our training, and she made almost every recipe from it in the first couple of months. The recipes are designed to be quick, easy, high protein, family friendly and packed with nutrition, so they suited what Deb needed with her busy lifestyle. Things don’t have to be elaborate and fancy, have 53 ingredients (half of which you never use again) and take hours to prepare in order to be healthy and taste really good. Simple, quick and easy is key, because then you can do it consistently.

Mindless snacking and general over-eating are two big factors that affect many people’s success. Becoming more aware of what she’s having, questioning if she’s actually hungry, avoiding eating just for the sake of it, having smaller portion sizes and stopping when full have all really helped Deb avoid thousands of unnecessary calories over the last 10 months.

 

Principle 2

Indulge in what you fancy now and again.

Thinking that you have to be perfect and avoid all your favourite foods is what causes SO many people to fall off track and give up.

You don’t need completely cut any of your favourite food (or drink) in order to lose weight.

10-20% of what you eat can (and actually should) come from foods that are more convenient, processed, or what might be considered junk, but are what you really want to eat at the time.

Picking and choosing your moments is really key. By cutting out biscuits, crisps and other less healthy foods most of the time, you give yourself an extra ‘budget’ of calories. Some of these can then be spent on that romantic meal out with your partner, that lovely slice of homemade cake that looks far too good to miss out on, or that incredible doughnut you discover in Spain.

barcelona kronut

Oh sorry, that was me…

You just need to make sure that you still have some calories left that can then be ‘banked’ for weight loss (you can also put more calories in the bank by being more active – more on that to come).

Deb has done a brilliant job of getting in fruit and veg through the day, eating lean meats, fish and eggs for protein, and getting most of her carbs from oats, sweet potato, bean and pulses rather than bread, pasta and cereals.

But she has also had afternoon teas, wine and the odd meal out with a sticky toffee pudding here and there. The key is that Deb knows she has a CHOICE. So she’s never felt deprived, and has embraced the idea of picking and choosing her moments. When she really wants something, she has it and enjoys it. And because she knows she is in control, she doesn’t feel the need to go mad and fall wildly off track.

 

Principle 3

Prioritise protein

This has been really important from the start, and is a HUGE help when you are aiming to lose weight.

Getting protein in each meal keeps you feeling fuller for longer, and encourages your body to hold onto muscle and burn more fat instead.

It also takes more effort for your body to digest protein than it does carbs or fat, so you burn a few extra calories off there too.

Deb has been really great at increasing her protein intake right from the start. Like most women, she didn’t wasn’t eating enough of it in the beginning, and really noticed how much fuller she felt as she included more protein-rich foods in her diet. As I mentioned, Deb has made a ton of recipes from my Ebook, all of which contain plenty of protein, and has found a particular love of the pancakes, banana bread, and sausage bean casserole among many other tasty things 🙂

pancakes2egg muffinslentil salad

Some of Deb’s healthy recipe creations. Yum! 

Deb has also enjoyed discovering whey protein powder and Grenade protein bars, both of which offer a very tasty and lower calorie alternative to chocolate and other sweet foods. The protein powder often helps Deb get protein in her breakfast as she enjoys mixing it with her oats or making pancakes (both of which are delicious). And the Grenade bars can make a really convenient snack when on the go. They taste like a chocolate bar but provide at least 20g of protein which keeps you feeling full for much longer (and can sometimes satisfy a craving that might otherwise have lead to lots of chocolate-related calories).

 

Principle 4

Aim to do some form of exercise every day.

EVERY DAY?!

Yes, I would massively encourage you to get in the habit of doing something every day.

This doesn’t always have to be a lot. Some days it might be a quick 20 minute walk on your lunch break, or a 10 minute workout at home. But deliberately moving your body in some way on a daily basis is key and helps you form a habit that will lead to huge success.

You clean your teeth every day
right? Twice a day I would hope 🙂 

You don’t have some days where you think ‘oh I’m too tired to clean my teeth today’ or ‘I don’t have time – I’ll make up for it tomorrow and clean them four times’. You do it EVERY day because it’s a habit you’ve formed. It’s non-negotiable, so you just do it without thinking or complaining.

Don’t feel you always have to do loads, just do the best you can each day.

Deb has a full-time job and a family to look after, so does most of her exercise in 20-45 minute sessions when she gets home from work.

For you it could be as soon as you wake up, on your lunch break, after work or in the evening. Some days it could be an hour, some days it might be 5 minutes. Just do what you feel you can do and keep the habit going.

 

Principle 5

Weights and walking.

A mixture of resistance training (exercise using weights and/or bodyweight) and cardio (mainly walking) is the most effective combination.

Deb has done all her training at home. At the start she invested in some adjustable dumbells and a bench, and has since added a few more weights and a couple of kettlebells. All affordable bits of equipment that don’t take up much space, but meant that we could create some effective home workouts to follow.

weights

Deb also has a rowing machine, which has been a big help. But you don’t need to have any cardio equipment at home – the great outdoors provides everything you need. Walking will be enough for some people, and from there you can build up the speed, walk up hills, and then add in intervals of jogging and walking.

 

Principle 6

Accountability, guidance and support.

We all need this sometimes.

There is SO much to do in our busy, hectic lives, and so much conflicting information about weight loss. It’s hard enough knowing where to start, let alone stay on track, keep motivated and do the right things long enough to see success.

When you’re rushed off your feet with kids, work, family, friends and various other commitments, trying to lose weight by yourself is just another stressful addition to a very full plate (pun intended).

Don’t be afraid to reach out for help.

For Deb, online coaching is the perfect solution to her busy lifestyle. There’s no commitment to get to the gym for a training session. Everything can be done at home and at a time that suits her.

There’s the accountability of recording food and checking in with me every week to review how things are going and ensure she’s staying on track.

There’s the guidance of having a coach who knows everything that’s required on a personal and individual level to consistently lose weight.

There’s support whenever it’s needed (I’m only ever a whatsapp message away).

There’s a training plan that’s regularly reviewed, is suited to Deb’s experience, equipment and lifestyle, fits the time she has available, and is designed to be as effective as possible.

And there’s a group of women just like Deb in our private facebook group where we share recipes, food photos, motivation, encouragement when things get tough and congratulations when goals are achieved.

If this is the missing component you need for YOUR success, get in touch with me to find out more about my next online coaching program which kicks off in January.

If you:
• Are size 14-22
• Have lost weight before but put it back on again
• Are sick of trying various diets and nothing ever working
• Would LOVE to be slimmer, fitter and have more energy
• Would like to learn how to eat to be healthy AND get to the size you want to be
• Are ready to spend 8 weeks in the new year working with me and a group of women just like you to change your life

CLICK HERE and let me know.


Tags

exercise, fitness, lose weight, motivation, nutrition, online trainer, personal trainer, personal trainer haywards heath, weight loss


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