by Game Changer Strength and Nutrition Coach Rob Riccobono
People lose weight all the time. The formula is no secret: move more, eat less. But once you lose fat, why can’t you keep the weight off? Here are three ways to slim down, and stay that way once and for all.
1. Weigh Yourself Frequently
Accurately monitoring your body’s changes is an important step for shedding fat and preventing it from coming back.
There are two very easy and popular tests to measure your body’s changes: the fit of your clothes, and your body weight. If clothes begin fitting too tightly, it’s easy to ignore this as a sign of fat gain: change the notch in your belt, wear a large sweater over what is now a tight shirt, or simply squeeze into those jeans every day. People do this often, and it prevents them from getting lean. They trick themselves into thinking they are closer to their goal than they really are.
It’s much harder to outwit the scale. The scale gives a tangible number, one you can’t transform with your mind. The scale can be harsh, but it provides a fair warning when you are slipping away from your good nutrition habits. Stay on top of where you truly stand and you’ll increase your success.
2. Track Your Food Intake
Keeping a food diary or using a calorie tracking application is a great way to lose weight and keep it off for the long-term. If you track your intake, you force yourself to recognize the true totality of your nutrition.
People often say “I hardly eat, but I can’t lose weight.” If you identify with this, start diligently tracking your meals. I guarantee you’ll get one of these outcomes:
- a) Your food log shows low calorie, healthy meals and you begin losing weight.
- b) You discover junk food or large meals you’d forgotten about (perhaps subconsciously).
- c) Your food diary reveals a modest calorie intake. You decide where to cut calories, continue tracking, and begin losing weight.
Keep tracking your food once you reach your goal physique. It doesn’t have to be every day, but enough to keep you honest about your nutrition. You’ll have a greater chance of maintaining that body, because if your food intake jumps too high, you’ll catch the problem before it gets out of hand.
3. Resistance Train
If you are not the genetically gifted person who can eat tons of food while losing and maintaining a slim body, resistance training is your “ace in the hole” to even the playing field.
Do you blame your slow metabolism for your fat gain? Start lifting weights and your metabolism will speed up.
Do you have a desk job and burn very few calories during the day? Get to the gym and perform compound movements with a heavy barbell. You’ll burn plenty of calories to get in shape.
Does your body handle carbohydrates poorly? Begin resistance training and watch your insulin sensitivity improve.
Putting it All Together
You CAN lose fat and keep it off. The ball is in your court. You just need to draw up the right play, and execute a few key strategies effectively.
