How to Look Great and Still Eat The Food You Like
Everyone knows that one person who can eat anything they want and still have a great body.
The first thing that you need to understand is that NO ONE can eat EVERYTHING that they want and still maintain a high level of fitness. The person we just mentioned likely maintains a fantastic diet (albeit a diet plentiful in calories and nutrients that we will discuss later) outside of the days that you see them partying or pigging out at their favorite restaurant. However, this person also has more freedom to indulge in delicious deserts, massive entrees, and refreshing beer when they choose to for 1 SIMPLE REASON.
THEY HAVE MUSCLE.
The single reason why these people can generally eat and drink what they want when they go out with friends is that their body simply has more WORKING tissue. Having more muscle mass means that your body has more tissue that uses calories. Muscle is working at all points in the day. It works when you exercise, when you sit, even when you sleep. Fat sits dormant.
This means that someone with more muscle is burning MORE CALORIES even when sleeping. Think of how huge of an advantage that is. A muscular person is burning more calories every minute, of every hour, of every day.
But I don't want to gain muscle mass!?
I'm not saying you have to turn yourself into the great Tom Platz or Arnold Schwarzenegger. I'm saying you should strive to build lean, healthy muscle. Almost every client who has began a weight loss program with us has initially gained some weight. Many have come in after 2 weeks in a panic because they have gained 3 pounds. This is where we tell them to stop stepping on the scale. Gaining muscle results in weight gain. Gaining muscle is also the FIRST STEP TO LOSING WEIGHT AND KEEPING THAT WEIGHT OFF. Stick with it and eventually the scale weight will begin to drop off quicker than if you had jumped into the latest tea cleanse. It will even be easier to keep off!
How to get started
Even the most genetically gifted people were not born being able to eat anything they want without consequence. Chances are, they were incredibly active as children (in turn building a base of lean muscle) and learned to eat somewhat healthy on a regular basis. Don't stop eating! Many people trying to lose weight start off by going on a "cleanse" or some fad diet. This path leads nowhere. Simply cut your diet by a couple hundred calories. Your body is going to need those nutrients when its trying to build muscle. Begin to understand that this is going to be a lifestyle change.
Start by cutting some "bad" carbohydrates from your daily diet (bad carbs like sugar, pasta, bread, soda, etc.). Replace some of these carbs with "good" carbs like brussel sprouts, quinoa, kale, etc. Change the ratio of your macro nutrients (Carbs, Protein, and Fat) to have more protein and less carbs. Carbs (especially simple "bad" carbs) are stored in the body as fat if not used very quickly. A high protein diet will allow for the growth of lean muscle, and reduction in body fat. Last diet rule, DO NOT SHY AWAY FROM GOOD FATS (avocado, nuts, fish oils). Again, do not cut your calorie intake down by 1000 calories. Keep it at a reasonable and sustainable level. While I could go on and on about this diet, I will save the more specific nuances for a future blog post.
When it comes to exercise, there is really only 1 rule... WORK YOUR ASS OFF. I guarantee that person you envy for going to the local food and beer festival every weekend and still maintaining a chiseled body works hard almost every day in the gym. There is only one way to put it. It's not about going to the gym...It's about what you actually did in the gym. Does showing up and walking on the treadmill while checking Instagram on your phone sound like a workout? Leave the gym every single session feeling like you pushed your upper limits. This is the only way that your body will realize that it NEEDS TO BUILD MUSCLE. Growing up, my father had a saying. "If you can speak during your workout, it's not a workout". Mid session this was the last thing I ever wanted to hear from my Dad. Today I realize, this is the mindset that successful people have to maintain. If you are doing something, do it to your full capacity.
Sounds simple enough.
It is simple. It's not easy. It takes dedication to eating correctly when not out with friends. It takes dedication to work out hard almost every single day and earn those massive cheat meals. But, it will be worth it to build a lifestyle where you can eat the food you want (especially in the food paradise that is Charleston) and still be proud of your healthy body!