A kick-start before the cruise

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/05/2021 (1630 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One problem with searching for a sustainable fat-loss plan is that fat loss isn’t meant to be sustainable.

By definition, a diet is not something you can be on forever. Or you’d eventually weigh nothing.

I’m of the mind that you should make a big effort to lose the weight, not with extreme measures but smart strategies, so you get to your goal and can maintain it, which is a sustainable place to be.

But trying to aim for sustainable in a fat-loss phase may lead to sustaining your current weight.

And that’s not what you want, right? If you cut back from seven glasses of wine a week to six, you can guess what happens: not a whole lot.

I had a pretty bad week in the eating department. Allergies knocked me on my butt and laziness led to pizza one night and sushi the next. But I’m not needing to create a 3,500-plus calorie deficit each week like most of my clients striving to lose pounds need to.

I’m largely where I want to be, and won’t be hit too hard by an off weekend if I return to good habits quickly. But if you’re still dealing with the same 10, 20 or 50 pounds to lose, it’s better to buckle down and lose it than stay in this merry-go-round of on-and-off diets for decades.

I don’t want you to spend your entire adult life trying to lose fat. I’d rather you went all-in for a year (or however long it takes, with strategic breaks along the way) and got it done. Because most fall in the alternative trap of getting super-motivated for four to 12 weeks, only to fall off the wagon and fizzle out, gain it back, rinse and repeat.

Dabbling in diets… for decades? So realize you’ll have to make sacrifices to succeed. Success in fat loss is simple once you accept how hard it is.

That initial decision to make a change does take some of the pain and discomfort away, but only temporarily. That’s just the first step. The truth is the real work begins well after the “new-car smell” wears off. And that truth usually means you’re going to go through some rough patches to see a weight-loss goal through.

Treat it like quitting smoking. Because it’s going to take a similar effort. Understand it’s going to suck at times. The things you need to do to lose fat aren’t sustainable things, but they lead to a sustainable place eventually once you’ve mastered the fundamentals.

Tracking every calorie that goes in your mouth? Super-important, but not sustainable forever.

Being in a big-enough calorie deficit to lose pounds and inches every week? Super-important, but not sustainable forever.

Abstaining from alcohol and dessert more often than not? Super-important, but not sustainable forever.

We’ve fine-tuned our coaching process to make it as flexible as possible. If it fits your calories, assuming protein is accounted for, most foods can fit. You get a Saturday “free day” in most cases. And we pack as much effectiveness into a 30-minute workout as humanely possible.

But there’s no getting around the fact you need to make sacrifices to succeed. When you approach your next weight-loss attempt knowing it’s going to be tough, but you aren’t going to quit until you reach your goal, that’s when the magic happens.

And it becomes the last diet attempt you ever make. Because the health and bangin’ bod you want is on the other side of the stuff you don’t want to do. Such is life.

So strap in and ride it out or go back to your comfort zone. It’s better on this side though, I promise you that.

Q: Is the goal of losing one pound a week too high?

The answer is, it depends.

● How much you weigh right now?

If you’re 250 pounds, a pound a week isn’t too hard. If you’re 120 pounds, it may not even be responsible to lose that fast.

If you’re 150 pounds and just reintroduced strength training and sufficient protein intake, the scale may even go up but the body will change. So, it depends.

● How active are you?

If you’re a labourer working long hours, losing one pound a week may be easy.

Your activity will be through the roof. But if you sit at a desk all day and don’t have time to move much outside of that, it may be downright unlikely to hit one pound without structured exercise in your plan.

● How willing are you to sacrifice and stick to your nutrition?

Willing to stick to the plan nearly without fail no matter how comfortable? 90 per cent of the time at least? Losing a pound per week is very likely.

No? You may find you’ll get half that at best over the course of several months. That’s still progress.

You get what I mean.

And there are other factors that come into play: cooking skills, your food environment, your relationship with food, your dieting past, how many loyalty points you’re racking up on SkipTheDishes, what stressors you have in your life, and so on.

Here’s what I think: I’d argue it’s best for most people to avoid expectations like “one pound per week,” even if realistic.

Especially if you’re just randomly jumping on the scale once a week. The only way to get true sense for weight loss is a daily, fasted weight, looking at your weekly average. But that can get in your head if you’re emotionally attached to the scale. Then watch for non-scale victories, inches lost, clothes fitting differently, and so on.

But if you keep going, keep improving and move forward despite upsetting days and disappointments you’ll get where you want to go on your own timeline.

Q: What’s one easy tweak to cut calories down a bit each day?

Even a few hundred fewer a day will make a difference.

So I’ll give a few options here with examples of things that reduce your calorie intake by 100-300 daily.

● Replace a weekly restaurant/takeout meal with one made at home.

● Actually track the nibbles and bites you think are nothing.

● Cut out your one or two glasses of wine every couple of nights.

● Swap fattier meats for leaner choices (”lean” beef is a calorie bomb).

● Reduce 50-100 calories from each meal you eat (usually the condiments and butters/oils are the first to go).

● Or just lower your calorie target by 100-300 daily by counting if you’re truly stuck.

If it’s an adherence problem to your current calorie limit, start by correcting that before cutting needlessly.

Now, remember, all we’re talking about here is weight loss, which is about making the number on the scale go down — over weeks and months, not days.

If you want to optimize fat loss for tone and definition, you’ll want to cut calorie intake a little (if you haven’t been getting results) and ensure protein stays high, sleep and steps stay optimal, and you’re strength-training three or four times a week.

My point here is if you’re not losing weight, you should not get discouraged and blow things up.

You should get honest with what you’re doing that isn’t working. Usually your calorie intake, because that’s the problem nine times of out 10.

You need to nudge calorie intake down, or maybe nudge calorie expenditure up — but probably the first one. It’s far more effective.

Mitch Calvert is a Winnipeg-based fitness coach for men and women like his former self. He lost 60 pounds and now helps clients find their spark and lose the weight for life. Visit mitchcalvert.com to grab yourself a free metabolism jumpstart or inquire about his next “Drop 2 Sizes” or “Gut Loss Protocol” coaching programs.