A Framework for Fat Loss
The eat less, move more approach to weight loss is overly simplistic at best, and terribly short sighted at worst.
Why?
Because at different stages in your life, it may take every single bit, and more, of your mental energy you have left at the end of a work day to then attempt to make the perfect whole food, low carb dinner.
Because, when you are trying to get your 3 and 5 year old to daycare, make lunch for your 7 year old, get to work by 9am, meet a stressful work deadline by 3PM, you are supposed to then get in 5 hour long workouts per week?
Because, when you keep finding that your shoulder is cranky, your back hurts every type you try and increase the intensity, you are supposed to “move and lift more” to make weight loss happen?
It isn’t that simple, and while the mechanisms for weight loss are the same for everyone…
…the path to get there isn’t.
Yes, before making weight loss your priority you should try and find SOMEWHERE to get in 2 days of dedicated training per week.
Yes, you should be able to say you have consistently done that for at least a couple months.
Yes it is important to at least say you are getting 6-8,000 steps a day before you try some special weight loss workouts.
And absolutely, you can see weight loss happen by first just making sure you are getting in 3 meals a day in addition to the previous two.
But, if you had to develop a framework for weight loss…that gives you the ability to work on different aspects of it depending on all of the above, what would it look like.
Let’s dive in to four common scenarios we see when figuring out next steps for weight loss:
I have zero extra time and am super stressed at the moment. Even just getting in my current workouts feels like a stretch.
First, let’s recognize that in REALLLY high stress scenarios, it may not be the best time for weight loss. BUT, maintaining weight and building strength can still be possible. IF, you are still desiring weight loss during a stressful time using 3 of our foundational eating behaviors is your first step to success.
I am happy with how my strength training is going, but I know my eating behaviors have always held me back and I don’t feel super confident in them.
Two paths are useful here. Starting by focusing on the simplest eating behaviors we can improve (snacking, alcohol, fullness, hunger) OR focusing on daily activity and adding frequency/intensity to your strength training to continue building wins until you feel ready to focus on your nutrition.
I am happy with my three workouts per week and the intensity I am at and would rather make weight loss happen by other methods.
The world is your oyster! We can focus on your daily movement, dial in your eating behaviors, or even add extra fun activities to get you moving that you enjoy.
I have time to dedicate to exercise and my eating behaviors but struggle with motivation to do new things or higher intensities.
This is a scenario where having a coach and accountability on a consistent basis may just be your number one path to success while putting in place very small and simple steps to keep moving forward.
But, um, the framework.
Yes, yes.
The scenarios above point to something very key about weight loss. While nutrition typically rules when it comes to weight loss, and it cannnn
create the fastest change…it doesn’t have to be the only path there.
“While it is accurate to say that people generally don’t lose a ton of weight with just exercise and the math generally doesn’t ever add up [1-5], the weight subjects do lose is often pure adipose tissue . Furthermore, we know that on average diets with exercise outperform diets alone.
In a 2020 Analysis of a MidWest-2 Study, participants in the most adherant group who burned 400 to 600 kcals per sessions, five days a week, lost an average of 13.5 lbs of pure body fat in ten months with ZERO DIETARY INTERVENTION. “-excerpt from Ben House in a post on “Is Exercise Pointless for Weight Loss”
Annoyed yet?
Because you’ll begin to notice that many of our frameworks for fitness, nutrition, weight loss, and even performance and advanced goals…they are rooted in simplicity, and making sure you ABSOLUTELY CRUSH at the fundamentals.
But, the important part of this triangle framework above, is that you can work to stretch one side of the triangle farther towards any one point, and still have the potential for the same positive effects on your lifestyle and vision you are seeking.
Not everyone will find that the nutrition rabbit hole is an area that they can begin to focus on more and more…but they truly can start upping how often they workout, how often they get active…and STILL move closer to their weight loss goals.
Not everyone is ready to crush 3-5 workouts per week, nor may they have the time or budget to learn to do so. BUT they can start focusing on the basics of their eating behaviors and work to simply be less sedentary each day…and STILL move closer to their overall vision and lifestyle goals.
Not everyone will feel like they have the time to log 8,000-10,000 steps , BUT they can start focusing on building strength 2-3 days per week to help improve how their body feels and see it leak into their eating behaviors…and STILL move closer to their overall vision and lifestyle goals .
Moral of the triangle framework?
First, see if you can establish an initial foundation and framework for your health.
Then, begin pushing closer to the point of the triangle that YOU feel most capable of doing in this moment. Over time, we can continue to even out the sides of the tiangle to help you feel and live your best life…but for now, take advantage where your bandwidth lies and keep moving forward.
