Starting your fat loss journey
Starting a fitness journey can seem daunting. But, with the right tips, tools, and knowledge, you can achieve results faster while avoiding an uphill battle in the process. In this post, we discuss the main reasons why most people fail to reach their health and fitness goals, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how to successfully lose weight to keep it off long-term.
Reasons for failure
We all know someone who tried losing those extra couple of pounds, were ultimately unsuccessful, and gave up. Unfortunately, sometimes that person is us. When it comes health and fitness, people usually do one of two things wrong. They either oversimplify the process and the effort necessary to see the results they are looking for or they become intimidated, overcomplicate it, and lose hope when things get tough.
The truth is, when it comes to improving your health and losing fat, it is an extremely simple formula and process. The problems and setbacks arise when people either don’t know where to start or do not to stick to the plan when they face challenges along the way.
Pitfalls and Solutions
1. Unrealistic goals and expectations
Problem: The biggest mistake leading to failure is not setting goals. The second biggest mistake is setting unrealistic goals and expectations. The average person is able to safely lose 1/2 to 2lbs per week. If your goal is to lose 30lbs in one month, while possible, it is extremely unrealistic and potentially dangerous. Moreover, the program, effort, and restrictions needed to achieve a goal of that magnitude is usually too much for the average person or beginner.
Solution: Our starting point for a successful fat loss journey must begin with a measurable and attainable goal. We can do this by implementing SMART goals. SMART is an acronym used when setting goals that allows us to create precise, actionable, and measurable goals, increasing our chances of success in the long run.
- Bad goal: “I want to lose weight”. It is broad and non-specific. While measurable, it does not have a timeframe attached to it. Is the goal to lose weight in a couple of months or by retirement?
- Good goal (SMART):
- “I want to lose 15 pounds in the next 2 months.” This is a great goal because it is specific, realistic and attainable, measurable, and has a deadline to keep you on track.
2. Inadequate planning and tracking
Problem: Have you ever seen someone at the gym who is there every single time you are, but over months or years looks like they made zero progress? Could this person be you? This could be because the gym either offsets their bad diet habits or their training plan and tracking system are abysmal.
If the goal is fat loss, randomized workout sessions or countless hours on the treadmill will provide for minimal progress if the training plan and tracking are poor.
Solution: Create a set training plan, routine, and schedule that you can stick to. You should also have a detailed meal or nutrition plan outlining your daily calorie intake and macronutrients. Track your progress by weighing yourself weekly. Track your training progress by writing down the workouts, number of sets, reps, and weight performed with each training session. This can be done with a pen on a notepad, the notes app, or a fitness app of your choice.
The likelihood of success significantly increases when you have a goal, a plan, and track your progress. This allows you to make necessary adjustments to stay on track with your goals.
3. Poor nutrition
Truthfully, when it comes to fat loss specifically, the only requirement is a calorie deficit. This simply means eating less calories than your body needs for normal bodily functions ie; thinking, breathing, moving, etc.
Problem: A big problem faced when it comes to nutrition is too strict of a diet or calorie deficit, often leading to rebound hunger, overeating, and “blowing up” your diet. Additionally, the idea of cheat meals is another factor that can ruin progress if not planned appropriately.
Solution: It goes without saying, to optimize our nutrition we have to avoid junk food and empty calories. This is enough to get on the right start, but we can do better.
To find our body’s daily calorie needs we can use this calculator. A normal decrease by 250-500 calories is enough for us to lose 1/2 to 1 pound per week. Along with consistent exercise, a small deficit as described is enough to progressively lose fat, while making the process easy enough to adhere to.
Now, cheat meals can be ok, but frequent cheat meals are enough to reverse your progress. Also, cheat meals that go unchecked can ruin weeks worth of progressive. If you are in a calorie deficit of -300 calories per week, that totals to 2,100 calories, which is slightly more than half a pound. If you then decide to go to a restaurant and indulge in fried foods, a few alcoholic beverages, and desert, that is enough to ruin a whole weeks deficit, if not reverse it.
Cheat meals should still be healthy alternatives or fit in within your macros and daily caloric requirements.
Pro tip: If you know you are going to be eating out or in a social gathering around food, try one of these tips.
- Fast for the first portion of the day; 6-8 hours after waking up.
- Increase your caloric deficit for the day, allowing you to indulge a bit more while out.
- Increase your caloric deficit by 50-100 calories (or more) for the days leading up to the social gathering.
4. Lack of motivation and support
Problem: Motivation is only a starting point. Like a spark that ignites a fire, motivation initiates the process, but seldom does it lead to the finish line. Motivation is an emotional response, and like most emotions, they subside. This means, when we are tired and unmotivated we allow ourselves to skip workouts, cheat on our diets, or worse, quit.
Solution: It is crucial to understand motivation is a fleeting emotion and does not last. The days we feel lazy and unmotivated become the most crucial in developing the our important muscles; discipline and consistency.
While not everyone can snap themselves off of the couch, there are practical ways of finding motivation and support.
- Find an accountability partner. This can be a friend, gym buddy, or partner to keep you motivated and accountable.
- Join a fitness group or class
- Hire a personal trainer
- Engage in online forums and communities in line with your goals
5. Lack of consistency
Problem: Inconsistency is a the killer of results and progress. You can have the best training and nutrition plan, but if you adhere to it occasionally or only for a short while, the results will be short-lived.
Solution: There is no short-cut when it comes to achieving your fitness and fat loss goals. Consistency means adhering to your plan every single day, even when it becomes challenging. On the days we deviate from the plan, it is important to get back on track as soon as possible.
Creating a schedule that can you can stick to provides for a big advantage. Even visualizing a calendar and marking off days as you progress can provide extra motivation. Allowing for flexibility is crucial. We cannot plan ahead for all of the curveballs life throws at us and some days we may be forced to deviate from our training or diet. But, it is important to get back on track as soon as possible.
Putting it all together
When it comes to a successful fitness and fat loss journey, the most important factors are identifying the goal, creating a plan, and tracking the progress along the way.
As long as you are in a calorie deficit by the end of the week, you will continue to lose weight. A larger calorie deficit will result in faster weight loss, while a smaller calorie deficit will still result in slower, more gradual weight loss.
Remember: Everybody’s body and metabolism are different. If you are in a calorie deficit and not losing weight, decrease the calories by another 100 calories/day. Track the progress and adjust as needed. This also applies for fat loss that occurs too rapidly. If losing weight too quickly (unplanned), then add some calories back into your diet.
Above all, no matter what, stay consistent with your plan and focus on your goal. You may have days where it gets tough and deviate from your plan and routine. The important thing is not to dwell on the feeling of disappointment or despair, but instead getting back on track as soon as possible. It helps to have positive friends and family members to keep you accountable and motivated.
Don’t forget to share this post!
Comments 1