How to eat for weight loss & muscle definition
How to eat for weight loss & muscle definition
Most people tend to think that in order to lose weight, you have to eat less but that isn’t the whole truth. “You don’t have to eat less, you just have to eat right,” says ChicksLift Trainer, Mikaela. “So many of my clients come to me feeling like they’ve failed the go-to low calorie, low-fat diet because they’re not losing any weight; often they’ve even put on weight.
So why is this dilemma so widespread and how exactly can we lose fat and tone up? The ChicksLift team are here to help with 3 scientifically-proven tips to kick-start your body transformation.
#1: Think Energy Deficit vs Surplus
Armi Legge from Complete Human Performance sums up energy balance as “the difference between how much energy you consume, and how much you expend”. “You get energy from food, and food energy is expressed as calories. If you eat more calories than you expend, your body stores much of the extra energy — and you gain weight. If you eat fewer calories than you expend, your body is forced to tap into its energy stores for fuel — and you lose weight,” Legge explains.
However, when you slash calories below your resting metabolic rate, your body downregulates your metabolism in order to preserve fuel stores. Put simply, this means you will actually burn fewer calories throughout the day. Add to that the stress of fighting off hunger and you’ve practically set yourself up for an episode of ‘stress eating’.
This is where eating right becomes the hero, not eating less. Eating right includes choosing the right types of foods but it is also about eating mindfully. Mindful eating includes being aware of your portions and being completely present in the act of eating; focusing on each chew and enjoying every morsel.
#2 Eat 3-4 meals a day
Planning to eat regularly means you are less likely to experience overwhelming hunger and then overeat or eat the wrong foods. To get the greatest nutrients per unit of energy Mikaela recommends dishes that combine high-quality protein (preferably fish, meat, eggs & dairy), healthy fats (eg. olive oil & avocado) and leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, silverbeet and/or spinach. This combination of food types is not only ideal for reducing hunger but provides a great framework for menu planning and meal preparation.
#3 Combine a protein-rich diet with lifting weights
Preserving muscle mass is an essential ingredient to maintaining fat loss because it exacerbates your daily calorie burn. Studies have shown that lifting weights can keep the metabolism going and thus burn calories long after the barbell is dropped. Plus, by combining weight training with a protein rich diet you not only maintain muscle but can actually improve your percentage of lean muscle mass. So always try to consume some form of protein within an hour of weight or resistance training to promote muscle growth and initiate cellular repair.
For more on weight training, diet and fitness, follow us on Facebook or Instagram