Hey team,

Today we’re talking about the number one health goal worldwide- weight loss.

No fad diets, no juice cleanses and yes, you can still eat carbs. 🥯 We’re going to review some of the most effective tips and skills you can inject into your routine to see better results that you can maintain for longer periods of time.

Before we begin I want to make a request.

Start by standing up. Walk over to your scale. Give it a good, hard look. And say goodbye.

Yup. Throw it out. And I don’t mean shove it in the shoe closet. Walk outside and throw it out in your neighbor's bin. Sign the sorry note in my name.

If you’re now thinking “why the hell would she tell me to throw my scale away if I’m trying to lose weight?”

Because 1.) You’re likely obsessing over a number on the scale every morning or 2.) It's collecting dust because the thought of stepping on it brings you crippling anxiety.

Too often we fixate on a number flashing back at us and become paralyzed or overwhelmed to begin the process. The number on the scale does not define you. During this journey, start to focus on other metrics to gauge your progress such as how your clothes are fitting, average resting heart rate, blood pressure, etc. so that you can begin to build on small successes. If you want to do monthly check-ins, leverage the scale at your local gym or.

Tip #1: Focus on a High-Protein Diet

Rather than phrasing your goal as losing weight, I’m challenging you to shift your mindset to building muscle.

That’s right. We’re going to scrap the entire term weight loss and switch gears to muscle building. I just had to get you through the inbox with that subject line. 😉 If you’re building muscle, you’re burning fat. If you’re burning fat, you’re going to develop a leaner physique. If you’re developing a leaner physique, you’re likely experiencing “loss” in the areas you originally wanted to target.

The first step to building muscle isn’t by hitting the gym every day to crank out heavy weights, though we’ll get to splits in a second. It starts by focusing on a protein-first diet. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Whether you accomplish this through animal protein or plant protein is entirely up to you.

Starting your day with a high protein meal not only avoids makeup macros at the end of the day, but can also play a role in increasing your metabolism. Consuming protein plays a role in both building muscle and burning fat, and should take the leading role on a plate with carbs and fats serving as supporting roles. In other words, the Oscar goes to protein. 🏆

Tip #2: Aim to Be in a Caloric Deficit, Daily

If you read the line about still eating carbs and thought “but what’s the catch?”, here it is. Arguably the most concrete known fact about losing weight is that you can’t be eating more than you’re burning. The cheat code here isn’t to drink liquids for calories. It’s to stay consistent with a reasonable exercise program, walk an adequate amount per day, and move more than you’re sitting.

Use your calories primarily on protein as noted above, as it predominantly helps the most with satiation. The disclaimer here is that if this is new to you, you’ll likely feel slightly hungry, which is okay! Your body will take some adjusting to operate on a lower calorie count which makes it that much more important to ensure your meals consist of high quality whole foods.

That being said, don’t put yourself in a massive hole operating on 1000 calories. This 1.) isn’t healthy 2.) won’t be sustainable and you’ll likely revert back to old habits shortly after starting. Decrease your normal calorie intake in small increments to aid in the adjustment periods and keep moving throughout the day.

A piece that helps me here is to follow the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time I’m focusing on Whole Foods, high protein, and fueling my body with high premium nutrition. The other 20%? I’m allowing some flexibility when I’m on the go, traveling or headed out with friends. We’re all human and striving for perfection will only make consistency harder.

Tip #3: Lift, HEAVY.

This doesn’t suggest you lift beyond your means, but rather push yourself hard enough in the gym to complement the work being done in the kitchen.

You’re likely already getting some form of strengthening work in, but are you working at weights that are sending you into near failure by the final sets and reps? Heavy lifting will increase testosterone production thus aiding in muscle growth. What does muscle growth do? If you answered “burns fat” then two for you Glen Coco ⭐️.

Ladies- don’t be deterred by increasing testosterone levels or heavy lifting in general. In fact, this is crucial to maintaining that “lean” or “toned” look. Less volume work, more challenging sets of 5x5’s. Do this twice a week with appropriate accessory work tied in on other days.

Getting it done

Notice how two of the three takeaway points fall under nutrition? It really is true, you can’t outwork a poor diet.

Remember, aesthetics are only a piece of the puzzle. It may be easier said than done if you’re struggling with feeling comfortable in your body, but showing yourself patience and grace during the process will help with the discomfort of implementing new habits.

Short term discomfort for long term success. You’ve got this! 💪

Until next week. 👋


Danielle Bitts
VP of Brand, Bodybuilding.com

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