Lifestyle Changes to Lose Weight

I see it a LOT - dieters make some nutrition and lifestyle changes to lose weight, and at first they find some fast success temporarily. 

Then they crash and burn. 

Why does this happen? Metabolism, for starters. 

We change our diet and nutrition but our resting metabolism stays the same and we aren't burning fat at a faster pace.

To keep us on track, let's look at how building more muscle is the road to success long term for fat loss.

We don't have to spend hours in a gym, in fact less than 40 minutes weekly leads to a much faster pace to lose weight!

Changes to Lose Weight - Metabolism and Exercise

Nutrition and other lifestyle changes to lose weight are important but in terms of actually burning more fat naturally, exercise is much more powerful in terms of daily fat loss.

When I talk about exercise I am referring to building strength and muscle mass. 

Not to get big and bulky, but to live better, and live longer. 

See, our muscles begin shrinking and dying off right after the age of 25.

If we don't build that muscle back, our bodies become less efficient fat burning machines.

A good example - IF we don't strengthen our muscles with resistance training our whole lives, and we turn the age of 45...

In that time we have lost roughly 10 pounds of muscle, and our metabolism has slowed down to burn 350 LESS calories per day.

That is why we gain fat so much easier at an older age.

The key is to build more muscle, WHILE keeping good nutrition and diet.

That is what makes or bodies biologically younger.

And we don't have to spend a ton of time, just a couple sessions of strength training a week to increase our resting metabolism.

Changes to Lose Weight - Consistency

When we make a lot of lifestyle changes to lose weight all at once, it can lead to burnout or overload...

And we could end up resorting back to negative habits.

I've done it, heck, we all have, seriously. Even us fitness trainers.

I continue to find that just making small changes every month and staying consistent with these commitments is a key to success!

After we add a good exercise and fitness plan to our routine, and we begin changing our diet and nutrition:  It can help to take it slow. 

For example, instead of going from a 3,000 calorie a day diet all the way to a 1,300 calorie diet plan - 

Instead simply lessen our calorie count by 200 calories per week until we slowly adapt to our chosen calorie count plan.

Slow, steady, and consistent will always win out over making a million lifestyle changes to lose weight all at once.

• set weekly goals and stick to them
• small incremental changes work
• keep going and keep building your metabolism with strength training weekly

Check out my video below for more:

Changes to Lose Weight - add Strength Training

The most important of the lifestyle changes to lose weight: 

Begin building muscle with strength training NOW!

Strength training exercise to full fatigue of the muscles is the most powerful way to amplify any diet and nutrition changes you are making.

Strength training has, in most recent days been even referred to as the fountain of youth by many fitness writers in the past ten years.

Why?

Because our most recent research is finding that strength training can and will add another healthy 6 years to our lives. Simply put - strength training is life extension.

• High intensity strength training drives fat OUT of storage, turning fat into fuel.
• Myokines release, increasing immune system and making us biologically younger.
• Build muscle and bone - we increase bone density and increase resting metabolism.
• Strength training IS superior to increasing cardiovascular function than anything else.
• Increased brain function and cognitive ability.
• Increased immune system through hormone sensitive lipase.

A healthy diet is simply not enough to keep the fat off our bodies long term.

Strength training is the key to truly unlocking your body's natural ability to work more efficiently. 

And strength training is the key to making your body biologically younger.

Good nutrition + strength training = fat loss success long term.