This is a guest post, published with consent from the author, Nicky Holland.
It’s that time of year again where the sun makes an appearance and we are frantically trying to lose the extra pounds gained during the winter months. We want to look good and feel good about ourselves when we are out sunbathing or on holiday.
We’ve all been there and its not an easy process…But, this article will highlight some key tips for you, which will help you be more confident in your body. Follow these steps to get results.
Let’s dive right in, with one of the most anticipated questions which, as a Fitness Professional, I get asked the most…
Some people believe that starving the body or not eating will lose weight, then if they exercise, that will help lose even more weight and speed up results. Yes and no. I’ll explain…
First of all, starving is never a good idea, it’s not healthy. Your body needs food as it uses it as energy to function. Think of it like fuel for a car. A car needs fuel to go, however it is your choice how fast you drive. Just like the type food you eat and how much is your choice. We all know the foods that make us put on weight, such as fast foods and take aways because they are high in fats and high in carbohydrates. So reverse this by staying away from fast foods and eat more protein.
I believe the most reliable way to lose weight is by being consistent with your daily intake and understanding your Macros. Macronutrients are the amount of Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats in our diet.
How can you do this? Write down what you eat everyday and keep a food diary. Include meal times and also portion sizes. From that you can estimate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) also known as your daily calorie intake. The app MyFitnessPal is great for this as you can input and scan foods, then it calculates it for you. Once you know your BMR, you can try to reduce this number. Smaller sized meals, eating more frequently throughout the day will mean your body is constantly breaking down food, which means we feel fuller and are less likely to overindulge in bigger meals, with bigger portion sizes that contain higher calories. Try it!! If you aim to reduce your daily BMR by -500 cals, then by eating less, you create a negative. This is known as a calorie deficit. Exercising on top of this will speed up your results.
The next question that I get asked the most is…
Cardio is important. That doesn't mean 1 hour on the Treadmill everyday, as that’s just boring, but you should mix it up by doing Cardio-Strength training. My clients tend to get the best results when they do this.
Strength is resistance, so what type of exercises should you do?
Use compound and functional exercises. This activates a series of muscle groups, working more than one muscle and joint at a time, rather than isolating just one. The big muscle groups will also work the smaller ones so it will save you time and give you greater benefits. Below are the best exercise techniques you can do to lose weight. However, cardio alongside these is key such are running, rowing, cycling, jumping, skipping and swimming.
Get yourself a barbell and some plates then try the following exercises for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
I hope this will give you a better insight into exercise and nutrition, whatever your goal may be. Eat less calories and exercise more.
Check out my Instagram page for more tips and videos @nicky__fitness and my website www.nicky-fitness.com.
Good luck!
Nicky Fitness
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