It's no secret that weight loss is the most common fitness goal.
At any given time ... nearly half of the population is open about their desire to drop some pounds. (1)
That number jumps up closer to 60% during this time of year ... with pool season right around the corner.
No matter where you look, you'll find countless weight loss programs ... all claiming to be the best way to slim down.
This tends to make finding the right plan for yourself very complicated ... but it doesn't have to be.
We'll give you 5 simple steps you can follow that will make the weight loss process much easier than you may think.
Step 1: Create A Calorie Deficit
This is non-negotiable because it's the basis of weight loss.
Without focusing on this step first ... you'll struggle to see any changes at all.
What do we mean by a calorie deficit?
This means consistently burning more calories than you eat.
Calories are the measurement of a food's energy. If a food is higher in calories, this means it provides the body with more energy versus a food that's lower in calories.
That doesn't make certain foods "bad" in anyway. It just means some foods provide the body with more energy than others.
If you're giving your body more energy than it needs ... it will lead to weight gain. This is because your body stores the extra energy as body fat.
When you give your body less energy, you'll create an energy deficit ... and this is just another name for a calorie deficit.
Your body will then use stored fat for energy, because it isn't getting enough through food ... and this is what leads to weight loss.
If this was the only step you focused on ... you're guaranteed to see some weight loss success.
You can accomplish this with many different eating styles, but know that if you're losing weight ... it's because you're creating a calorie deficit. Period.
There's no special diet that works better than others ... it's all a matter of calories in versus calories out.
If you want to lose weight, but also hold onto your muscle so that you look as good as possible ... continue to the next step.
Step 2: Increase Your Protein Intake
The second most important factor when it comes to losing weight is how much protein you're eating.
Can you lose weight just by following step 1 and doing nothing else ... absolutely you can.
What increasing your protein intake will do is make sure you're not losing muscle during the weight loss process ... which plays a big role in how you look, and your longterm success when it comes to keeping weight off.
It's very possible to lose muscle when eating in a calorie deficit ... but a high protein diet can help prevent this.
Eating more protein can also contribute to some extra calories burned throughout the day ... and this is due to the energy it takes to digest a protein source.
It's a larger nutrient, which means more energy is needed to break it down ... aka more calories burned.
You're killing two birds with one stone just by eating more protein.
Start with consuming about 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal body weight.
For example, if you have a goal of weighing 150 pounds ... shoot for 150 grams of protein per day.
Step 3: Lift Weights/Resistance Train
Lifting weights and resistance training as a whole can be a huge factor in losing weight ... and keeping the weight off.
This is because resistance training helps you build muscle, and when you have more muscle ... you naturally burn more calories throughout the day.
All forms of exercise can help contribute to weight loss, but nothing will help you more than resistance training long term.
Feel free to do any exercises you enjoy ... but we always recommend at least some form of resistance training if the ultimate goal is fat loss.
You don't need to be a bodybuilder ... as little as three days of resistance training per week will get the job done.
Step 4: Consistency and Sustainability
Without this step ... nothing else matters.
You could have the perfect diet plan and workout program, but if you don't stick with it ... you won't see any progress.
This is the number one problem we see when working with our clients.
They have everything they need to see results ... except consistent effort.
Weight loss doesn't happen overnight. You have to make sure you're following your plan ... day in and day out.
You also need to make sure your plan is something you can sustain for long periods of time. If you don't see yourself following the plan consistently ... it's not the right plan for you.
What makes a plan the best ... is your ability to sustain and adhere to whatever that plan calls for.
Step 5: Supplement
Once you understand, and feel comfortable with the 4 previous steps ... there's supplements you can use that will take your weight loss results to the next level.
Products like L-carnitine, thermogenics, and metabolism boosters all fall into this category.
They can help with:
Digestion and food breakdown
Using stored fat for energy
Burning more calories throughout the day
Fighting off sweet and salty cravings
Providing all-day energy
... and some of these products will even lower your stress levels, which helps target that stubborn midsection fat.
When you have your diet and workout routine in-check ... these supplements can be a game-changer for your results.
How to Get Started
Even these simple steps can feel a little overwhelming ... especially if you're new to fitness.
We've all been there ourselves, and we know firsthand how hard it can be.
There's many ways you can go about accomplishing these 4 steps.
There's no diet that's good or bad ... and no specific workout program that you need to be following.
It all comes down to finding what's best for YOU ... and that's exactly what we can help you with.
We can take a look at your schedule, the foods you like (and don't like), what you have access to when it comes to your workouts ... and then we can put together a weight loss plan that's easy for you to follow.
The best part ... we can do that for you 100% FREE of charge.
We don't want you to continue to struggle when it comes to losing weight.
Stop into your nearest S2 location, and we'll make sure you're set up to see the best results possible.
1. Martin CB, Herrick KA, Sarafrazi N, Ogden CL. Attempts to lose weight among adults in the United States, 2013–2016. NCHS Data Brief, no 313. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2018.
*This post was written by Andrew Lynn, who has a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. He is also a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist.
