The Weight Loss Discussion

As is the case for most personal trainers, one of the things I hear from clients most often is "I want to lose weight."

I have a pretty standard response to that, which is to mention that the number on the scale is really pretty arbitrary. Nobody walking down the street can tell if you weigh 155 or 160. I like to tell people to use that number on the scale strictly as a guideline to be able to tell what's happening with their diet/training program.

Instead, I like to get clients focused on body re-composition. That is, changing their body from more fat-than-muscle to more muscle-than-fat. These changes can happen irrespective of how much you weigh. You can have a better body composition at the same weight and look very different. You can have a better body-comp at a higher bodyweight and look even better! The number you really want to be interested in is your bodyfat percentage. Staying the same weight and changing your bodyfat is really what will get you the results you are looking for.

How is this accomplished? Diet, heavy lifting and sprinting. Duh. What'd you think I was going to say?  Yoga and Pilates? Decide how badly you want to get your results, and then put in the necessary work. If you want it: go get it.

Eat right; meat, veggies, fats. Do your squats and deadlifts. Sprint, run hills, push a sled. Stop jogging for 45 minutes and thinking that was the best road to fat loss; it's not. All of your best results are going to come as a direct result of intensity. Remember that, and go bust your balls. Lift something heavy, and be happy.