Happy New Year and welcome to, not only, a new year, but also a new decade! As we all know, January is popularly known for setting goals and restarting, and one of the most common resolutions is to shed some pounds. With so many nutrition resources out there, you may wonder where to start and what type of plan is most effective. The five-step guide below is so simple and effective that almost anyone can do it!
1. Accurately Assess Your Situation
The most effective way to set goals is to accurately and honestly assess your current situation. Weigh and measure yourself and write it down! And of course, put your goals in writing too--making a written affirmation provides a more formal commitment, and therefore, more dedication--by the way, provide details! For example, instead of just saying "I want to lose weight", get specific and say "I want to lose 25 pounds by March 1st, and I'd like to take four inches off my waist, so I can fit into size 10 for spring." Seeing exactly where you are today, and then setting a written goal with an end date will greatly increase your odds of success.
2. Log Your Typical Food Intake for Three Full Days
This can be time consuming but it's only for three days, I promise! The reason for this exercise is to analyze your current nutrition plan and to see where the problem areas are, as well as the opportunities for improvement. Eat exactly how you normally eat and write down every single piece of food and sip of beverage that enters your mouth--also, jot down the calories, grams of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Yes, this will be time consuming but it's best to see exactly what is going in your body so you can assess what changes to make.
3. Create a 500-Calorie Deficit
Now that you have your food log and know the amount of calories you're consuming on a daily basis, it's time to make a 500-calorie deficit. Essentially, 3500 calories make up one pound, so if you cut 500 calories out of your diet everyday, you'll naturally lose one pound per week. Feeling more motivated, cutting 1,000 calories per day will naturally make you shed two pounds in a week. If you're not sure what foods to choose to create this deficit, schedule a free consultation with our in-house nutrition here, and you will be given a plan!
4. Adjust Your Macros (Fat, Protein, Carbs)
The average person eats up to 300 grams of carbohydrates per day, and as little as 45 grams of proteins and fats. A lower-carb, higher-protein, and higher-healthy fat nutrition plan is naturally lower in sugar which will help with weight loss and to stabilize blood sugar. We are all different shapes and sizes, and have different activity levels so it's hard to generalize, however, a good guideline for men is to consume roughly 150-175 grams of carbs per day, 125-150 grams of protein per day, and 50-70 grams of healthy fats per day. For women, the average guidelines are 100-125 grams of carbs per day, 75-100 grams of protein per day, and 45-65 grams of health fats per day. Remember these are just guidelines, and if you would like a sample nutrition plan (it's free!) tailored for your specific body type, you can schedule a free consultation with our in-house nutritionist. For a list of foods that will help you achieve your lower-carb, higher-protein macronutrient combination for weight loss, see our wide variety of foods here!
5. Track Your Progress
Weigh yourself on day one of your new nutrition plan, and do so every so often so you can see if you're making progress or not. You don't have to be a slave to the scale but using one is one of the fastest and most accurate ways to find out if you're shedding the pounds. The sooner you find out you're making progress or not, you can properly adjust your plan as needed.
Here at Doctor's Best Weight Loss, we hope you have had a wonderful holiday season...with lots of delicious food! Now that we are in 2020, a new decade is a great place to begin to achieve the weight loss goals (and more important--good health!) you have been looking for. Cheers to 2020 and we can't wait to see your results!
