Hi guys!
I’m Kelly, Assistant Manager in The Gym Carlow.
I wanted to share some of my top tips that I have picked up over my 6+ years in fitness that has helped me reduce body fat while maintaining most of my strength & muscle mass.
I started my own fitness journey to try and develop a healthy routine, take time for myself and stop me trying ever fad diet just to try control my weight.
I finally learned it can be done successfully, happily & without impacting my performance in the gym!
Whether it’s part of your fitness journey & goals, a holiday, special occasion or just to see how things are shaping up, a lot of people are aiming to cut back body fat for the summer.
Here are a few tips to help you reduce bodyfat whilst keeping performance high in the gym.
1. Macronutrients –
Be aware of your Macros and the rolls they play within the body..
There are 3 main Macronutrients.
Protein, carbs and fats..
There is no ‘bad macro’, they all serve a purpose and can help you reach your goals if used correctly.
Protein
Protein is used by the body for muscle development & recovery, when setting up a ‘fat loss/cutting’ phase, protein should remain consistent and high priority in your meals, approx. 0.75 – 1.5g per lb of bodyweight.
Carbohydrates
Carbs provide fuel for the central nervous system and energy for working muscles. They also prevent protein from being used as an energy source and enable fat metabolism. Carbohydrates are also important for brain function and have an influence on mood, memory, etc.
Carbohydrates are classified as simple or complex.
The difference between the two forms is the chemical structure and how quickly the sugar is absorbed and digested.
Simple carbs (eg. sugar, honey, fruit, syrups, candy etc.) are digested and absorbed quicker & easier than complex carbs eg. Pasta, Rice, Wholegrains, Veggies etc.
However, they can also raise blood glucose levels along with other health problems and contain a lot of calories with minimal benefits while complex carbs provide more sustained energy.
It is best to focus on getting primarily complex carbs in your diet, including whole grains and vegetables and reserve simple carbs for treats.
Fats
Fats are also fuel used by the body and play a role in the regulation of hormones so it’s important to always keep some levels of healthy fats in your diet.
So a simple rule of thumb, keep protein consistent throughout the diet phase and slowly chip away at the carbs and fats to create the calorie deficit required for fatloss.
2. Calorie deficit –
To lose fat we must be in a calorie deficit.
To do this accurately we must find our maintenance calories which allows us to maintain the same weight each week.
When we find our maintenance calories we simply lower our calorie intake by for example 200kcals per day..
Over the course of a week this is 1400kcals in a deficit which will begin the fatloss process.
3. Daily Output –
Losing bodyfat comes down to calories in vs calories out.
So if we start to have more output each day for example adding 30mins cardio to our daily routine then we will create a bigger deficit when it comes to fat loss.
This can also be achieved with small changes to daily activities and increased NEAT.
So use the stairs not the lift, walk to the shops, don’t drive etc.
It all adds up to a larger daily output.
4. Weight training –
When entering a diet phase a lot of people think that higher reps and lighter weights will get them leaner, quicker..
The truth is you may actually lose muscle with this approach..
You can train just as hard and heavy during a diet phase, in return you will retain a lot of your muscle mass and burn more calories in the process.
Check out the previous Blog by Beverly Bryan for great strength training tips!
• In a nutshell, reducing body fat can be a fun & stress free process if you know the fundamental objectives and how to achieve them.
Which hopefully now, you do!
Always remember to consult a healthcare provider or qualified nutritionist before make any drastic changes to your lifestyle, especially if you have any underlying issues.
Kellyanne
Email – kellyfarrell154@gmail.com
Instagram – kelly_build.and.byrne.coaching
