Google ‘diet’ and you’ll go down a rabbit hole that’ll leave you more confused than you started.
There are so many options, and everyone knows someone who says they’ve found the secret.
Unfortunately there is no secret, but I promise if you follow these 5 tips (or even just 1 or 2 of them) you’ll start seeing progress pretty quickly.
Tip 1: NEAT
Increase your NEAT.
That stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.
What that actually means is, burning calories through general day to day activity.
Getting your step count up, fidgeting more, standing instead of sitting, taking the stairs instead of the lift – all those things add up to make a difference (often much more difference than the calories you’d burn at the gym!)
If your goal is fat loss and you have a sedentary job, this is where to start.
Even if your goal isn’t fat loss, we could all benefit from moving more!
Tip 2: Protein
Up your protein intake.
Protein’s not just for body builders.
It supports our immune system and helps us recover from workouts.
If your goal is fat loss, most importantly, it helps us feel full.
It’s the most satiating macronutrient, so the more protein you have, the less likely you are to snack on rubbish between meals.
Tip 3: Habits
Our willpower is a limited resource.
We only have so much, and it all comes from the same place.
It’s not like we have separate pots of willpower for our job, willpower for our kids, willpower for relationships, willpower for exercise, willpower for diet, etc.
However, we do have this amazing inbuilt ability to remove willpower as the main resource.
It’s called habits!
Do you ever remember how hard it was to brush your teeth as a child? Well, how hard is it now? You’ve built up the habit with years of practice and now it’s just part of who you are. No-one wants to be the one with smelly breath after all!
You can do this with healthy behaviours so you don’t even need to think about them.
Tip 4: Strength Training
Don’t worry, you won’t end up looking like The Rock.
That ‘toned’ look most women want? Comes from muscle definition.
Which means building a bit of muscle, and burning enough fat to see that definition.
The more muscle you have, the more energy your body burns even when you’re resting – increasing your muscle mass actually increases your metabolism!
Plus there’s loads of other benefits, like being stronger, gaining confidence and avoiding things like osteoporosis when you’re older.
Tip 5: The 80/20 Rule
ENJOY the process – use the 80/20 rule.
Ever tried to stick to a really strict diet and given up within a few days? Or yo-yo-ed between being really strict and really just bingeing? You don’t need to give up the foods you love in order to lose fat.
Try and make up 80% of your diet from nutritious, healthy food. Then make the other 20% absolute junk that you love.
If your goal is fat loss, you can do this, stay in a calorie deficit, lose fat and keep a healthy relationship with food. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy a social life as well!
Putting It All Together
Five things at once is a lot.
Don’t try and do them all at once, pick one, build the habit and go from there.
If you need a hand working out what’s best for your goals, click here to book a Free Coaching Call.