How to Lose Bodyfat Without Losing Muscle
By Adrian| July 9th, 2023
If You Sweated a Lot in the Sauna, Did You Lose Weight or Bodyfat?
Losing weight and losing fat are not the same thing.
If all you care about is losing weight, you could just sit in a sauna and sweat a lot. Did you lose weight? Yes. But did you lose fat? No!
If you want to know how to lose fat without losing muscle, then read on!
1. Calorie Deficit
If you want to drop bodyfat, you need to be in a calorie deficit or in a negative energy balance.
Quite simply:
• If we take in more energy than we use, we gain weight (calorie surplus).
• If we take in less energy than we use, we lose weight (calorie deficit).
• If we take in the same amount of energy than we use, our weight stays the same (maintenance calories).
Energy in is measured by the number of calories we get from foods while energy out is measured based on your purposeful activity (gym work, running etc) and non-purposeful activity – commonly referred to as NEAT (walking, fidgeting, house work etc.).
The only way to lose fat consistently is to create a calorie deficit.
By consistently eating less than your body needs to maintain its current weight, you will lose fat.
This might sound simple. I’m aware it does not sound fancy, but it’s really that simple!
While it might sound simple in theory, it can be difficult in practice.
Afterall, it’s not that difficult to opt for the chips instead of the carrot sticks! Execution is everything.
How Do You Create a Calorie Deficit?
• First of all you need to calculate your maintenance level of calories by searching for a basic TDEE Calculator online.
• I usually recommend anywhere from a 20-40% decrease of your maintenance calories depending on how much time you have.
The larger the calorie deficit the more challenging it is going to be to follow.
Have you ever followed a “diet” for 1-2 weeks and then got fed up, ate a cookie at the weekend and turned that into a massive binge?
If this describes you, your previous approach was not sustainable.
Unsustainable methods yield unsustainable results.
Stick to a moderate calorie deficit which you can adhere to (20% usually works best).
For example, say your maintenance calories are 2,000 calories per day. A 20% calorie deficit would require you to reduce your calories by 400 per day to 1,600.
With my coaching clients, I like to give a calorie range instead of a calorie target.
Why? Experience has taught me that it’s important to have some wiggle room.
In the past, I used to be obsessive over hitting my exact number of calories.
Some days I may not have been hungry or felt like eating but I felt I had to eat anyways to ensure my numbers are right.
Sounds a bit rigid, doesn’t it?
Because of this, I have found it’s much better of having a flexible mindset around calories as opposed to a rigid one.
So, I like to give ranges. For example, instead of telling someone they have to eat 2,000 calories, I prefer giving a range of 1,900-2,100.
It allows for more flexibility and it’s much more reassuring on your mindset that it’s ok for some days to have higher/lower days provided you don't go over your weekly budget.
2. Protein
I always say, when eating in a calorie deficit, you should have two goals in mind:
1. Maintain as much (if not all) of your muscle mass.
2. Eat as much food as possible while staying within your calorie limit.
This is where the benefits of setting a high protein target comes in.
It’s not uncommon for people to lose weight but they just because a smaller, skinner fat version of themselves.
You’ve lost weight on the scale yet you still don’t have that toned and lean physique which you had hoped for.
If this has happened, chances are your protein intake wasn’t adequate and/or you didn’t strength train (future point).
So how much protein should you eat?
I recommend 1.6 – 2.2g of protein per Kg of bodyweight.
So, if you weigh 70 Kg, this would range from 116g to 154g of protein per day. In general, it’s always better to be on the higher end if possible.
Of the three macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats), protein is the most filling & it aids with recovery/muscle building.
Being hungry while dieting sucks.
It is not enjoyable going to bed hungry.
You can help keep hunger at bay & enhance recovery by ensuring you’re getting in an adequate protein intake.
Good Protein Sources Include:
• Skinless chicken breast
• Turkey breast
• Lean beef & steak (with less than 5% fat)
• Pork tenderloin
• Fish (white fish especially tends to be lower in calories)
• Egg whites
• Greek yogurt 0%
• Cottage Cheese 1%
• Protein powder supplements
• Tofu/Quorn (for vegans)
3. Carbohydrates & Fats
As mentioned above, protein is the most important of the three macronutrients when trying to lose bodyfat without building muscle.
Carbohydrates and fats can be balanced based to make up the remainder of your calorie target.
In general, I recommend eating more carbohydrates on training days (approx. 3 – 7 per Kg of BW) because you’ll need them more to fuel your training and less on rest days because you’re not as active.
Fats would make up the remainder (approx. 0.6 – 1.2g per Kg of BW).
And while it is important to ensure your macronutrient intake of protein, carbohydrates and fats are being met, it’s equally important to ensure you’re getting your micronutrients in (next point).
That’s where specifically vegetables but also fruits come into play.
Yes, calories and protein are the two most important targets to hit, but the make-up of these calories still matters.
4. Micronutrients
I often would’ve checked out bodybuilders physiques when I was in my late teens and early twenties and wondered how they look so shredded yet were eating pop-tarts, cereals and bars of chocolate?
That is the danger of social media.
It might look cool to be constantly posting photos of eating donuts, pop-tarts and bowls of cereal.
But that is not reality. Eating those foods alone didn’t get them shredded and it can be misleading for people (younger people especially) when all they see is these high-level physique athletes share their highlights.
You can look good but not feel good. That is why the make-up of your calories matters.
My Peak Performing Nutrition Protocol encourages my clients to eat like an adult!
We try ensure our foods are lean, clean and green – aiming to get some lean protein, clean carbohydrates and green veggies present in some of our meals.
Adhering to my Peak Performance Nutrition Protocol most of the time allows my clients to still include their favourite treats without eating foods consistently that were meant to be sold to 10-year-old children!
We like to adhere to the 80/20 rule whereby we aim to get upwards of 80% of our foods from real food sources, leaving the other 20% with more flexibility.
Remember - It’s not only about how much you eat, it’s also about what your body can absorb.
The more calories you can get from real foods the better you’ll look, feel and perform (in your sport, at work, in your relationships & in life!).
5. Strength Training
Whenever someone says they want to get in “shape” or to “tone up,” if you think about it, what are you referring to?
What gives your body that shape and tone?
No, it is not your bones! They hold your body in place.
But to get that shape and tone you desire, you are specifically referring to building muscle in the right areas so you can get that toned stomach, or defined butt or big arms!
Muscle is the thing that gives your body that shape and tone in the absence of bodyfat!
As mentioned above, a lot of people lost weight but their weight loss is typically a combination of fat and muscle so what you’re left with is a smaller version of yourself.
The focus should be to build muscle, not burn it off.
The best way to get “shaped” and “toned” is to perform strength training while eating in a calorie deficit.
This will give you a much better overall transformation.
Anyone whose lost a considerable amount of weight but still looks somewhat “soft” is usually because they have lost some fat, but their muscles aren’t overly toned.
I recommend at least 3-4x a week of strength training for optimal results.
6. Cardio
Do you need to do cardio to lose bodyfat without losing muscle? Absolutely not.
Does that mean cardio is a waste of time? Not at all!
Adding some extra cardio in on top of your strength training will help you burn some additional calories.
If there is one thing I’ve learned from my past photoshoot, it is that the one universal form of cardio everyone should be doing more of is the most basic one – walking.
Don’t underestimate the power of getting your steps in on a daily basis. I would put a large portion of my progress this year down to walking more.
I aim for 10,000 steps a day. Some days I have to go out of my way to get my steps in. Other days or on weekend hikes, it’s much easier.
An approach which works well for me is going for a 10-minute walk after every meal.
Not only does this help me digest my food better, it increases my step count and helps me reach that daily target.
It takes about 10 minutes to get 1,000 steps in.
Hitting the 10,000 mark means you’re getting an additional 100 minutes of additional movement (known as Non-Exercise Thermogenesis Activity) in every day.
Other forms of cardio I sprinkle into my routine depending on the time of year include some light HIIT Training, tempo running, steady-state running and circuit training. There are benefits of doing this form of cardio for your cardiovascular health.
Your heart and your lungs typically work harder doing cardio than weights.
7. Be Patient & Enjoy the Process
Have you ever made the mistake of telling yourself I’ll be happy when:
-I reach my goal weight
-Fit into a certain item of clothing
-Get the job I applied for
-Buy something nice online...
And then, when that moment comes, you don’t feel accomplished at all?
This has happened to me on so many occasions before – fitness and non-fitness related.
For example, I led myself to believe I’ll be happy when I get to a low bodyfat percentage.
But, when I actually got there I didn’t feel accomplished because it came at the expense of being very restrictive in my diet and barely eating any carbs at all!
In other words, I didn’t enjoy the journey – the process of getting there.
And that is where the lesson is. If you’re miserable on the journey, even if you reach the destination, you’re not going to be happy.
Being anxious around and not being able to enjoy social gatherings (when they come back again) because you’re following a rigid diet isn’t good on your mindset.
You might drop the bodyfat and look good, but if you were to ever rebound and have to go through the same process again, you would falsely believe that this would mean you not being able to enjoy yourself.
Wherever you are on in your fitness journey – even if you’re currently not happy with where you’re at right now, enjoy the journey and embrace the challenge it brings.
Once you trust this process, experience the highs and the lows of the journey but keep moving forward regardless, you will feel much more accomplished when you achieve what you set out you wanted to achieve.
There will be days when you go over your calories.
There might be days when you miss a workout. But it’s all part of the process.
An analogy I like to use is to imagine you set out to climb a mountain but instead you got a helicopter to the top instead.
Sure the view is still the same but the person who started at the base and climbed to the summit had a much more memorable experience.
And that’s what it’s all about. The experience and the journey.
Embrace the journey and enjoy the challenge every day brings. That is the real reward.
“Success without fulfilment is the ultimate failure.” - Tony Robbins.
The Takeaways:
Losing bodyfat without requires you to:
- Be in a calorie deficit
- Get adequate protein intake
- Ensure your carbohydrates and fats are balanced
- Good micro-nutrient intake so you feel good as well as look good
- Strength train 3-4x a week
- Do some cardio
- Enjoy the journey and be patient
Reference: Syatt, J: 2015 – “Training and Nutrition for Fat Loss. The Short Persons Ultimate Fat-Loss Guide.”
1:1 Online Coaching Application
IIf you’d like a coach to help get you out of a routine that isn’t currently working for you and into one that will , then book your
free consultation call today to see if you’d be a good fit for my Online Coaching.
This is where having the structure and accountability of a coach comes in. I’ll help you get the results you’ve always desired and
make your journey much easier and quicker than doing it on your own.
You’re just one click away of becoming a success story.
Free 3-Day Total Body Training Program:
Depending on your goal, I have some free resources which might be of benefit to you.
If you’d like a copy of my free, 3-day Total Body Transformation Program click HERE! (Enjoy the core finisher!).
If you’d like a copy of my Free Living Lean Cookbook to prove to you that it’s possible to eat foods you enjoy and get results, click HERE.
(Try out some EPIC protein pancakes!).
And if you’d like access to my Free 7 Day Fat Loss Accelerator (which has helped some members drop up to 7lbs inside 7 days),
click HERE and it will be sent straight to your email.
I hope these free resources help you!
About Adrian McDonnell & McLifestyle Fitness:
IAdrian McDonnell is a highly specialised Personal Trainer & Online Fitness Coach from outside of Tuam, Co.Galway, Ireland.
Previously a primary school teacher for almost 5 years, Adrian followed his passion and pursued a career in fitness after seeing first hands the results he could achieve with himself.
Although Adrian is a Personal Trainer & now Full-Time Online Transformation Fitness Coach from outside of Tuam, Co.Galway – he not only coaches clients locally, but also nationally and internationally.
Adrian specialises in helping working professionals:
- Be confident in themselves·
- Feel more comfortable in their clothes·
- Look better in the mirror·
- Increase their energy and go for more promotions at work·
- Get fitter, leaner & stronger without following rigid meal plans·
- Go on more dates (this is a common one)·
- And feel proud of themselves for doing something they never thought was possible!
To date he has helped Transform over 500 Clients into fitter, more toned & confident individuals.
Transforming people’s lives through proper fitness, sustainable & enjoyable nutrition practices & mindset mentoring is something Adrian is truly passionate about and this is his mission in life.
Want to find out more? Contact me today & I’ll answer any questions you have.
4). Not Falling for the Test of Success
While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?
You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.
I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.
I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.
I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.
Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.
The Takeaway
- Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
- Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
- Walk more!
- The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
- Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.
Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.
If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?
If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).
For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.
I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.
4). Not Falling for the Test of Success
While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?
You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.
I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.
I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.
I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.
Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.
The Takeaway
- Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
- Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
- Walk more!
- The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
- Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.
Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.
If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?
If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).
For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.
I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.
4). Not Falling for the Test of Success
While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?
You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.
I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.
I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.
I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.
Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.
The Takeaway
- Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
- Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
- Walk more!
- The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
- Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.
Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.
If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?
If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).
For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.
I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.
4). Not Falling for the Test of Success
While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?
You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.
I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.
I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.
I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.
Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.
The Takeaway
- Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
- Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
- Walk more!
- The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
- Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.
Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.
If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?
If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).
For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.
I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.
4). Not Falling for the Test of Success
While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?
You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.
I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.
I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.
I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.
Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.
The Takeaway
- Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
- Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
- Walk more!
- The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
- Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.
Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.
If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?
If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).
For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.
I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.
4). Not Falling for the Test of Success
While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?
You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.
I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.
I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.
I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.
Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.
The Takeaway
- Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
- Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
- Walk more!
- The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
- Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.
Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.
If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?
If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).
For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.
I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.
4). Not Falling for the Test of Success
While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?
You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.
I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.
I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.
I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.
Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.
The Takeaway
- Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
- Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
- Walk more!
- The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
- Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.
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