10 Important Steps for Effective Fat Loss

Today's topic is a common concern for many: fat loss! Losing fat can be challenging, but with the right steps, you can achieve your goals. So, let's dive into the 10 important steps for effective fat loss.

Step 1: Set Clear Goals

Firstly, it is crucial to set clear and realistic goals for yourself. Determine how much fat you want to lose and by when. Remember to make your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Step 2: Create a Calorie Deficit

To shed fat effectively, you need to create a calorie deficit. This means consuming fewer calories than you burn in a day. Focus on a well-balanced diet that includes lean proteins, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Step 3: Monitor Your Portions

Keep an eye on your portion sizes to avoid overeating. Use smaller plates, measure your food, and be mindful of your eating habits. By controlling your portions, you can manage your calorie intake more effectively.

Step 4: Incorporate Strength Training.  

Adding strength training to your routine is a game-changer. It boosts your metabolism, builds lean muscle mass, and helps you burn more calories even at rest. Aim for resistance exercises two to three times a week.

Step 5: Engage in Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercises such as running, cycling, or swimming are excellent fat burners. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per week to enhance your weight loss journey.

Step 6: Prioritize Sleep and Stress Management

Pay attention to your sleep and stress levels. Lack of sleep and chronic stress can hinder fat loss. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night and engage in stress-reducing activities like meditation or yoga.

Step 7: Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water is often overlooked but vital for fat loss. Water helps to flush out toxins, aids digestion, and boosts your metabolism. Aim for at least 8-10 glasses of water per day.

Step 8: Limit Processed Foods and Sugars

Processed foods and added sugars can easily derail your fat loss progress. Opt for whole, unprocessed foods rich in nutrients instead. Focus on lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Step 9: Track Your Progress

Regularly track your progress to stay motivated. Take measurements, use a scale, or take progress pictures. This way, you can celebrate milestones and make necessary adjustments to your routine.

Step 10: Stay Consistent & Seek Support

Lastly, remember that consistency is key. Stick to your fat loss plan even when it gets tough. Surround yourself with supportive friends or join a community of like-minded individuals to stay motivated and accountable.

And that wraps up our 10 important steps for fat loss. Remember, it's about finding a sustainable lifestyle that works for you. Stay focused, stay positive, and soon you'll be on your way to achieving your fat loss goals. Stay healthy!

If you really want to get a jump start on achieving your goals, tracking your data is essential. My recommended tracking tool is the Eros Smart Body Fat Scale. 

This amazing smart scale tracks 13 data metrics and comes with a free mobile app. I use it weekly for myself and my clients.

Inevifit Eros Smart Body Fat Scale

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What is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Why Is It Important?

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) refers to the amount of energy or calories that your body needs to maintain basic physiological functions while at rest. These functions include breathing, circulation, cell production and repair, and the maintenance of organ functions.

BMR is the energy expenditure required to keep your body functioning at rest, without any physical activity or digestion taking place. It is influenced by several factors, including age, sex, body composition, and genetics.

Factors that can affect BMR include:

Age: BMR tends to decrease with age due to a loss of muscle mass and a decrease in metabolic activity.

Sex: Men generally have a higher BMR compared to women because they tend to have more muscle mass.

Body composition: Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, so individuals with a higher proportion of muscle tend to have a higher BMR.

Genetics: Some individuals may have a naturally higher or lower BMR due to genetic factors.

Thyroid function: The thyroid hormone plays a significant role in regulating metabolism. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can lower BMR, while hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) can increase it.

To determine an individual's BMR, various equations have been developed, such as the Harris-Benedict equation and the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation. These equations take into account factors like age, sex, weight, and height to estimate an individual's BMR.

BMR is just an estimation of the energy requirements at rest and does not account for physical activity or digestion. To determine your total daily energy expenditure, you would need to consider your BMR along with the calories burned through physical activity and the thermic effect of food.

It is important to know the number values of all of the data associated with weight loss, fat loss, and muscle building. Otherwise you are guessing on most of it. Tracking your data is beneficial to your success. Many people consume far less than their BMR requirements daily. This can adversely effect your health, performance and body composition levels. 

In my many years as a trainer and coach, I have assisted dozens and dozens of people in achieving their body composition goals. The clients who were the most successful, in the least amount of time, were the ones who tracked and understood their data.  

Recently I acquired an Eros Smart Body Fat Scale from Inevifit. I started using it to track my own data as well as the weekly data of several clients. I simply love this smart body fat scale. The amount of data it provides you is impressive. This scale comes with a free APP and is connected via bluetooth. It uses bioelectrical impedance to calculate your numbers. 

You simply set the APP on your profile and stand on the scale barefoot for a short time. The data is then transmitted from the scale to the APP on your phone. You can save all of your data and use tracking charts on the APP to see your progress. The APP also allows you to create additional profiles for family members or clients.

The Eros Smart Body Fat Scale tracks the following metrics:

Weight, 

Fat Percentage, 

Muscle Mass, 

Water Percentage, 

Bone Mass, 

BMI, 

Visceral Fat, 

Metabolic Age, 

Basal Metabolic Rate.

This abundant amount of data gives you a very keen insight as to where you are at in relation to your goals. It also shows you what you are doing good on and where there is room for improvement. And it tells you your BMR. Another thing that I love about this scale is that it is simple to use and you do not have to write anything down or calculate any of the numbers. This scale does it all for you very quickly.

Inevifit has a variety of scale models to choose from that vary in price. I prefer the Eros Smart Body Fat Scale as it is the most capable. 

Watch my video below for a summary

If you want to check it out and get your own scale, you can use coupon code Eric for 20% off of your order through my link here:

Eros Smart Body Fat Scale

Get your own Eros Smart Body Fat Scale and start tracking your data as you speed towards your goals.

What is Functional Fitness?

Functional fitness training has different meanings and definitions depending on who you ask. 

My definition of functional fitness is when the training has a direct benefit of transfer to a skill or movement that you use in the daily life activities, leisure, sport, or work categories.

In this picture I am carrying in a package of water bottles from my car to the house. This was after carrying in all of my bags of groceries. The exercise equivalent of this activity are all versions of weighted carries. 

Weighted carries are a great exercise that work all major muscle groups, core stabilization, grip / forearm strength and cardio.

The direct transfer benefits are many but most obviously are seen in carrying in your groceries from your car to your house. 

This is just one example. 

Functional fitness is not in my opinion, crazy exercises that have no relevance to real life. 

There is nothing relevant or required of me to spend a lot of time doing inverted or handstand exercises as I never have spent anytime upside down doing anything except maybe briefly while scuba diving. But if you are a gymnast or CrossFit athlete then it becomes relevant. 

Depending on who you are and what you do, will determine what functional fitness is and its relevancy to your training and life. 

Don’t waste your time training on movements that have no relevance to anything in your life, unless you simply enjoy it and want to do it. 

Adapting as We Age in Fitness

I invested in a new set of equipment for the Iron Garage Gym. I got a set of adjustable steel squat heel wedges from the Tib Bar Guy. 

For years I refused to ever let my clients or myself use any type of raised heel wedge for squats. Developing full range of motion and flexibility used to be the deal. 

Now decades later, the old hip and back injuries are limitations that prevent full range of motion and reduce flexibility. So the options are to give up on squats and related exercises or find a way around the limitations. 

So the squat heel wedges allow me to stretch and squat in relative safety with decent range of motion. 

I’m starting out with TRX assisted squats to rebuild the core and leg strength to move on to other squat versions. 

You can find an excuse or find a way. 

I’m trying to find a way. 

Good solid product though, very pleased with my purchase.

Improvise, adapt and overcome.

Go hit the weights!

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Salt is Salt Right? Table Salt VS Celtic Sea Salt

 

During a conversation with a medical doctor, he said that salt is salt, and it doesn't matter what type you use. While in a very narrow spectrum that statement is true in regards to sodium chloride, there are many differences between different types of salt.

The differences are mainly in the type of refining, manufacturing and processing. Lets take a look at common table salt compared to Celtic sea salt.

Table salt and Celtic sea salt are both made from the same basic ingredients: sodium chloride and trace minerals. But there are a few key differences between the two that make one more beneficial than the other.

Some table salt is iodized, which means that it contains a small amount of iodine. It's also highly refined, meaning it has been processed to remove impurities and other minerals, which can make it less healthy than unrefined salt. If you do use regular table salt, make sure it is iodized.

Table salt is a refined product of sodium chloride, which means it contains no other minerals. Because it has been stripped of its original minerals, it can actually be harmful to your health. Not to mention all the additives they put in it! And because table salt has all of its minerals removed, it doesn't help to balance the blood pressure. Consequently, table salt causes gross blood pressure fluctuations, instead of stabilizing it. This well-known danger has created an entire industry of "low sodium" foods.

It is also treated with anti-caking agents to prevent it from clumping together. This means that it's less effective at dissolving in water, which means that your body absorbs less of it when you eat it. It also has a higher sodium content than most people's bodies need. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

Refined, processed table salt contains ferrocyanide, talc, and silica aluminate. Aluminum intake leads to neurological disorders, particularly when no selenium is provided to help the body to chelate it. Aluminum bio-accumulates inside the body, causing further degeneration over time. Talc is a known carcinogen, though its effects upon ingestion have not been heavily studied. 

While it was once used in baby powders, the majority of such products now use cornstarch instead of talc, because of the known health risks. The F.D.A. has a special provision to allow talc in table salt, even whilst it is prohibited in all other foods, due to toxicity issues. According to current regulations, table salt can be up to 2% talc.- Thanks a lot FDA!

Celtic sea salt, on the other hand, comes from evaporated seawater that's been naturally filtered through layers of sand, gravel, clay and granite over thousands of years. Meaning that it contains only natural ingredients with no additives or chemicals. Its coarse texture also means that it dissolves quicker than table salt in liquids like soups and stews, which helps your body absorb more nutrients from food.

It is unrefined, and therefore not iodized or refined. It is harvested from seawater in France, where the water contains over 80 different trace minerals. These include calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron, all of which are essential for our bodies. It also contains lower amounts of iodine, which supports healthy thyroid function and helps prevent goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland). While the amount of iodine in Celtic sea salt is reportedly lower than processed table salt, it is an all-natural, pure source of iodine that is quickly absorbed and stored by your body.

So I would say that Celtic Sea Salt is a healthier option over table salt any day. 

Remember the key to beneficial salt intake is to get in the right amount. Not too much or too little. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 mg a day for mostly healthy adults. And no more than 1,500 mg per day, for adults with hypertension or heart disease.

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Meal Idea and Some Weight Loss Advice

Meal idea and some nutrition advice.

Baked chicken, avocado and green beans. 

Macronutrients: Chicken is the protein, avocado is the fat and the greens beans are fibrous carbs. 

Improper macronutrient ratio causes people many problems during their dieting or weight loss efforts. 

A simple example of a cultural norm / nutrition issue is the traditional southern meal practice of having a meat, starchy carbs and vegetables, plus desert, with no deliberate fat source. 

This example is high carb, medium/low protein and low/no fat. This could possibly be suitable for an athlete but it is a nightmare for someone who is dieting trying to lose body fat or “weight”. 

If you eat like this regularly, with a low activity level, and throw in some hormonal or thyroid issues, your weight loss efforts are for naught. This is very common. I’ve seen it a lot over the last 20 years. 

For fat loss or ”weight loss” you can simply fix the macronutrient content of the meal and start seeing results. 

Shift to high protein, medium fat, low carb and things will almost immediately change. Keep your carbs to mostly vegetables and go easy - like next to none, on the starches and sugar. 

Oh yeah might want to ease up on the after work 12 pack or bottle of wine every night. That throws a serious curve ball into the old diet bin. 

Drink more water over the course of the day. A good goal target is a gallon a day for most people. Make sure you intake electrolytes as well. Don’t drink too much, too fast, or you’ll risk injury in the form of hyponatremia which is when you flush out your electrolytes and sodium. It causes symptoms eerily similar to heat injuries and was misdiagnosed in the army for decades. 

Apply these concepts and see results in days, not weeks or months. I’ve had dozens of clients over the decades achieve ridiculous things in a week or two just by making these simple changes. 

But most people won’t do it. They stick to stupid stuff like starving yourself and doing hours of cardio. After all your doctor told you to eat less and exercise more right? 

Do the smart stuff and get healthy results or do the stupid stuff that they’ve brainwashed you with since the ‘50s, and become a worthy skinny fat diseased candidate for the FEMA death camps 😀.  Your call!