Weight Loss 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Shedding Pounds

Just under 50% of the global population have reported struggling with weight loss, and most of these people blame it on a 'lack of time' or say their body 'isn't meant to lose weight'.

However, they are wrong.

Everyone has time to lose weight, and it is fully achievable for anyone as there are many ways to lose weight - you just need the right weight-loss routine.

Which is why you're here, right?

In this blog, we will be covering everything you need to know about weight loss, helping you design your own workout and diet plans, while also giving you plenty of other valuable weight loss tips.

So let's get started, shall we?

Table of contents:

• Understanding Weight Loss Basics

• Building a Weight Loss Workout Plan

• The Role of Nutrition in Weight Loss

• Lifestyle Changes for Long-Term Success

• Tracking Progress & Staying Accountable

• Common Weight Loss Mistakes To Avoid

• Supplements for Weight Loss

Understanding Weight Loss Basics

Before embarking on your weight loss journey, you must understand the fundamentals of losing weight and how weight loss works.

You should understand multiple things about weight loss: calorie deficits, energy balance, and why patience is important.

Calorie Deficits

A calorie deficit is a key factor in weight loss, but what is it?

Calorie deficits are when you consume fewer calories than you burn each day. For example, if you were to burn 1,000 calories a day, then eating 900 calories would be a calorie deficit.

This can help you lose weight because your body will be using energy from your fat stores, meaning you will notice a decrease in body fat as well.

By pairing a calorie deficit with a good weight loss workout plan, you can find weight loss to be extremely easy.

Energy Balance

You should be tracking how many calories you take in and how many calories you are burning for sustainable progress.

By doing this, you can help yourself create a good weight loss diet to see your required daily calorie intake, and this can also help with making a good workout plan.

You should track your calories in and out using a fitness app or by jotting it down in your notes.

Patience Is Key

Patience and consistency are some of the most important aspects of losing weight.

You should aim to lose around 1-2 pounds of weight every week, and this may seem quite slow, so you are going to have to stay patient.

If you do not stay patient and give up, you won't achieve the weight loss results that you desire, however, if you do stay patient, you will reach your bodyweight goals.

Building a Weight Loss Workout Plan

You need to burn calories to lose weight, and that is done through exercise!

Now, building your exercise routine for weight loss can be quite difficult, however, with the right advice and guidance, you should find this process pretty easy.

So what makes a good weight loss workout plan?

Combine Cardio & Strength Training

A big myth when it comes to losing weight is that you should only be doing cardio, however, that is wrong. Instead, you should combine cardio AND strength training for optimal results. But why?

As we know, cardiovascular exercises are a great way of burning calories because they bring your heart rate up to the 'fat-burning zone', as some would say.

But how does strength training help?

Strength training is an excellent way of building muscle tissue around your body, and the more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate (amount of energy used per time period) tends to be.

And the higher your metabolic rate is, the easier your body will find it to burn calories, which therefore helps you lose weight faster.

So when building your weight loss workout, remember to include both cardio and strength training for the best results.

Types of Cardio

There are two main types of cardiovascular training that you should be incorporating into your exercise plan - steady-state cardio and high-intensity interval training.

Steady-state cardio means low-medium intensity cardio that can increase your heart rate and that you can do for longer periods (like 30 minutes or more), such as brisk walking or jogging. This generally preserves more energy.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) refers to training at a high intensity to burn the most calories. This is usually done via circuit training.

Make sure that you include both types of cardio into your routine because if you just did steady-state cardio, you wouldn't receive the fastest results, however, if you did only HIIT, you would become deprived of energy and wouldn't be able to perform at your best.

Strength Training

When it comes to strength training, you should be focusing on compound (multi-muscle) exercises such as squats, deadlifts or push-ups.

You should do compound movements rather than isolation exercises because they keep your heart rate up better than isolation movements, which is better for calorie burning.

It is good to try and build muscle strength while doing this as well, so adding a small amount of resistance to each of these full-body exercises is a good idea.

Tip: When doing resistance training, opt for free weights more often than machines as these are better for muscle mass.

How Often Should You Be Exercising Per Week?

You should be aiming to exercise around 3-5 times per week (the more the better) but you must have at least two rest days per week to allow your body to recover.

On your training days, I would recommend 30 minutes of strength training and then 30 minutes of cardio at least, however, you should strive to do more.

On your recovery days, it is suggested that you do 20-30 minutes of low-intensity cardio such as brisk walking or jogging to maintain active lifestyle habits while letting your body recover.

The Role of Nutrition In Weight Loss

While exercise may seem important because it's what burns calories and helps you lose weight, your diet is equally as vital.

A fasting diet may seem like the simple solution, but trust me, it's not

Your body gets the calories and energy it needs from food, and the types of food that you eat play a big role in the weight of your body.

So what should your weight loss diet look like?

How Many Calories Should You Be Consuming?

Your daily calorie intake determines whether or not you will lose weight or gain weight - if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight, however, if you eat less than you burn, you will lose weight.

The amount that you should be putting into your body will vary depending on many factors, such as:

• Age

• Height

• Gender

• Weight

• Activity level

Step 1: Calculate Your BMR

First, you want to calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is calculated differently for each gender.

BMR means the calories you burn through resting.

For men: BMR = (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age in years) + 5

For women: BMR = (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age in years) - 161

For example, if there were a 30-year-old woman who is 165cm tall and weighs 70kg, she would burn 1,420 calories per day when at rest, following the above formula.

Step 2: Adjust for Activity Level

The next thing you want to do is multiply your BMR by your activity level.

The levels of activity include:

• Sedentary (little or no exercise) - multiply by 1.2

• Lightly active (1-3 days a week) - multiply by 1.375

• Moderately active (3-5 days a week) - multiply by 1.55

• Very active (6-7 days a week) - multiply by 1.725

• Super active (intense exercise daily) - multiply by 1.9

For example, if that same 30-year-old woman is moderately active, then you would multiply her BMR by 1.55, which you would then get 2,200 calories a day, which is how many calories she burns per day while resting and during exercise combined.

Step 3: Create a Caloric Deficit for Weight Loss

To lose weight, you need to be in what's called a calorie deficit, which means consuming fewer calories than you burn to lose weight.

And the size of your caloric deficit will vary depending on how quickly you want to shed pounds:

• Mild (lose 0.25kg a week) - take 250 calories off of your daily caloric intake

• Moderate (lose 0.5kg a week) - take 500 calories off of your daily caloric intake

• Aggressive (lose 1kg a week) - take 1000 calories off of your daily caloric intake

Using the 30-year-old woman as an example again, saying she wanted to lose 0.5kg a week, then she would have to take her calorie intake of 2,200 a day and reduce 500 calories from it, meaning she would have to consume at most 1,700 calories daily.

Hydration

One thing that most people don't pay enough attention to is hydration, which is essential for losing weight effectively and healthily.

Adequate hydration can suppress your appetite (meaning you don't want to eat as much), boost your metabolism and make exercise easier and more efficient.

For weight loss, it is recommended that you drink half of your body weight in pounds every day in ounces, as this has been shown to be the best.

For example, if you weighed 180 pounds, then you would need to drink 90 ounces of water every day.

Also, don't be put off by being bloated by water as this will eventually disappear over time with the more water you drink.

What Nutrients You Should Be Focusing On

Ensuring that you have a balanced nutritional diet is essential, however, some nutrients are more important than others.

These essential nutrients are protein, fibre, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates - but why are these so important and how much of each should you be eating per day?

Protein

Protein is important for weight loss because it reduces your levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and is also important for maintaining muscle mass.

You should aim to consume 1-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (0.73-1g per pound of body weight).

Some protein-rich foods include:

• Eggs

• Almonds

• Chicken breast

• Cottage cheese

• Greek yoghurt

• Milk

• Lean beef

• Fish

• Quinoa

• Pumpkin seeds

• Lentils

• Peanuts

Fibre

Fibre is vital for losing weight because it helps slow down digestion, which, similarly to protein, helps to suppress your appetite, therefore meaning you are less likely to crave food.

Look to consume 15-20 grams of fibre per 1000 calories that you eat every single day.

The best fibre-packed foods are:

• Strawberries

• Avocado

• Oats

• Bananas

• Broccoli

• Carrots

• Kidney beans

• Quinoa

• Almonds

• Dark chocolate

Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are another essential nutrient for losing weight because it helps to increase satiety, which aids in weight loss. Healthy fats are also an excellent source of energy during your workouts.

You should be aiming to eat 0.5-1 gram of healthy fats per kilogram of body weight daily.

A few foods that are high in healthy fats include:

• Avocados

• Cheese

• Dark chocolate

• Whole eggs

• Fatty fish

• Nuts

• Chia seeds

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Full-fat yoghurt

Complex Carbohydrates

Complex carbs are important for weight loss because they can help you feel fuller for longer, which means you are less likely to want to snack during your day.

You should be aiming to eat 137 grams of complex carbohydrates per 1000 calories that you eat each day.

Some complex carb-rich foods that you could include in your diet are:

• Quinoa

• Brown rice

• Kidney beans

• Lentils

• Sweet potatoes

• Apples

• Bananas

Lifestyle Changes for Long-Term Success

The correct diet and workout plan is important, but so is incorporating some lifestyle changes into your daily routine.

By including the right lifestyle changes, you can see your weight loss efforts speed up and you will have your desired physique in absolutely no time at all.

On top of being physically rewarding, healthy lifestyle changes can also make you feel better about yourself mentally, which can then boost your morale during your day and this can help with weight loss.

So what changes can you make?

What you change in your lifestyle is fully up to you, however, some things that I would suggest to get yourself going are:

• Meal prepping each morning or evening

• Practising mindful eating

• Getting 7-9 hours of sleep every single night

• Managing stress levels with activities such as yoga, light exercise or meditation

• Making sure to not sit for too long without standing up and walking around

• Hydrating plenty throughout your day

• Giving yourself small daily goals to achieve

By doing things like these (and perhaps other things you can think of) you will make it much easier for yourself to lose weight.

Tracking Progress & Staying Accountable

Believe it or not, tracking your weight loss progress will help a tonne because you will be holding yourself accountable for staying on course.

You can track things through certain apps, writing it in your notes or simply jotting it down on a piece of paper - the choice is yours!

Now you may be wondering, what should you track?

You should ensure that you keep a record of:

• Your calorie intake - this is best done through calorie-tracking apps such as MyFitnessPal or MyNetDiary

• Weekly progress photos and measurements - this will allow you to compare with previous weeks and see how much progress you're making

• Your workouts - log each rep and set that you did so you can look back on it the following week and try and do more

Make sure that you also celebrate any small-scale victories that you make every day as this can keep your motivation boosted.

For example, if you notice that you have an improvement in energy levels or your clothing fits better, then you should be celebrating this as well.

Common Weight Loss Mistakes To Avoid

Doing things right is important for receiving the best results, so knowing some rookie weight loss mistakes will help you avoid getting it wrong.

So what are these mistakes?

Over-Restricting Your Calories

The first mistake we will cover is over-restricting your calories, or in more simple terms, not eating enough food.

While this may seem like a good idea because your body will be putting on less fat, it is a bad idea because your body will not be getting the energy or nutrition that it needs.

Without enough energy, you will not perform as well in your workouts, and without the proper nutrition, your body will struggle to lose weight healthily.

Therefore, making sure that you eat enough (not too much) is essential for losing weight and will make it a lot easier than if you didn't eat.

Relying On Crash Diets or 'Quick Fixes' That Are Unsustainable

Crash diets (or low-calorie diets) are very bad for several reasons, such as they will slow your metabolism down and can be very bad for your heart.

And there is no such thing as a 'quick fix' when it comes to weight loss - losing weight takes effort and dedication - there is no easy solution other than consistency and hard work.

So don't start searching up 'how to lose 10kg in a week' because that is not possible, and even if it was it would be extremely unhealthy.

Just stick to a healthy, well-balanced diet and follow a reliable workout routine and you'll begin seeing results in no time.

Skipping Meals

Skipping meals is just as bad as over-restricting your calories because your body won't be getting the energy or nutrition it needs for weight loss.

This can slow down your metabolism, which makes losing weight a lot harder to achieve since your body will burn fewer calories and more gets stored as fat.

Additionally, skipping meals during the makes it more likely for you to start binge eating later on in the day.

Comparing Progress With Others

You should never ever compare your own progress with that of others.

Other people may have started a long time before you, so comparing your day 1 with their day 100 is pointless.

Don't demotivate yourself by doing this - instead, focus on your own journey, which is the only weight loss journey that you should be worried about.

Don't scroll through social media admiring other people's physiques - if you want a physique like theirs, then focusing on your own progress is the fastest way to achieve that.

Supplements for Weight Loss

SUPPLEMENTS ARE NOT STEROIDS. They are vitamins and minerals put together for a specific purpose.

While weight loss supplements are not essential for losing weight, they can certainly help propel your journey a lot.

But which supplements should you be taking for weight loss?

Protein Powder

One brilliant supplement for weight loss is protein powder, which you may find strange as this is largely associated with muscle-building.

Remember how we said that muscle mass can help with weight loss because it increases your metabolic rate, which makes calorie-burning easier?

Protein powder will help repair your muscles after strength training workouts, which allows them to grow more.

Additionally, protein is a nutrient that can help you feel fuller for longer, so protein powder can prevent you from snacking between meals.

Caffeine or Green Tea Extracts

Caffeine and green tea extracts are an excellent supplement for weight loss, but how?

These supplements have shown to boost your metabolism and also give you a lot more energy which you can use to fuel your workouts.

However, be cautious when using caffeine or green tea extracts as supplements because taking too much of them can actually cause damage to your health.

If I were you, I would definitely do a bit more research into these supplements, reviewing the pros and cons and seeing if it is worth it for you.

Supplements You Should Avoid

While most supplements will bolster your progress towards losing weight, some are really bad for your health and may not even help at all.

There is too many bad supplements for us to list here on this page, however just look out for anything that look really cheap or scammy.

If they advertise unrealistic results, they are most likely a scam.

To ensure that you purchase a good weight loss supplements, stick to some well-known brands.

Weight Loss Guide Summary

Weight loss occurs when you are in a calorie deficit, focusing on proper nutrition and ensuring that you recieve plenty of exercise regularly.

Focus on eating nutrient-dense foods, making sure to control your portion sizes to avoid overeating or undereating.

Incorporate a balance of both cardio and strength training into your workout plan for the optimal fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass.

On top of a good diet and workout routine, you should also include healthy habits into your lifestyle, such as getting plenty of sleep and managing stress levels.

Track your weight loss progress through tracking apps or notes to maintain accountability and stay motivated.

Remember, supplements are not essential, but can definitely help boost your journey, however this is not the case if you use the wrong supplements.

Stay patient and consistent, and you will soon notice a decrease in your body weight.

Now you know how to lose weight, get started on your journey today, and remember that if you need help, then you can always check out our programs or other articles like this.

I hope this weight loss guide has helped. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us using the chat box.