Want to lose weight? 5 Steps to weight loss success.

A few things to note before I go any further.

1. It may not be easy journey and everyone's journey will be different and specific to their starting point, goals and health history.

2. It will take time. Depending on where you are beginning from, it may take weeks, months or even years to safely lose the weight you want to. Be patient.

3. This post is a generic plan to begin your weight loss journey. It may not be the specific plan for you. Please consult your doctor or physician before beginning any training program.

Let’s begin…

Step One: Nutrition (a very brief overview)

Diets don’t work. You shouldn’t have to do a “cleanse”. Don’t worry about what diet is best. The best “diet” is not a diet at all. It is a healthy food lifestyle. Not one that ends 6 weeks or 90 days. If you hear someone say they have a 90 day weight loss plan for you, ignore it. It may help you short term but your long term health will not be impacted.

The best nutrition plan is called healthy eating. A plan that you will continue to use the rest of your life.

Here is a simple layout of foods to eat, minimize and avoid.

Foods you should eat every day…

1. Lots of protein. Fresh protein, not frozen protein. Chicken, beef, pork and seafood. Have a mix of all types in your diet. Make sure to have protein at every meal.

2. Eggs

3. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Minimize canned and frozen ones.

Foods you can have but keep minimal…

1. Cheeses

2. Milk

3. Nuts

4. Peanut Butter

5. Grains

Foods to avoid…

1. Processed sugar

2. Frozen foods

3. Most Snack Foods, Chips etc.

4. Desserts (Pie, cakes, cookies, etc)

5. Soy

6. Most Oils

You should expect to eat 3 meals a day and maybe a snack or two. Depending on what type of foods you eat and how much, the quantity of meals per day may change.

I cannot state this enough. This is not a specific plan for anyone. These are only generic guidelines. If you have specific food allergies, you know what foods to avoid.

Step Two: Hydration

You need to stay hydrated EVERY SINGLE DAY. 8, 8 ounce glasses off water is the standard but it depends on your bodyweight and the amount of water you consume from foods. Feel free and begin to use the 8 glasses of water per day as a benchmark.

Notice I said water. Not coffee. Not juice. Not tea. Not even sports drinks. Water.

Make sure to have a glass of water immediately when you wake up and all throughout the day. You may want to watch your water intake in the evening as too much water at night may disrupt your sleep. Which is the next step for healthy weight loss.

Step Three: Sleep

This is also a must. 99.9% of the time you should aim to get at least 7 hours of sleep, but preferably 8-9 hours.

I understand that you may not get 8-9 hours of sleep every night. Some nights you may not be tired when it’s time to go to bed. You may toss and turn quite a bit of the night. Or even new parents may not get the recommended amount of sleep. That is ok. Every night may not be perfect, but you should set yourself up for success each night and plan to get the most sleep possible.

For some people, naps may be an important part of their sleep routine. A solid 30 minute nap can help you feel re-energized and help you get through your day. Just be careful, if you are a napper and struggle to fall asleep at night at a reasonable hour, you may have to stop taking naps. The nap may be keeping you up at night.

For better sleep health...

1. If you are hungry before bed, eat something healthy, but not filling. It is ok to eat before bed, just don’t stuff yourself

2. No electronics 30 minutes before bed

3. Keep your bedroom cool. My recommendation is 65-70 degrees

4. Keep your bedroom dark and quiet

5. Avoid liquids an hour before bed

Step Four: Training

Get ready to work. In order to lose weight in the weight room you will have to pick up heavy weight and work hard. I can spend countless hours discussing cardiovascular training and weight lifting. This section will not go into depth but hopefully provide you with a starting point and some information that can help your current training.

Cardio:

Weight loss is not about how much cardio you can do. In fact, that may slow your progress. I am not saying cardio is bad, it all depends on the individual. Long and slow cardio, won’t do you much good. Especially if that is the only cardio you do. More efficient cardio training would include interval training. Hard and fast intervals with slower rest periods, repeated many times per session. That would be a more optimal cardio plan for weight loss. It probably will be more time efficient and more fun.

Cardio you should do…

• Bike or Treadmill Interval training

• Swimming

Cardio you should avoid…

• Long and slow cardio of the same method, ie jogging.

Completing interval training 2 times per week should be a great start.

Weight Lifting:

The workout should be designed around each individuals needs, goals and health assessment. Make sure you are honest with your coach about your health history and training experience. Communication is key.

In regards to weight lifting, you will need to lift 2-5 times per week. You will start off with the former and progress to the latter.

A proper training program will include compound lifts, with proper rep and set schemes.

Compound lifts you should be doing…

• Squats

• Deadlifts

• Hip Hinges

• Pull Ups

• Rows

• Shoulder Presses

• Push Ups

• Planks

Exercises you should avoid…

• Burpees

• Plyometrics for time

• Lots of Bench Press

• Lots of Isolation Exercises

If your program looks like this, you need to adjust it asap.

Some possible sets and reps schemes should include 3-5 sets of 3-8 reps. When you want to get strong and increase your muscle strength (which increases your metabolism), keep the repititions (volume) low. Hypertrophy training (training to become bigger in size), includes sets of 10 or more. Typically avoid these rep schemes.

Side note: Getting stronger is NOT getting bigger, Each goal has different training methods. Please do not worry about becoming too big. It takes a lot of work along with a different nutrition plan to get big. Focus on becoming stronger. Stronger muscle tissue means a HEALTHIER you.

Do not be afraid of heavy weights. Heavy weights does not mean you will become too big either. It means you will become stronger. With a proper training plan, safe exercise progressions and a qualified coach, you will eventually be able to work your way up to heavier weights.

Remember, becoming stronger will take time. Do not expect this in 1-2 months. It will take longer than that. Which leads me into the next step…

Step Five: Consistency

Weight loss is a lifetime commitment. Not a 90 day plan or a 30 day plan. LIFETIME. A healthy weight loss plan is for your entire life. If you are not prepared to live a healthy life, you will not have success with any plan. This may seem like a lot of work at first. And to be honest it will be. The goal is for this to become a habit. Eventually you won’t have to think about each step as it will become part of your daily routine. You just do it. It will take time but your life is worth it. Invest in yourself.

If you are ready to lose weight for good, contact me today. Let’s get to work.

Brad

www.BrookhartPerformance.com

757-741-8760

BrookhartPerformance@gmail.com