We know…you’ve been trying to lose that stubborn fat for weeks, maybe even months now.

No worries, we’ve cut out all the nonsense, and explained step by step how you’re going to get it off for good this time. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been on the grind for a while, this is for you.

1. Understanding Your Diet

Your diet is by far the most important part of losing weight. If you don’t know how many calories you’re putting in your body, there’s a good chance you’re over eating…even if it’s “clean”, and hence why you’re not losing weight.

Surprise, surprise, you don’t need to be eating brown rice and chicken for every meal! On the flip side, you probably shouldn’t be eating twinkies all day either. It’s best to find a happy medium.

Fat Loss, Muscle Maintenance Guidelines

• You need to be in a calorie deficit (i.e burning more calories than you’re consuming).
• You should be consuming enough protein.

Yup, that’s really all there is to it! Simple right? If your diet allows you to maintain a calorie deficit with enough protein, you’re golden. The laws of thermodynamics will take over, and your body will simply burn more energy, aka the fat, than it needs. You WILL lose weight. 

Adequate protein will help spare the muscle you already have, and sticking to a resistance workout regimen will allow you to maintain, if not increase muscle mass during this process!

Determine Your Body’s Needs

• You can figure out how many calories and other nutrients your body needs using an online calculator. We recommend using IIFYM.
• If you are a woman, consuming 0.7-0.8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight will be sufficient during the fat loss process.
• For men, kick that up to 1.1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.

Diet Tips

With that said, there are some additional rules of thumb to make the process easier and more sustainable: 

• Ensuring that you are consuming enough protein, carbohydrates, and fats can be extremely beneficial for energy and hormone balance. These are called your macronutrients, “macros” for short. Again, check out a calculator like IIFYM, to figure out how much of each your body needs.
• Eating quality, satiating foods will help you stay fuller for longer, making the overall process much easier.
• Don’t forget to eat foods you enjoy. Yes, you can have your cookies as long as they fit your daily calorie count…just don’t fill up on them 🙂

2. Cardio

Although, diet is the most important aspect of weight loss, you’ll want to use additional techniques to achieve a calorie deficit. This is where, yes you guessed it, cardio comes in.

By incorporating cardio sessions into your routines, you can expedite the process of burning off that fat without starving yourself to meet your caloric needs.

What Kind of Cardio Should I Do?

There are limitless possibilities when choosing what to do for your cardio sessions, and they don’t even all have to be the same. You’re welcome to pick your favorite(s) and stick to them.

We here at Vanguard, recommend that our clients do steady state cardio (ex. walking) over high intensity interval training (ex. sprinting) for the purpose of burning calories. It’s easier mentally and physically to perform, and is faster to recover from.

Cardio Tips

• If you are seeing fat loss at a steady rate, you probably don’t need to do any cardio just yet. Once the weight loss seems to plateau, go ahead and start including cardio sessions
• Start off with 2-3 fifteen minute steady state sessions a week (ex. walking).
• Don’t overdo the cardio. If you are using cardio for the sole purpose of losing weight, you frankly don’t need to do that much. You are better off creating a calorie deficit with proper diet and nutrition.

3. Your Weight Loss Expectations

One of the main reasons people fail to reach their weight loss goals, is expecting results too soon. Don’t get discouraged. Your rate of weight loss is dependent on how much fat is already on your body and how long you’ve been in a fat lost phase already. The more fat you have, the easier it is to lose, and as you burn more over time, the more difficult it gets.

Fat Loss Tracking Tips

• You should aim to lose roughly 1% of your bodyweight each week (can be higher for individuals at higher body fat percentages).
• Don’t be so obsessed with the number on that scale. Your weight will undergo daily fluctuations throughout the entire process, so ignore the day to day changes. Focus on the weekly averages.
• Track your progress using measuring tools such as Body Fat Calibers instead of relying on a weight scale alone. Body Measuring Tape and visual changes are also great ways to determine progress.
• Be aware that things like sodium and carbohydrates can increase water retention, causing the scale to go up. You can ignore weight changes due to this; it is irrelevant for actual fat loss.

Good Luck!

Free Daily Workouts