AM I READY FOR A FAT LOSS PHASE?
We already know that a calorie deficit is the most important factor at play when it comes to pursuing fat loss goals. But, for most, staying in a consistent calorie deficit is a lot more challenging (and far more complex) than just “eating less and moving more.”
Reducing body fat to meet your aesthetic goals is a process. It requires patience and, more importantly, it requires consistency. To achieve your aesthetic goals you must adhere to a calorie deficit consistently over time, and there may be some compromises involved in order to stay consistent. Flexible nutrition is all about (you guessed it) flexibility. So while you should always have the flexibility to enjoy the foods you want to eat, pursuing aesthetic goals may require sticking to mostly high-volume whole foods and staying more intentional about meals out and higher calorie treats for a period of time.
There are many tips and tricks we share with our clients to help them through their specific challenges regarding tracking their macros while on vacation or eating out, meal prepping, managing hunger, etc. But beyond the individual challenges, one roadblock I see hindering progress over and over is not being in the right place to commit to these goals from the start.
IN ORDER TO REACH YOUR FAT LOSS GOALS, YOU MUST COMMIT TO THE JOURNEY.
I use the word “journey” because getting to your goals is far from a straight and simple path. There will inevitably be ups and downs in weight, in motivation, in progress, and there will be holidays and birthdays and vacations. But instead of accepting defeat the moment you experience discomfort or discouragement, your commitment to navigating the ups and downs allows you to plow through the tough times rather than giving up when it gets hard.
Working hard during the week only to go ham on the weekends, or crushing it for two weeks then getting frustrated and quitting when two weeks didn’t automatically lead to 10lbs of loss are the scenarios that turn us into perpetual dieters. And perpetual dieting is not only useless -- never leading to any real change; it is also incredibly damaging to our mental and physical health. Instead of being perpetual dieters, we want to be intentional eaters.
IS IT A GOOD TIME FOR A FAT LOSS PHASE?
We are quick to want to jump headfirst into fat loss goals without actually assessing whether or not we’re ready. Here is a checklist to consider before pursuing a fat loss phase:
1 | I HAVE SPENT ADEQUATE TIME EATING AT MAINTENANCE
We are not meant to be eating in a deficit forever and attempting to do so not only inhibits us from reaching our goals, but also compromises our metabolic health as well as our relationship with food and with our bodies. Taking adequate time to eat at maintenance is essential to successful and sustainable fat loss.
2 | I HAVE REASONABLE GOALS AND A REASONABLE TIMELINE
Deciding to crash diet 4 weeks before a beach vacation is not going to bode well. This creates unrealistic goals and expectations and, when we don’t meet them, we tend to feel frustrated with ourselves and hopeless about our ability to see progress. Ensure you have specific and reasonable goals you are pursuing so that you can not only reach your goals, but feel good doing so.
3 | I AM IN A GOOD HEADSPACE FOR A FAT LOSS PHASE
We can conflate the desire to change our bodies with the desire to feel better. Oftentimes, we will feel better not by pursuing a calorie deficit, but by sleeping more, minimizing stress, and fueling our bodies well. When our goals stem from wanting to “fix” ourselves or thinking that a lighter body will automatically mean more valuable, healthier, etc., we are setting ourselves up for failure right away. Sustainable fat loss requires starting on a solid foundation of a good relationship with our bodies and with ourselves. Pursuing changes for others or from a place of disliking our bodies will never leave us feeling better. Ensure you have done the foundational work first, and that your desire for aesthetic changes if for you, not for someone else.
Fat loss is not meant to be forever, so committing to your fat loss goals when the time is right and when you can pursue your goals in a healthy and safe way allows you to meet those goals sooner so you can move on to maintaining those changes and eating in a more sustainable manner. In the grand scheme of things, fat loss is a phase, and maintaining that fat loss is the real goal.
We believe that the best way to achieve your fat loss goals is working with a coach who creates a plan specific to you - your needs, your preferences, and your goals. A sustainable approach to our nutrition is essential to long-term habits and success. For high support coaching and guidance, apply for our 1:1 Nutrition Coaching here.