What should I eat to lose weight?

What should I eat to lose weight?

This is a question we have been asked a lot. Answering it requires a little background and is made all the more complex by fad diets and food brands claiming their food is THE answer for you to lose weight. Let’s start by initially setting a couple of things straight:

1.) When we talk about weight loss, we really mean fat loss (rather than water or muscle).

2.) There is no one food that you should or should not be eating, it’s much more simple than that.
3.) Each day we create an energy balance. The calories burnt for movement, brain function, warmth etc VS the calories we consume via food and drink. To lose weight (fat) you need to be in a negative energy balance. i.e. you burn more than you consume.

So based on what I have said above you should be able to eat any type of food and as long as you stay in a negative energy balance you will lose weight (fat). So, I’ll eat a box of chocolates and that will be me, right?

As you probably know, It’s not quite that simple.

When did you last eat a box of chocolates or fast food and not feel like you could eat some more? The human body is an incredibly sophisticated and complex organism and you can't outsmart it. You need to think of the food you feed it as information, which triggers various hormonal responses AND is the means by which we deliver the nutrients we REALLY need.

Like a car needs the right fuel, we do too. A burger or other poor quality foods are JUST NOT going to give you the nutrients you need, so your body will continue to send hunger signals. In short you won’t satisfy your hunger or need for key nutrients and you will end up eating more.
ENTER our friends QUALITY & QUANTITY. 

Ok, so we know we can only eat a certain amount of food per day in order to ensure we are in a negative energy balance. We now need to make sure that the food we eat is packed with nutrients so the body feels satisfied and nourished with everything it needs.
Only then will it let you burn some excess fat for energy each day, which we know as fat loss.

So what should I eat to lose weight?

In short:
1.) Nutrient packed foods which are in their natural state and unprocessed.
2.) Eat these foods in a quantity that leave you in a small yet consistent daily caloric deficit to achieve sustainable weight loss. (more information coming on how to achieve this).

A little more detail:
A whole range of natural and unprocessed foods i.e. foods without an ingredients list. Whole fruit & vegetables supplemented with whole grains (think oats, whole rice, sweet potatoes etc), lean proteins (chicken, fish, tofu) and naturally occurring fats (avocado's, whole nuts, fish, seeds). 

Tip: The key here is to buy whole natural and unprocessed foods and cook up some culinary delights yourself. It's about finding foods and recipes you enjoy and if necessary simple and then finding a rhythm so that consistency can work it's magic. Of course there is some margin for error with the quality of food we eat, however if you follow these two key principles 80-90% of the time, you will be sure to make progress.

Here is an excellent resource to get started: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/category/healt...

If you have any questions then please don't hesitate to get in touch with us directly.

Do you have a health, fitness or weight loss goal you want to achieve?

We are a brand new gym facility and concept based in central Wetherby. We offer an unlimited Personal Training service and nutritional guidance for a monthly membership. We have a passionate team of experienced personal trainers who are here to help you achieve your goals every step of the way. While we work with you we build your knowledge about exercise, nutrition and getting the right mindset to sustain your new results.

You can schedule your Free consultation and session at anytime by contacting us:

Contacts: Hello@Truepersonaltraining.co.uk 01937 338098

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