Initially I was sold on the low carbohydrate approach as advocated by Atkins. After considerable research, I forged ahead for three months on the program losing 30lbs in the process but the net effect was a lack of sustainable energy once I started exercising. Additionally, limiting myself to the carbohydrates I could consume; notably vegetables, legumes, nuts and berries; made it very difficult to continue. I soon lost my motivation and fell back into my previous way of eating. A little over a year later, all the weight I had lost was back.
With my latest attempt, a little less than two years ago, I was prepared to go the low calorie approach. As the months went by, I was again shedding the pounds. However in time, the weight loss stopped likely as a result of inadequate food intake, increase in lean muscle mass and/or my body getting use to the exercise and unable to adapt further.
After months with no significant change, I began to research more into why I had hit a plateau. What I learned was food intake is a lot like water intake. Drink an adequate amount of water and your body sheds stored water weight. Eat an adequate amount of “sensible” food and your body sheds stored fat weight. If you limit the amount of water consumed, your body will retain water as a precaution. Likewise if you limit the amount of food consumed, your body will retain its fat stores also as a precaution. Give your body both water and food and watch the weight melt away! Now of course this an oversimplified statement as there are a number of variables involved but this is what I observed during the period in which my weight loss had hit a plateau and I began following the approach described below while exercising at a higher intensity.
1. Create an account on Calorie Count and begin logging your food intake without making any significant changes to your diet. This will give you an idea of the quality of your diet and quantity of your calories.
What was most surprising to me was how off I was with my diet. For the exercise, duration and intensity I was performing, I should have been eating approximately 2,600 calories per day. In reality, I was lucky to get 1,400 to 1,600 calories per day.
2. Take your body measurements (neck, chest, waist, biceps, quads) every week or two to gauge your progress. The scale is fine and convenient but it is not a true representation as your overall weight will fluctuate (water, lean muscle mass, hormones etc.). If you have a scale that reports on body fat, it is better than a scale alone.
3. Calculate your daily caloric expenditure. To loose weight and up to 1lb a week, consume 500 less calories a day. Theoretically, a 500 calorie reduction equates to 3500 calories per week or the equivalent of 1lb of fat. In reality, you will find your weight loss will fluctuate. Some weeks you will loose more than 1lb and some weeks you may stop loosing or even gain weight. Do not be alarmed. Rely more on how clothes feel and body measurements than to the scale. If you are doing any strength exercises, remember the volume of lean muscle mass pound for pound is less than fat.
4. If you want to reach a specific goal weight, calculate it here. Keep in mind to loose weight, you must eat. Drastic caloric deduction will do you more harm than good as your body will go into starvation mode and store food intake as fat. YOU MUST EAT TO LOOSE WEIGHT! Drastic caloric reductions are generally reserved for the obese or those who have a considerable amount of weight to loose. They are also monitored by doctors. Typically those that reduce their calories drastically, when returning to normal eating habit, gain all the weight back.
5. Purchase a scale to weigh your food portions. This keeps things as accurate as possible. If making a meal which combines ingredients such as a casserole, weigh and track each ingredient added to calculate the total calories. Then weigh your portion size to get an approximate calorie count.
6. With your daily caloric expenditure calculated, divide the calories consumed into the following 6 meals:
- Breakfast - 25% of total calories
- Mid morning snack - 8.3% of total calories
- Lunch - 25% of total calories
- Mid afternoon snack - 8.3% of total calories
- Dinner - 25% of total calories
- Evening snack - 8.3% of total calories
Some also advocate eating more calories earlier in the day and less in the evening. There’s some sense to this as your body requires the energy early to fuel your body for the day. You can change the percentages above but I would still recommend the 6 meals (or 5 at the least).
7. Your macro-nutrient ratio (Fat, Protein, and Carb) should be based on your activity level. The more active you are, the more carbohydrates you will require.
- If exercising (weights, cardio - treadmill jogging brisk walking cycling etc.) use F-20% P-30% C-50%
- If exercising extreme (running cycling hard intervals etc.) use F-20% P-15% C-65%
- To maintain weight use F-20% P-20% C-60% w/o caloric reduction
- Fat (unsaturated fats in fish, oils, nuts)
- Protein (lean meat, fish, nuts, eggs, quinoa etc.)
- Carbohydrates (100% Whole Wheat breads, 100% Whole Wheat pastas and 100% Whole Grain rice, fruit, vegetables etc.). Eliminate refined carbohydrates found in white bread, white pastas and white rice.
8. Try to balance your nutrient intake at each meal or at the very least, consume protein with carbohydrates and when possible, consume vegetables first, protein second and remaining carbohydrates last.
9. Drink fluids! Eight 8oz of fluid a day should be your target. Your urine should be a pale yellow and odourless. If not, you are dehydrated and retaining water. Fluid intake does not have to be limited to water, 100% fruit and vegetable juices will also work but be mindful of the caloric expense.
10. Follow the Canada Food Guide or your own region's food guide for recommended servings
11. Low to moderate exercise will burn more fat (up to 80% of your energy will come from fat stores) however you will have to exercise longer to loose fat. Moderate to high intensity (HI) exercise will burn more carbohydrates (up to 80%) but fat is still burned and will continue to burn after exercise (known as the after burn effect). HI exercises are completed in shorter durations. Recommend low intensity and gradually increasing the intensity as your body and will allow.
12. Change things up every once in a while as your body will get use to the food and the exercise. By changing things up, it confuses your body and avoids weight loss and exercise adaptation plateaus.
13. Shop the outer isle at the grocery store. There you will find vegetables, fruit, dairy, bread and meat. Limit or eliminate the amount of processed food and refrain from eating refined carbohydrates as these spikes your insulin levels and may contribute to over eating. This includes any carbohydrates including the words enriched in the ingredients (e.g. enriched white floor, enriched wheat flour etc.). Stick to wholesome carbohydrates found in breads and vegetables.
Outcome... in the 6 months following this approach, I broke through my plateau and shed an additional 14lbs of fat and dropped from 172lbs to 158lbs.
