Fat Loss: Expectations vs Reality

With summer creeping up on us fast, gyms will soon be flooded with folks who have been putting off their fitness routine, if one at all, now coming in gun-ho to get their beach body ready.

People are ravenously scouring the internet for how to cut body fat. Drink this concoction. Do this much cardio. Spend this much time per week. There’s so much information out there and, sadly, most of it (even from well known sources) is not accurate at all.

Here’s what you need to know…

It’s not going to happen in 6-weeks.

Iron-Oak Fitness has been running 6-week challenges almost since we opened about two years ago. It continues to blow my mind, how many people think they can go from fat to fit in just six weeks.

While we have seen many folks lose up to 24lbs or 4-5% body fat in this time period, unless you are really kicking ass with your workouts and your nutrition is dead on, it’s just not going to happen.

I’ll feel happier about my life.

While shedding some pounds will surely give you a sense of achievement and surely some great selfie material, this may not last forever. Eventually, you’ll accept the new you and your feelings will return to what they were, just on a skinnier body.

If you’re not happy, you’re going to need to dig deep to see what else in your life is going on that may need fixed.

I’ll finally get the guy/girl of my dreams.

Sure, you may get a couple of new heads turning your way if you get that six-pack or a tight ass but keep in mind what you’re really looking for. Is the right person for you the one who is all about looks?

Statistics show that the best relationships are ones combined of both a physical AND emotional connection with one another, not to mention the ability to trust one another.

While your new hottie might be great for your Instagram status, you need to realize this is not a permanent situation.

I just need to cut out carbs.

This is probably what I hear more from people looking to lose weight than anything else. Look, we need carbs. Keto diets may be trendy right now but you don’t have all the information. I’ll keep it simple, but if you’d really like to get into this and need help putting together a nutrition plan where you won’t starve yourself of all of the things you love, then hit us up for a Nutritional Coaching session.

Anyhow…

Keto and/or Intermittent Fasting are great for losing fat but 1) this is generally very short term and unsustainable and 2) is only truly affective for those looking to compete in bodybuilding competitions.

Your body needs carbohydrates for energy, brain function, fueling muscle for high-intensity workouts and long-distance cardio-based activities, and a plethora of other reasons.

The scale should go down every day.

Not even close to accurate. Your body weight can fluctuate up to six pounds a day, just from water weight alone. The amount of sodium you had in a given day could cause drastic changes, as could alcohol and many other factors.

More importantly, however, is that the number on the scale accounts for everything inside of you, not just fat. For a lady, for example, you could weigh 140lbs and have a bit you’d like to lose but you could also weigh 140lbs and be totally jacked. In fact, many times, when people are really diving into their fitness and nutrition plans if they’re starting out on the thinner side, the end result may be a higher number and a more visually appealing reflection in the mirror.

Focus on body fat percentage, not the number on the scale.

If I eat less, I’ll lose more.

Okay, yes and no. Yes, you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose body fat. However, it should most likely not be any of this 1200 calories or less bullshit.

Frequently, I meet people who are extremely frustrated because they’re either not losing enough weight or already skinny, doing a ton of cardio, and do not look the least bit toned.

Each person needs a certain amount of food for their body, their goals, and their activity level. If you’re not getting enough, your body thinks your dying (essentially) and goes into a preservation mode. If you’re amping up the volume of your workouts, you may need to bump up the food as well.

Doing more exercise while continuing to be on a diet that is far too few calories, your metabolism will slow and your body will rapidly start losing muscle. Not good, right?

I would suggest using a nutrition calculator like the one here, to find out what you actually need. If you’re trying to add some lean muscle mass, you’ll need to add 400-500 calories to your maintenance number.

Another option, of course, is to see us for a Nutrition Coaching session.