A Beginners Guide to Weight Loss: Understanding the basics

Starting your weight loss journey can seem daunting with social media providing access to all sorts of information which can sometimes seem conflicting, it can be hard to know the right thing to do or which direction to travel in. In this post i’m going to break down what I feel are the three most important concepts of weight loss. Those being calories, macronutrients, and the calorie deficit. If you can simply understand these three concepts it will go some way to helping your fitness goals whether that be weight loss / fat loss, muscle building or just shaping a healthier lifestyle, understanding these vital elements will make your fitness journey not just effective but sustainable.

Calories

Calories are essentially Energy, think of calories as the fuel your body needs to function, just like a car needs fuel. Whether you're walking, talking, or working out, your body is burning calories. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body expends. This is known as a calorie deficit. (Calories deficit is explained in the final point below - so keep reading).

Macronutrients

Macros are proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. These are the nutrients that make up the calories in your food.

1gram of Protein contains 4 calories

1gram of Fat contains 9 calories

1gram of Carbohydrates contains 4 calories

Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth, good sources of protein include meat, fish, eggs, and legumes.

Fats play an Important role in hormone production and overall health. Healthy sources or good fats include avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish.

Carbohydrates act as your body's primary energy source, good sources of carbohydrates are found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

During all aspect of fitness the balancing these macros is crucial for a well-rounded diet that supports your fitness goals.

The Importance of a Calorie Deficit

Creating a calorie deficit means consuming fewer calories than your body needs, forcing it to tap into stored energy (aka fat) for fuel. This is the key to weight loss.

How to Create a Calorie Deficit:

• Track your food intake using apps or a food diary (I recommend My Fitness Pal - its free) You’ll find a link to My Fitness Pal linked here ‘Tools’

• Be mindful of portion sizes.

• Increase physical activity to burn more calories.

Remember, the deficit doesn't mean deprivation as this can often lead to unhealthy relationships with food such as binge eating. It's about making sustainable healthier choices.

Conclusion

If you consume less calories than you expend the result will be weight loss….BUT remember this doesn’t happen over night or the course of 1 or 2 days. It needs to be a consistent approach for a sustained period of time.

Often people will try the ‘go it alone’ approach which often fails because whilst the principal of weight loss is fairly straight forward the one question you might be asking is “How many calories should I be eating to lose weight?”. That is the million dollar question.

There is no one size fits all and this answer to this questions varies from one person to the next, but you would be right in asking such an important question and I will cover this in my next blog post because apart from understanding the fundamentals of weight loss the next step is to understand how many calories you should be eating and how this can be calculated to make your fitness or weight loss journey a success.

I hope this blog gives you a better understanding of calories, macronutrients, and the calorie deficit. It's not just about shedding pounds; it's about nourishing your body, building healthy habits, and achieving sustainable results. Stay informed, stay motivated, and enjoy the transformative process.

Do you want to transform your body… GET IN TOUCH.