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Weight Loss for Women – A Personal Trainers Perspective

Eating healthy is NOT the same as eating to GET LEANER!

Weight Loss programs for women usually are very misleading. They often times imply that eating healthy foods are a good way to lose weight. They also suggest that this is the way to BUNS OF STEEL and a lean muscular physique.

I know from over 10 years of training myself and hundreds of clients that in most cases this is simply NOT ENOUGH!

Now let me be clear here. I am not saying that eating healthier is  bad thing. What I am saying though is to adjust your expectations when using this kind of diet.

Can you lose some weight? Probably.

Can you can some muscle? Maybe.

Can you lose a ton of body fat and change your physique into what you envision? Probably NOT!

For the women clients I train I recommend keeping it very simple. I usually start them on 4-5 meals a day. These meals consist of high quality protein and 2 meals include complex carbs. The FAT in their diet is usually higher then they expect.

I dont include “empty” calories in their plan just because they are “healthy” foods.

I only include foods that serve a purpose.

We want foods in your plan that will help you lose body fat (not just weight on the scale) and also help you gain or maintain your muscle.

Your nutrition accounts for 75-80% of the results you achieve on any fitness program.

With that being said do yourself a favor and don’t just eat HEALTHY foods. Eat the right HEALTHY foods that will also help you get the lean body you are striving for!

– Amber

P.s. If you would like to know more about the nutrition plan I design for my clients please feel free to CONTACT ME HERE.

Even though I am in the midst of redesigning my blog I still need to get out some helpful tips to you today.

The holiday madness is in full swing and if you aren’t careful you could really slip up this time of year.

I thought I would share with you the strategies I use with my clients for the holidays.

Workout Tips

1. Stay dedicated to your workout routine! – With the hustle and bustle, last minute shopping, and other obligations it is very easy to skip the gym this week. DON’T DO IT! Get in there and get it done. Make it a priority and set aside time to workout. We all need to burn a few extra calories this week so don’t make it worse by skipping the gym.
2. Use Full Body Workouts – Get more bang for your buck and use Full Body workouts this week. Train the big muscles first and work your way down to the smaller ones.
3. Use circuit training to maximize your effort – I train my clients using “circuits” of exercise. This keeps the heart rate up and keeps you burning far more calories than a traditional slow pace workout.

Eating Tips

1. Stay on your nutrition plan – stick as closely as possible to the nutrition plan that you follow everyday. Eat frequently and keep your protein/carb/fat ratios in check. DON’T SKIP MEALS!
2. Eat just before attending your holiday events – Just before you attend any holiday event where there will be tempting foods make sure you eat (or drink a protein shake) just before the event. This will keep you full and reduce your hunger level. DON”T GO TO A HOLIDAY PARTY HUNGRY!
3. Reduce your carb intake for a few days prior to the holidays – We use this strategy to reduce to damage from the extra calories that WE ALL tend to consume during this week. I tell my clients to reduce CARB calories for a few days prior to the holidays. This way any CARBS (usually cookies, cakes, etc. this week :0) will in essence just replace the calories we have taken out. I understand the calories are not the same quality (simple vs. complex) but it does help!DON’T OVERDUE YOUR CARBS ALL WEEK LONG!
4. Reduce your carb intake AFTER your events as well – directly after the holidays I also recommend that my clients keep their CARB calories low for a few days. This helps level them back out and gives them some sort of structure to follow.
5. Don’t keep leftovers around the house – Get rid of the leftovers! Don’t keep the leftover cookies, cakes, and holiday treats in the house once you are done. It is way too tempting!
6. Get back on your eating plan after the holidays – Once your holiday events are over get right back on your plan. Most people turn the holidays into an all out over eating fest! Make it a point to get right back on your diet after the holiday madness is done!

Enjoy your holidays but don’t let it turn into something you regret next week. The New Year is right around the corner so start off with a good plan and hit the ground running!

Amber

Do you any holiday eating tips that have helped you out in the past?