Eating Healthy but Still Not Losing Body Fat?

Been steering clear of the biscuit tin?
Choosing the salad for lunch?
Buying avocado and rice cakes in bulk?
....and still not seeing results?

As a Coach I often see this happening with members, they seem to be doing everything right with their diet and still not seeing any progress. 

It's not because you aren't putting in enough effort, you're probably more committed than most! It's often just small simple tweaks to your diet that most of us just don't know. 

1. You're dieting too hard.
You need a caloric deficit to lose weight. You do not need to live on lettuce leaves and chicken breast for the rest of your life. "Dieting" and eating too little calories can cause a host of issues... Our bodies are amazing at adapting and surviving and by eating too little for too long your metabolism will slow causing you to require less energy to function. The result? You're tired AND you're not burning any fat.
 
2. You're going whole grain/wheat.
Whole grain bread, wholemeal pasta, wholemeal flour... these are all touted as being the healthy option. For many of us though, our diets are based too much on these carb-heavy, calorie dense foods that have minimal nutrients. Replace these with nutrient dense veggies instead... by making this one change I GUARANTEE you'll see a difference in your body and energy!
 
3. You choose salads without thinking.
Let me just tell you, finding a proper healthy salad can be bloody difficult! So many of them from restaurants and cafes are loaded with secret unhealthy ingredients or calories. Added sugar in dressings, dried fruits deep-fried croutons/bacon/crisps/noodles, high-fat sauces and basing it on carb-heavy calorie dense foods like potato, pasta and rice (see above). Think about the ingredients in your salad and if they are taking you away from your goal or bringing you closer to it. 
 
4. You're just eating too much of the good stuff.
Like I mentioned, to lose body fat you need to be in a caloric deficit. If you need roughly 1500 calories per day, and you eat 2000 calories of chicken, veggies and rice... you will still gain weight. It's also easy to go over your calorie limit with healthy fats because they are so high in calories. Foods like salmon, avocado, nuts and healthy oils can tip you over the edge. I love these foods and you need them in your diet but remember your portion sizes and stop eating when you're full.
 
I hope you find these simple tips useful and remember the key is to educate yourself on food and nutrition, so you can create your own "diet" to suit your body and goals.

Happy eating!

Joe.

Owner & Head Coach. 

---

Categories

All
Diet
Mindset
Nutrition
Training
Weight Loss