The misunderstood psychology of weight loss — how to lose 30 pounds PART 4

Foundation

It’s a lot easier to lose fat first and then gain muscle. Yes you can do both at the same time, but it’s hard. You want to give yourself the best chance of success, so focus first on losing the fat and then building the muscle.

I like to call it your foundation — if you build a great (low body fat) foundation, it’s easier to stack muscle (lean or bulk) on top of it down the track. If you’re overweight right now, you’ll have quite a bit of subcontinous fat covering your muscles anyway, so why not get rid of it first?

In my experience, the best way to lose fat is not to do cardio. Slow cardio (walks, treadmill, bike, etc) burns up fat but also muscle. Cardio is great for your heart, especially HIIT, but isn’t necessary to lose fat.

There’s a bunch of research online about cardio versus lifting weights for losing fat, but I prefer to use diet and weight training (moderate weight, high rep — if you’re female, you won’t put on bulk) to lose fat.

Control your calories via food (a 500 calorie deficit per day based on your BMR) and keep your metabolism burning using weights.

When you think about where most people come undone, it’s normally not in the gym. It’s relatively easy to workout 3–4 times per week for most people. It’s the food temptation that’s the hardest. I’ll talk more about that below.

To build your foundation, you first want to get your BMI (Body Mass Index) into the normal range, at around 20. You can calculate yours here. Once you’ve done that, you’ve got a foundation on which you can start to build some good, lean muscle quite quickly.

https://medium.com/personal-growth/the-misunderstood-psychology-of-weight-loss-how-to-lose-30-pounds-in-2016-c26fbd8e16f3

Why You’re NOT Losing Fat (TRUTH!!)

Get Inspired to Get Fit! Weight-Loss Success Story

Weight-Loss Success Story: Tricia Minnick How one reader lost more than 100 pounds to get healthy for herself and her family

Tricia Minnick, 28

Before: 278 lbs 

After: 150 lbs

Years of crash diets did nothing to help Tricia Minnick, 28, control her weight, and by the time she got married in 2006, she was carrying more than 200 pounds on her 5'8" frame. In 2007, she got pregnant, and a complication resulted in four months of bed rest—and a 75-pound weight gain. Shortly after Tricia had her son, she and her family moved from Texas to Stuart, Florida. Isolated from friends and extended family, she turned to food for comfort. With the scale stuck at 278 pounds, she says, "I was completely overwhelmed by how much I needed to lose."

The Change

By January 2009, Tricia's doctor warned her that she might need blood pressure medication. And when she found herself breathless trying to keep up with her son, Dash, Tricia realized her weight affected him too. "I didn't want him to face the physical or emotional issues that I had," she says. She gave herself a year to drop 100 pounds.

The Lifestyle

Tricia gave up soda and processed carbs, and filled half her plate with veggies at every meal. She broke out a neglected jogging stroller and started taking her son for walks. She couldn't go very far at first, but by the end of three weeks, she was logging six miles a day and had dropped 20 pounds. Tricia then started using weights at home for 30 minutes twice a week, and by March, at 240 pounds, her blood pressure returned to normal. That September, she met her 100-pound goal but wasn't ready to stop. She began jogging four days a week, and in March 2010, her scale hit 150. "I've never felt better," she says.

The Reward

The woman who once got winded grocery shopping ran her first marathon in November 2010. "Crossing the finish line, I felt as if I could do anything," says Tricia. "I'm healthier and happier than ever!"

Tricia's Tips

Brush your teeth.

"It'll help stop night snacking. Fresh breath makes you less tempted to eat more."

Hit reset.

"If I fell off the wagon, I'd look at the next meal as an opportunity to succeed instead of giving up.
As long as you're trying, you're making progress."

Give peas a chance.

"I thought I didn't like vegetables, but I'd only had them canned—mushy and salty. Fresh veggies are delicious!"

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/healthy-weight-loss-success-stories