Action plan for weight loss

In past lessons we have told you what to do in theory to lose weight: Follow a low-calorie diet, make sure it is rich in nutrients and combine it with physical training. However, in this lesson we will give you action plans for executing those steps.

Step No.1: Focus on your goals

First, you need to think about exactly what you want to achieve and whether you're willing to make the necessary sacrifices. It's no secret that, especially in the beginning, dieting and fitness training require a lot of willpower and effort. Knowing where you want to get to will help you or set clear goals and consequently, elaborate a diet plan and physical routine specialized in your objectives.

Another important point is to be realistic. The result you get will be the mixture of your effort and what genetics allows you to achieve. You must keep in mind that not all organisms are the same, some produce more testosterone than others and therefore will have more possibilities of developing muscle mass. When it comes to weight loss, some people lose weight more easily than others. So, know yourself! Understand your limitations and maximize your possibilities.

Step 2: How much can you eat?

This depends on your starting body weight. Diets are usually started by making a 20% decrease in your normal calorie intake. In this way, you would be losing approximately 1kg per week. If you wish to increase this figure, you should reduce your calorie intake even more, consulting a nutritionist beforehand who will tell you how far you can go.

People with very high body weights do not fit the above-mentioned data. They should greatly increase the percentage of calories they consume according to their current weight and proposed goals.

Step 3: What should you eat?

We recommend a balanced diet that includes all macronutrients.

Protein: An adequate measure of protein intake is between 1.76 and 2.2 grams per kg of body weight per day. If you are at a very high weight, when making the above calculation, use your goal weight instead of your current weight.

Fats: The recommended percentage of fats to include in the diet is between 15 to 35% of daily calories. A figure lower than 15% can mean a detriment to the body's hormone production. On the other hand, if more than the maximum figure indicated is consumed, there will be no room to include carbohydrates in the diet.

Carbohydrates: Knowing the amount of carbohydrates to be consumed is easier once the values of proteins and fats are already known. It would be then, to add the amount of those and subtract the result to the total daily calories to be consumed. It is necessary to keep in mind that 1 gram of carbohydrates and protein contains 4 calories while 1 gram of fat has 9 calories.

Step No. 4: Know what foods to incorporate into your diet.

If you are trying to lose weight, these are the foods that you should integrate into your diet in a balanced way. The most recommended are high in volume and low in calories, this allows them to satiate the appetite but not fattening.

Proteins:

• Lean meat

• Chicken

• Eggs

• Fish

For Vegans (In substitution of protein):

• Beans

• Legumes

Carbohydrates:

• Whole Grains

• Rice

• Potatoes

Fats:

• Avocados

• Nuts

Step No.5: What supplements should you take?

To lose weight we recommend two types of supplements: Protein powder and Creatine. It is proven that they do not produce side effects in healthy adults.

In the case of shakes prepared with protein powder there is a problem: they are liquid calories. These are processed faster in the body than solid ones, which can cause hunger or cravings.

This is the recommended daily dose of supplements:

• 40-60 grams of protein powder

• 5 grams of creatine

• 1-3 grams of fish oil (optional)

• 200- 500 milligrams of caffeine (optional)

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