How to lose weight and still be motivated...

Question
Hi Phil,

I am a 19 yr old male living in Australia. (So basically I
have a lot
of access to fruit and vegetables so that is not an issue
for getting
access to that sort of food)

I am struggling with trying to lose weight. I have joined a
gym and
attend a few times a week mostly doing weights and use the
treadmill
I do Zumba (that dancing exercise) a few times a week.

Also I try to have a salad with lunch and dinner with
perhaps a piece
of lamb or beef. I use the salad dressing and I have cereal
in the
morning. I try this and after about a week I get bored and
go back to
the junk.

I am asking what can I do to help have a stable diet where I
won't
always be getting bored? And I am curious to know what sort
of
exercise would work well to lose weight?
(I have not and will not ever use diet pills or lose weight
quick
schemes)

I am just looking for a good healthy way to lose weight and
stay  
motivated and on track.

Also if it helps I am 115kg which I think is about 253lb and
I am 6ft
2"

Thank you for any help you can give me.

Jon

Answer
Jon-

Number one you need to be consistent and make yourself stick to something long term, a week wont do a thing. You need to make changes you will hold onto for your whole life. Eating is not a change you can just make till you reach your goal and go back to whatever you need to find a plan you can have forever.

Id say #1 some diet changes are much needed. Id say mainly your lacking fats in your diet that can greatly aid fat loss, eat fat to lose fat. I would shift you to a more fat and protein based plan. In the stead of the ineffective and unhealthy low fat carb reliant diet. I would have you shift your grains, breads etc to green leafy veggies and a few fruits a day.   We must have fat to simply have basic life function in a healthy manner. I would make up a diet a varied diet meaning lots of variety of real whole foods, things that grow out side and live out side, veggies, fish, cow, pigs, nuts seeds berries fruit, eggs etc.. Thing you would find in nature. The day you find a bread tree is the day that should be a staple in your diet. Its very hard not to lose weight by just eating real foods in variety especially when the majority of it is protein and fat.

training wise your base should be basic heavy resistance training, dont be afraid to load the weights on. If I were your coach I would have you venture to the free weights from day 1 as well.

Train like an athlete, seek performance not pain. Pain is not an indicator of a good workout, progress is. Pain happens, it should not be a goal of training. It's better to make progress and have NO pain.  Aim not to go to failure. failure happens don't seek it. Aim to kick the weights butt not them kicking yours, Aim to make progress, make something that was hard easy. Start slow, even deep body weight squats and work up. Learn proper form.

I would stay in the 1-5 rep range for 3-10 sets, crisp and fast concentrics, a nice controlled eccentric, focusing on performance over pain. If you perform better you by default will look better.

I would do one press, one pull and one leg move a day really giving the moves the attention they deserve. Start with 3 days a week and tack on some anaerobic type of cardio like sprinting sessions, swimming intervals, dragging things, carrying things, playing tennis, football, basketball racquetball, a few times a week, or other brief HIIT like work.  You have NO need to run long distances to burn fat. One thing I have found very effective is simple walking as well first thing in the morning before breakfast and any time you want a relaxing walk. the fuel will be 100% fat and not inhibit your later gym work if kept low intensity.

Phil Stevens

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