Putting nutrition over trying to burn calories should be your top priority. It’s so much easier to eat your calories than to burn them. That’s why I say you cannot outwork a bad diet. Nutrition is king! I’d advise anyone trying to lose weight, or even build muscle for that matter to invest their money into a nutritionist or legit nutrition program before hiring a personal trainer. I’m sure other trainers out there will be upset with me for saying that, but if you want real results in the gym, the nutrition has got to come first. I won’t take on a client until they can honestly tell me they have stuck to their nutrition plan for at least two weeks. Honestly, I should probably stretch that out to a month because nutrition is just too important. You will see results in the mirror faster if your focus is on nutrition. Think of your workouts and training as the “extra credit” you put in. This is especially the case when the goal is to lose weight.
It’s so much easier to just drop certain food additions so you don’t have to put in extra time at the gym.
For perspective, you can cut 250 calories from your diet by swapping your morning coffee drink for black coffee. Whatever cream and sugar or coffee enhancements you are adding could be killing your hard work in the gym. In order to burn 250 calories, you need to jog for about 30 to 40 minutes depending on your weight just to make up for that added coffee reinforcement. It’s so much easier to just drop certain food additions so you don’t have to put in extra time at the gym.
Your body adapts. It takes 1-2 weeks to adapt to the cardio and endurance training you put your body through. It will always want to become more efficient. With something like weight training, your body can take up to 4-6 weeks to adapt. Not only is weight training more efficient in burning calories over time, but it will be more beneficial for your body in burning energy.
Focus on things like calorie consumption and the ratio of macronutrients. This will help speed up your metabolic process and impact the way that your body burns energy. Look at something like a total daily expenditure table. This will give you some knowledge about how much your body needs to burn throughout the day and how many calories you can eat. Get your nutrition right first and then get your workout routine established. Your results will come faster than you think.
Photo By: Love Thyself