“How do I get rid of this?!”
I am asked this question by clients several times a week, as they grab their abdomen, thighs, hips or upper arms with intense frustration.
You cannot spot reduce. However, if you create a calorie deficit by using exercise and proper nutrition, you will lose body fat from wherever you store it. Only when you are in a calorie deficit do you force your body to utilize the fat stored in those areas. The body will access fat from areas you may not want (the chest), as well as areas you do want (the butt, upper arms, hips, abdomen and thighs).
To burn a pound of body fat per week, you must create a deficit of 3,500 calories (the amount of fat stored in 1 lb.) each week! That’s a 500 calorie deficit per day. You create that 500-calorie deficit with the perfect combination of calorie control’ The body can safely burn .05 to 1 lb. of fat per week. When you starve by consuming too few calories, you will lose more that .05 to 1 lb. per week. Hence, you are losing muscle and water weight. The more muscle you lose while “dieting”, the more you lower your metabolic rate. In other words, “dieting” and a bad idea.
The major reason people on crash diets gain weight back (plus more) is because radical calorie deficits destroy precious lean mass. To avoid muscle loss while cutting calories you need to strength train. Strength training raises your ability to burn calories in the hours that follow. Realistic, long-term fat loss takes time. If you have too much body fat or tall, aim to burn 1 lb. most weeks. However, if you have a healthy amount of body fat or short, .05 lb. per week is safe. Actually, anyone can choose the .05 lb. per week goal. It’s less traumatic to create a 250-calorie deficit per day, rather than a 500-calorie one. You’ll be far less grumpy.
Right now, as you reading, you are likely developing that glazed look that means you are disappointed if you began reading with the agenda of discovering a “magic pill” or 1 exercise to do twice a week to get rid of this.
So, what can be done?
It is as simple as knowing exactly how many calories you are consuming by keeping a detailed and accurate food log. An effective food log will have three parts: the name of the foods eaten that day (oatmeal, cereal, ice cream cake), the exact quantity (1 cup, 8 oz., 5 X 5 piece) and the time the food was eaten (7am, 1pm).
If you do not track exact quantities (portions) there is no way to truly know how many calories you are consuming. Many studies show people drastically underestimate the calories they eat.
For example, before food logging, someone figures she is eating 1,400 calories a day, but in reality, when she food logs, she discovers she is eating 2,000 per day. (Look-up your calories by portion/serving size at http://www.calorieking.com)
The next step: figure out how many calories you need per day to get to your goal weight. I recommend consulting a nutrition professional (go to http://www.eatright.org to find one near you). For a good estimate, there are many online resources. Two of my favorites are: http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/caloriesneed.htm and http://mynutrition.wsu.edu/myCalc.aspx?type=calorie_needs.
Make sure to plug-in your goal weight, rather than your current weight. (However, if your goal is more than 35-40 lbs. from where you are now, plug in 35-40 lbs. below your current weight. This will allow you to take it slow so you do not starve-off muscle and in turn, lower your metabolic rate.)
You may find you need 1750 calories per day to get to your goal weight and maintain it. If all along you were eating 2000 per day, it explains why you have not been able to lose body fat. (Oh, and that average of 2000 calories may not include the days you “forgot” to food log because you over-indulged. Yikes!)
Both a nutrition professional and the online calculator will ask for your current activity level, so be honest!
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends 200-300 minutes of cardio (aerobic activity) per week. Remember, to avoid losing lean mass – the idea is to lose body fat, not muscle – make sure to do both cardio and strength training.
The bottom line: there is no such thing as a quick fix. The permanent fix is a lifestyle change; one which over-time allows you to adjust to the right amount of calories and exercise you can live with. Then, and only then, will you get rid of this — forever.
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