Here is one of the usual personal training questions I get emailed in January. ‘Hi Pete, as a personal trainer what is the best thing to do in January to lose weight? I want to drop weight and get fit fast! Thanks, Clare, Epsom’
Well Clare, first let me say well done, your intentions are in the right place, you want to get fitter and lose weight, but like many other people out there you are going about it in the wrong way. Rather than trying to lose as much weight as possible in the shortest amount of time by doubling up on workouts, doing 7 workouts a week, being super strict with your diet, why not spread the weight loss over a year? Rather than trying to cram in all into January.
Let me explain some simple weight loss maths that I tell all my personal training clients.
To lose 1lb of fat you need to burn off/have a deficit of 2500 calories
Lets say each one of your workouts burns 500 calories, you do 2 workouts a day 2 x 500 = 1000 calories, you work out 7 days a week 7 x 1000 = 7000 calories and you workout for the 4 weeks of January 4 x 7000 = 28000 calories.
So over January you would burn 28000 calories which would make you lose 11.2lb of fat. Now that is some good weight loss there, but there is a problem with this method of training, it’s not sustainable. Working out this frequently and intensely you are going to burn yourself out and run the risk of an injury. A lot of people fail at their new years resolution due to trying to do to much, it’s not sustainable, they get tired/injured/lose motivation and give up. Plus you have to now fit 14 hours a week of working out round work, social life, family, chores etc…
Now here is what I get my personal training clients to do, take those initial good intentions and spread them out over the year rather than January, the results are more sustainable and you can lose a hell of a lot more weight!
Ok lets say you do the same workout at 500 calories, and you do 4 workouts a week 500 x 4 = 2000 calories, and you workout all 52 weeks of the year 52 x 2000 = 104000 calories!
So over the whole year you would burn off 104000 calories which would see you lose 41.6lb of fat! That is 3 stone! This method is much more sustainable, you’ll have more free time to fit in family, social events etc.. Working out won’t suddenly take over your life. Another major benefit of working out over the long term like this is you are more likely to stick to your new fitness programme and healthy eating and keep the weight off. This is because over the year you will form new habits around food and working out, and integrate them into your life.
So like I tell all my personal training clients ‘focus on the long term, don’t over estimate what you can achieve in a month, but don’t under estimate what you can achieve in a year!’
If this is something you have been struggling with and would like some help, get in touch with me for a personal training sessions pete@petegriggs.com or 07947049889
