Overcoming These Epic Mistakes And Achieving Weight Loss Greatness

That’s the 5 epic mistakes established and hopefully you have a pretty good idea of how to avoid them already, but here’s a rundown of the 5 best things you can do to boost your weight loss progress and not succumb to those rookie errors.

1. Track Calories

Use an online calculator to work out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) then factor in your daily activity levels using the Harris Benedict equation. This tells you how many calories you need each day to maintain your weight. Subtract 300-600 from this and you have your daily calorie target.

Keep track of this using a website, app or the old-fashioned pen and paper method and aim to hit within 100 calories either side of your target every day.

2. Eat from all 3 Food Groups

Prioritize protein by including a portion of lean protein (chicken, turkey, lean beef or pork, cottage cheese, whey protein powder, Greek yogurt, tuna, cod, prawns, etc.) at each meal.

Add veggies to your plate next, and fill at least half with dark green or brightly colored vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini, spinach, bell peppers, asparagus, onions, mushrooms, eggplant, kale and beets.

Add a small portion of healthy fat with a tablespoon of olive oil, coconut oil, or a nut-based oil, or go for a cup of chopped nuts/seeds, a tablespoon of organic butter or half an avocado. Alternatively you could switch your lean protein to a fattier one, like lamb, salmon or a fattier steak.

Add carbs last in the form of rice, potatoes or sweet potatoes, beans, pasta or bread, but only if you feel you need them.

3. Perform only high intensity cardio training.

Cut your cardio down to twice a week and for half an hour maximum each session. This may not sound like much, but if done right, high intensity cardio should leave you far more wiped than your regular steady state stuff.

At the end of each session you should be a red-faced, shaking, sweaty mess. If not, you didn’t work hard enough, so crank up the intensity next time. Just 2 weeks of high intensity training can improve your fitness as much as 6 to 8 weeks of steady state work.

4. Hit the Weights

Perform three full body weights sessions each week, with at least one day’s rest between each one.

Ask a trainer at the gym to show you how to correctly perform back squats, deadlifts, dumbbell rows, bench presses, shoulder presses and lat pulldowns. These six moves are enough for awesome results.

In your first session of the week perform five sets of five on each using heavy weights. In session two lower the weight slightly and go for three sets of eight and in your last session, go slightly lighter still for two sets of 12. In week two stick with the exact same plan but aim to lift a bit heavier in each session.

5. Keep a Food Diary and Workout Log

It sounds simple, but this can make a massive difference. Keeping track of everything makes you accountable and gives you a record to look back on and see what’s working and what you need to improve on.