HOW MY CLIENTS LOSE WEIGHT AND HOW DO THEY KEEP THEIR NEW WEIGHT?

My clients reach dramatic results in a relatively short period of time. What makes my weight program work not only in a short period of time but also in the long run?

Here you go:

1. My clients go on a MODERATE caloric deficit of 10% - 20% over LONGER period of time. 

This is the most fundamental and important part of the program. It is the most obvious one but the one that is so difficult to achieve and sustain.

It is crucial to understand: no matter how much and how hard you exercise, no matter how healthy your diet is, no matter what kind of other methods you use, you ONLY will lose weight when the calories you consume are less that the calories you spend. Period. 

The caloric deficit should be MODERATE. If you go for less than 10% you won't see any significant results.  If you go for more than 20% you won't be able to sustain it long enough without damaging your health. You might see results initially, but you will slow down your metabolism, decrease lean muscle mass, and eventually reach a mental or physical breaking point. That's why people who go on diets go in circles most of the time.

Being on a moderate caloric deficit over longer period of time is where most people make mistakes, and the main reason why weight loss programs fail.

2. My clients are on a caloric deficit for at least 8 weeks, after it we take 2 weeks break. After each cycle of 10 weeks we decide about further steps. 

It is important to be on a caloric deficit for a longer period of time to see sustainable results. Here again we see why it is important to be on MODERATE deficit. If you cut too much of your calories you won't be able to keep this diet for the time long enough without damaging your health. You will lose weight, but it will make you feel miserable and most likely you won't be able to keep your new weight. All diets that promise you results over a short period of time don't work long term. Remember: It's a marathon, not a sprint!

3. I make my clients COUNT CALORIES. 

When I started to work with my first weight loss clients I was against counting calories, because it seemed to be unnatural and stressful to me.

My general advice was to reduce the portions by around 20% and exclude certain "unhealthy"  foods. 

However over time I noticed that my clients who precisely tracked their calories showed much better results than those clients who used this "general advice" for their diet. 

I came to the realization that if a client doesn't track calories it is like playing a lottery.  Let me explain why.

First scenario: You decide to lose weight, so you start to work out hard and eat healthy foods and cutting unhealthy foods. Working out makes you hungry and makes you feel that now you can reward yourself a little because you trained so hard. And thinking that you eat "healthy" foods anyway will make you eat maybe a little bit more. As a result your calorie intake ends up to be either only slightly less or even the same as before. That means you work out hard, you eat healthy but you are not losing fat.

Another possible scenario: you work out hard but cut your calories too much since you don't track them precisely. Excessively low caloric intake decreases lean muscle mass and slows down your metabolism. After a while you feel exhausted, demotivated, tired and you are still not losing weight fast enough due to slow metabolism. This is the point where most people give up.

Therefore the safest method to ensure that you will lose fat, stay healthy, and sustain your new weight is to COUNT CALORIES while you are on the weight loss program. If my clients decide not to do that I am honest to them.  In this situation I tell them I can not guarantee any results in terms of weight loss. Yes, they will feel better, stronger, and become more toned, but I don't know if they will lose fat since I can't be sure if they are on a caloric deficit as long as they don't count calories.

4. My clients don't have unnecessary diet restrictions.

When I create meal plans for my clients I also consider their food preferences and their life style. A meal plan that is not enjoyable and doable in daily life won't work long term. 

4. My clients get the RIGHT MACRO SPLIT.

Having the right spilt of the Macronutrients (Proteins, Carbs and Fat)  is another crucial point in order to lose weight. 

I go for a quite high protein intake of up to 2.2 grams per kg of body weight (1.5gr/lbs of BW). Protein is the most important nutrient for weight loss and better looking body. A high protein intake boosts metabolism, reduces appetite and changes several weight-regulating hormones.

5. RESISTANCE TRAINING is a big part of the working out routine of my clients.

For many years fitness professionals would advise you to get on a treadmill in order to lose weight. However cardio exercise paired with low calories results not only in the fat loss but also in the loss of lean muscles. Losing lean muscles slows down your metabolism, plus it is very difficult to achieve a balanced physique with only cardio since women will lose most of their curves along with the fat.  Women losing weight on cardio only plans often get this "skinny-fat"look.

At the beginning my workout routines for clients focusing on weight loss were dominated by cardio and HIIT.  As I started to lift heavy weights myself I was amazed by the quick results I got that weren't achievable over years of other trainings. I became curious if weight lifting would have the same big impact on the people who wish to lose fat as well.  After some research I started to introduce weight training to my weight loss clients more and more with great success. Weight training not only speeds up the fat loss, but also gives a balanced, toned look to your body after the fat is lost. 

For my weight loss clients I use a lot of super-sets, with 15-20 reps, with short breaks between sets, to keep their heart rate high.

6. HIIT TRAINING is another big part of the working out routine.

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is proven to be the most efficient work out for fat loss. Not only do you burn an extremely high amount of calories per session (as an example: 6 x 30-seconds sprints burn more calories than 60 minutes of incline tread mill walking), you also enjoy an after-burn effect for up to 48 hours after the training due to increased resting metabolic rate, plus you experience post exercise appetite suppression. TRAIN SMARTER, NOT HARDER!

7. Dedication, motivation and discipline.

I motivate my clients to stay dedicated and disciplined. I make them understand that there is no magic way to reach your goals. Programs and diets that promise you big results in a short time without hard work don't work. There is no secret pill or work out or diet that will make it easy. If you want to reach your goal you need to work hard, stay focused and be patient - results will come!