Using the scale as a measure of fat loss

Hey Guys,


Today I wanted to talk briefly about people using the scale as a measure of progress.


Most people use the scale when it comes to judging just about everything when it comes to fat loss, weight loss and muscle gain.


Now if you are a weight class athlete then you simply have to keep an eye on the scale. There are plenty of people out there who have believed the poor advice ‘just eat healthy and you won’t gain weight’, only to step on the scales after a few weeks to find out that they have ballooned up beyond recognition.


However for most people, they just want to look a bit better when they are on the beach or by the pool (vanity is always first, health second. It’s the way of the world).

Now the main mistake that these people make is that they confuse weight loss and fat loss. For most people, they want to lose fat. They don’t really care how much they weigh. I always ask clients “If I had a magic wand that could give you the body of your dreams but you would weigh 1000 pounds every time you stepped on the scale, would you do it?” 

Most people say yes.

So if this is the case, why do you measure your progress by just the scale?

If you want to have a lean, healthy, muscular body, then the best way for you to judge progress is to use photos, the mirror and the tape measure. This will give you a good indicator of progress and stop you getting bummed out when you see an unexpected jump in the scale due to many different reasons that include,

Stress

Lack of sleep

Digesting food

Water retention

Plus a load of other things that make your weight go up and down throughout the week.

If you only focus on the scale number going down, then you’re applying a very one sided (and unfair) view of your progress. You are also inevitably setting yourself up for a negative experience ass the scale isn’t always going to come down!

So what happen when the scale doesn’t come down?

Well people generally do one of two things. They either,

1. Reduce calories
2. Add in more activity (extra training sessions, more cardio etc).

Now in some cases this can be a good strategy depending on what the rest of the plan looks like. However after a certain point this just does more damage than good! Quite a lot of clients come to me in this position. They have been trying to cut fat for a while, hit a road block and decided to drop calories right down. 

So what happens when people do this? How does it impact them?

in next weeks blog I will look at what happen in that situation and a few tips to avoid it!

Stay healthy,

Mike

Adding extra training into your plan

Now every coach worth their salt will tell you that you should place the main portion of your focus on skill work and actually doing your chosen sport.


They will also however, tell you that it is a good idea to supplement this training with other types of training that will benefit your performance in your sport.


This is where it gets a bit tricky. If you were to do a quick Google search on extra training practices you would get back a rather long list. Here are just a few that might crop up (there are hundreds more),

Strength training

Mobility training

Flexability training

Cardio

Power and explosive training

Kettle bells

Yoga

Plyometrics

GPP (General Physical Preparedness)

Crossfit

Grip training

Extra sports (wrestling, Judo, climbing etc for BJJ)

The list is endless!

Now I think that adding some extra training is a great idea for most people. I will however, say that my experience and expertise on this topic is VERY limited. Therefore, this post is completely my own opinion and holds no weight (as I’m not that sort of coach).

Another problem is recovery (especially as you get older). If you are training your sport a few times a week, then throw in strength training, then try for something else, it’s not long before you become burnt out. So what are your best options?

In my opinion the best type of training that you can add in (in order) is as follows,

Strength training

Mobility training

Cardio (that replicates your sport as closely as possible).

Now many will disagree with that (that’s fine with me) but I think that the above will give the best carry over and help the health of any individual.

I also like GPP and think that adding in extra work can be a great idea. HERE is an article wrote on the subject by Chad Waterbury.

What are your thoughts on extra training? Let me know at,

Twitter – @weddingdietplan

Website – www.weddingdietplan.co.uk

Stay Healthy,

Mike

3 Quick Tips for your Diet

Hey Guys,


I always say that the best diet is the diet that you can stick to!

You need to make a nutrition plan fit your own personal circumstances and your schedule.


Does this mean that you can just pick and choose what you want and not be dedicated?


Obviously not!


You need to have a well thought out, smart nutrition plan that is tailored for your goals and needs. However sometimes it is the little details that make or break a diet (I go over this a lot in my ebook). It is making sure that you make enough small changes that add up to a big change. As they say, success leaves clues.


So does failure.


Often diets fail for the same reasons. With that in mind, here are 3 quick tips that can be applied to any diet to help boost your chances of success!

1. Drink enough water. This one is always over looked!! If you are on a nutrition plan from your coach it will most probably have a specific amount of water that you have to drink every day. NEVER JUST GUESS THIS. Water is responsible for just about every mechanism in your body including fat loss and muscle gain! Make sure that you measured out exactly how much water you are supposed to be taking in. Its really important!
2. Being prepared. I have never met a single individual that was successful on any sort of nutrition plan that didn’t do meal prep. There are a few coaches out there who say that meal prep isn’t important and that anyone can achieve these results with some self control. I’m sorry but I’ver never seen it. Even worse is that these coaches got their physiques using tupperware and meal prep then tell others that they don’t need to do it! Prepare your meals in advance and take them with you. Don’t give yourself the opportunity to cheat.
3. Don’t jump around between diets. Sometimes people will see instant results when they start a nutrition plan, sometimes it takes a couple of weeks. Jumping from paleo to intermittent fasting to the anabolic diet will do you no good at all! Pick on nutrition principle and stick with it for a few MONTHS. the magic of any nutrition plan comes in the adjustments. Knowing what to adjust and when is what nutritional planning is all about. Stick with your plan and make sure to adjust at the right times. Listen to what your body is telling you (if you don’t know what you body is telling you, speak to your coach).

These are just a few little tips that can help you stay on track with your nutrition and smash your goals!

Stay healthy,

Mike

Had a look at something very special from the guys @roll_supreme today #bjj #gi #competition #light

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EGGS!

Hey Guys,


Now any of my clients will tell you I love eggs!


Not the Creme Egg ones but the highly nutritious and yummy hen egg!


We all know that the humble egg has gotten a lot of bad press over the years and thankfully most health professionals are now agreeing that you want to be eating the whole egg. The whole egg has greater protein, fats plus a whole host of vitamins such as Vitamin A which is fantastic for growth and recovery (I supplemented with vitamin A to help recover from both my surgeries).


However it turns out that we may still be throwing out some great nutrition! Apparently the egg shell itself is a great source of calcium?! Calcium is essential for having strong bones, and having strong bones is essential for any fighter!!


Have a look at the original article HERE.


Got to admit though, as interesting as the article is, I won’t be prescribing egg shells to clients any time soon :)


Stay healthy,


Mike

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