The “Diet” That Works For EVERYONE!

Spring has sprung which means summer is just around the corner—just about 100 days. This means months of sunbathing, wave-riding, strolls along the beach—and the bikini and swim trunk wardrobe that comes along with it. We have just shy of 100 days to get back on that “new year new me” diet and strut down to the ocean looking our best and feeling confident. Now before you begin to panic, be confident in knowing that there is plenty of time to safely lose weight before that June 20th date arrives. The biggest obstacle most people face during this pre-summer crunch time is that “fad diets” are the answer to all of your dietary goals when in reality—it’s not that simple.

First and foremost, for any diet to be successful, you must be in some sort of caloric deficit. A caloric deficit means that you consume less calories than your body expends. To find out how many calories you need to lose weight, it is best to make a journal of everything you eat for ten days. Don’t switch up your diet to try to make your journal look good because that is going to throw off your results. Count the calories for each day, add them all up, and then divide them by ten. If you maintained the same weight throughout the ten days, this will give you an average for how many calories you can consume daily to maintain your weight.

There are a few different ways to figure out how many calories you should consume in order to lose weight. One option we recommend is to subtract ~500 calories from your daily average to find your goal number of calories for the day. You don’t want to make the goal too drastic and cut a thousand calories per day and all at once. You want to just subtract enough to make a difference. Another good option is to multiply your goal body weight by twelve and then that number is the amount of calories you should consume each day. 

Once you know your goal amount of calories, you can build your diet (what you are going to eat) ahead of time in order to be proactive with your meals and snacks. You are trying to be proactive as opposed to reactive. When we don’t have a plan and we just react to our hunger, we are more likely to eat something that is convenient, which typically means something pre-made from a store, that will be higher in calories, and a bigger serving size than if you had made something from your own kitchen. I should note that we all have moments when we have to eat something on-the-go, and no—an occasional instance of this is not going to kill your diet, if done in moderation. I also do not think depriving yourself of the snacks and food you love is a healthy way to live in general. We want to create a healthy sustainable way of living which we can maintain for the rest of our lives, which include those snacks we love. But in order for our diet be effective, we have to plan ahead—hence why meal planning has taken our country by storm.

Jordan Syatt, a famous fitness coach, created a diet that allowed him to eat an entire Big Mac every day for a month. He would eat throughout the day, and then reward himself with a Big for dinner. Would you believe that Jordan lost weight on this diet? He did. In fact he lost 7lbs in one month! His theory was that in order to lose weight, it doesn’t matter what you eat as long as you are maintaining that caloric deficit. With that said, I do not recommend eating a Big Mac everyday. They are not healthy and you’d probably walk around smelling like McDonalds for the rest of your life. The point is, whatever diet you choose, you must be in a caloric deficit.  

If you type “best diet to lose weight” into a search engine on the computer, you are sure to have hundreds of “fad diets” popup saying things like, “this is the latest and greatest diet”, or “you are sure to lose that stubborn belly fat.” First of all, you cannot TARGET fat. No specific diet or exercise is going to make you lose fat in a specific area. Your body burns fat by overall fitness. No amount of planks is going to make that belly fat go away without a proper diet. 

So why do you have extra belly fat even though you eat “healthy”? One reason could be a food sensitivity holding you back. We are learning that more and more people have food sensitivities we don’t know about that cause weight gain, bloating, acne, headaches, etc. You could have no idea that you are living slightly uncomfortable because it’s the only way you know. Luckily, there are simple at home tests that are becoming more and more accessible every day,  and they are also highly recommended for those that may suffer from this issue.
So how do you identify the best diet that could work for you? Every body reacts differently to different stimuli. You have probably noticed how some people can hop on the latest “fad diet” and lose 20 pounds but when you tried it, the scale didn’t budge. It’s because not any one body is the same, and they certainly don’t respond to fitness and diet in the same ways. Most of these “fad diets” are based around cutting out carbs, or fat, or changing your meal timing, or some variation of a calorie deficit. You must find out what your body does well on. To identify what works best for you, you could simply try a few rounds of trial and error, or you could go to your doctor or a licensed dietician who can offer a number of different options based on your personal medical history. 

It’s important to note that not all diets are made for weight loss, just as not all weight training programs are made to make you lift 1,000 pounds. We don’t do a one size fits all, cookie cutter weight training program, so why should anyone do a cookie cutter diet? Do the research, talk to your doctor and find what works best for you. You have 100 days before beach season—no better time to look and feel your best.

Hard Work Pays Off Client Spotlight

This week I wanted to spotlight an Incontrera Strength and Conditioning OG, Dylan White! Dylan first started training with me at a former gym several years ago—and stayed with me through my journey to ISC. He has played on my showcase lacrosse teams, trained with me on the field, and has been vigilant in the gym gaining strength, speed, and mobility. This week is his last week before he goes off to Goucher College to play his freshman year of lacrosse. Like many, Dylan had a bit of a different start to his college career with his first official year consisting of virtual learning and a canceled lacrosse season. But through his commitment to his own personal health, being a good student, and motivation to be a better athlete—he stayed in the gym, did his zoom classes, and stayed positive. I can’t begin to express how proud I am of this young man. He came to me as a skinny sophomore, maybe 120lbs (soaking wet), and someone who couldn’t squat with a bar or bench press more than 55lbs. He leaves us this week after gaining 50lbs of pure muscle, increasing his squat weight to 255lbs, his bench weight to 175lbs, and he holds every record for college athletes in the gym.
Thanks to a recent change, Dylan is now off to finish the rest of this semester on campus, where he will also have the opportunity to practice with his team. I’m very proud of his progress, and even though Goucher College won’t have any games this year, I expect to hear big things from him on the practice field and in the years ahead! Good luck, Dylan!

- Coach Tom