A simple guide to losing weight for those just starting out.

TDEE

Very simply put, TDEE or total daily energy expenditure is a measurement of the total energy a body will use in a day. Estimate this with the calculator below.

https://tdeecalculator.net/

BASE METABOLIC RATE

A bodies BMR or Base Metabolic Rate is a measurement of what it would take to fuel a body if it were to do nothing all day, literally just sit on the couch and watch tv.

A bodies BMR will increase by adding lean muscle mass through exercise, especially, resistance training and HIIT (high intensity interval training).

DIET

Diet can be summed up as the food sources that a person ingests to fuel their body.

Think of the body as a machine that requires fuel, what you fuel it with will determine how well it runs. Think whole foods, healthy fats, healthy protein, and lots and lots of vegetables, lentils, pulses and nuts. Poor food choices can lead to a ton of health problems (think cancer, chronic inflammation, heart disease). You do not put mud in the gas tank and expect good things, so why do you put mud (sugar) in your body.

Sugar is over eaten in America in alarming amounts, many new studies are finding that the overconsumption of sugar is the culprit in many diseases that were once thought to be caused by fats.

Low fat, processed food, should be looked upon with great suspicion, and all processed foods should be replaced with whole foods when other options are available ( they are),. Removing processed foods and stopping your overconsumption of sugar is a very powerful tool when losing weight.

EATING LESS THAN YOUR BODY USES OR BEING IN A CALORIC DEFICIT “CUTTING”

Simply put. A body is given less fuel than it requires to operate. It’s ok, the body will not run out of gas, it will find another source (fat).

Being below 5% body fat can be fatal and is often dangerous and bad for your health.

300-500 CALORIES UP OR DOWN OVER THE LONGTERM

If a person eats 300-500 calories less than their Total Daily Energy Expenditure, they will lose weight (If a person is not losing weight, they have most likely measured their TDEE incorrectly, or incorrect measured the amount of calories/fuel they are ingesting).

If a person is skinny they need to eat 300-500 calories over their TDEE, and they will gain weight.

STRESS LEADS TO AN INCREASE IN CORTISOL IN THE BODY

Stress causes many ailments in the body. Stress can contribute to many health ailments, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Stress increases cortisol which can interfere with learning, memory, lower immune function, bone density, increase weight gain, blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart disease. Cortisol does some positive things in the body as well, but for what we need to know, the less stress, the better weight loss.

THE MICROBIOME

The microbiome is an exciting area of medicine that has long been known about just never in such detail.

Simply put, the human body has a microbiome, it starts at your mouth and goes down your throat, includes your whole intestinal tract and ends once you leave your anus. Inside it is trillions of bacteria working on your body.

Inside your bodies microbiome are the “workers” who are doing the maintenance on your body. Now imagine them as construction workers fixing stuff, and you have two options (there are many diets, much that are good for you, many more than two).

1.High sugar, high carb, common American diet. Now imagine the guys that you employed to do the maintenance in your body are the guys from the trailer park and they show up with their butt cracks hanging out some are still drunk from the night before, some are smoking pills in the work truck, and a couple of the immigrant laborers they brought are getting some shit done, but with no direction or leadership.

2. Whole Foods, with fibrous vegetables and healthy starches, fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi. Healthy fats from animal proteins, coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, and a moderate amount of sugar solely from whole foods. Maybe even go the extra mile and buy all organic, non GMO, and grass fed meat. Now imagine the guys that are working on your body and its cells are Union Labor who are all certified in every task they do and that all the work is guaranteed for life. Professionally dressed and on task with clear leadership and a chain of command present.

An interesting research area that led me down a lot of research avenues was looking into the diets of people who on average live to be the oldest and generally healthiest populations in the world. One thing I find in common with these groups, is very little sugar and fermented foods that inoculate and nurture the microbiome.

CONCLUSION

Being fat sucks.

Losing weight can help a person in many facets of their life. Losing the extra pound can lead to more confidence, better professional prospects, being more emotionally stable and a much better start to the day when you look in the mirror and you love the person that you see. Picking up women is extremely hard for obese men, especially if there is competition present from other athletic males.

To improve your health, longevity, sex life, and especially your personal happiness it is essential to cut the weight and get fit.

Good Luck! Hope to see you at the squat rack!