Starting a diet?

Remember that time you started a diet and everything went well? You ate the right things, trained hard and saw results.

And then... you hit a wall.

Suddenly your progress came to a halt, and no matter what you tried, you couldn't seem to get through.

It's easy to blame yourself in those situations, but there are actually a few things you should keep in mind before you start your next diet.

In this blog post, we'll explore some of those important factors, so without further ado, let's dive right in!

1. Create a shortage

You often hear it in your environment: someone goes on a diet, 12 weeks of calculation, special dishes, weighing and little to no results.

What comes next is usually the comment, “Man, I dieted for three months and only lost 4 kg. Often it turns out to be just water!”

And when we talk about diets, it's not just about how consistent you are, but about the underlying, fundamental principles of a weight loss diet.

If you want to lose weight, the first and most important thing is to create a calorie deficit.

That is, consuming fewer calories than your body needs to maintain your weight.

If you don't respect that, it doesn't matter whether you fasting, keto, low-carb or any protein diet – you will not lose weight.

2. Sustainability

For many, losing weight means 'looking better'. The body itself has a different opinion.

For the body, weight loss is equivalent to hunger, so it will do everything it can to return to normal.

You will feel lethargic. You will have no energy. You will be hungry. You may even feel hungry all the time.

However, you need to find a sustainable way of dieting that minimizes all of these factors and allows you to still have energy for all of your activities and errands, while not having to think about food all the time.

To achieve this, you first need to create an average calorie deficit of 500 calories per day.

Note: If you are following the fasting diet, this daily calorie deficit will be higher, and you may need to increase your intake a multivitamin.

This ensures that you still get enough energy to provide your body with everything it needs to function healthily and control food cravings.

The second is…

3. Proteins and fats

The persistent hunger and food cravings are something many of us experience, even when you're not dieting.

But during your diet, these feelings become even more prominent, which means one of the best ways to make a diet sustainable is to find a way to regulate your appetite and cravings.

In other words, your goal is to be as full as possible at all times so that the body doesn't go looking for more food.

How can you do that? Well, by consuming enough high-quality proteins and fats!

Proteins and fats are the two most satiating macronutrients we get from food.

Do you know the nutritional underdog with the HIGHEST satiety index of all foods?  Potatoes! (in its simplest form of course)

So hey, the next time you decide to lose weight, have a steak and potatoes for breakfast and see how long that keeps you full!

4. And what about carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are often the main reason for weight gain. Often we cut back on this in the first phase of weight loss.

However, keep in mind that carbohydrates are the PERFECT source for exercise activity. As an athlete who wants to watch their weight, you should make a distinction in your planning between exercise and  and non-training days.

Not only that, carbohydrates are also the brain's preferred energy source.

5. Do resistance training

With the above in mind, one should also consider resistance training while losing weight.

Why? Because when we lose weight, we not only lose fat, but also muscle mass, which can ultimately lead to a skinny-fat rather than an aesthetically shaped physique.

So firstly, resistance training will allow you to maintain your muscle mass, and secondly, it will give you a big boost towards the ultimate goal of weight loss – looking better.

Not to mention the benefits resistance training has on your mind and overall performance…

In summary

So there you have it - When starting any diet, you need to make sure you have a sustainable calorie deficit that still provides you with all the energy you need on a daily basis!

Remember, if a particular diet plan feels like torture, it's time to change things up.

You MUST be able to stick to your plan and stick to it long term because that will yield the best results!