Do you want to lose Fat and Build Muscle???

 NEWSFLASH:

There is no true way for our bodies to "tone" but we can build or lose muscle, and add or lose fat. When I talk to potential clients, or first time trainees and they make statements such as:

 "I want to lose weight but gain muscle." or 

"I want my body to be more defined!!!" and last but not least 

"I don't wanna get all buff, I seem to put on a lot of size when I workout!!!"

If you have said or believe any of these statements, PLEASE continue to read the following info, it could literally be the difference between you reaching your goals, or you continuing to struggle on this journey!!!

My family history is littered with heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol etc. I am not a person who naturally stays very lean because I come from BIG people!!! When I say big, my father is the youngest of 6 boys and also the runt although he is 6 feet tall. My mother's side is from the south, and while culinary culture is concerned with amazing flavor it has little respect to nutritional science or health, the focus is how the food tastes. When I think about the health issues I have seen and witnessed in my family, I knew I had to choose something different for myself and my family.

With that being said, our society has painted the picture that working out, eating well and being healthy is impossible, or counter to a good time. Fast food is on every corner, people who go to the gym are usually ostracized from the normal population or considered judgmental and vain, and healthy, whole foods are considered bland or not practical. Not to mention the misinformation and click-baiting headlines that exist in the industry, on the internet and on social media perpetuate negative stereotypes.

With all this setting the stage, let's talk about your goal...the reason you are reading this blog and the focus of today's message. You want to lose body-fat and build muscle at the same time. While its not ideal, it is possible to do both simultaneously as long as a few key factors are met. Let's start the list from the top and work our way down:

1. Calorie Deficit - choose a nutritional plan that allows you to consistently be in a calorie deficit. In order to actually lose body fat, one must burn more calories than they eat however; too low of a deficit could actually lead to your body holding on to body fat and weight because your diet isn't meeting your nutritional needs so make sure you speak with a professional in terms of how big this deficit should be.

2. Protein - choose the lean proteins that will set your metabolism on fire and help propel your body to build more muscle tissue. Protein allows you to stay full longer (especially while in a calorie deficit), it allows your body to secure maintenance such as hormones, joints, organs, hair, skin, nails etc. and lastly, it does help you build/maintain muscle tissue. This doesn't have to be only animal sources of proteins either, plant based sources work just as well!!! (Beef, Chicken, Seafood, Grain + Bean, Tofu, Legumes

3. Nutrient Density - nutrients are defined as "a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life." If the above two qualifications are satisfied but this one is not met a few things can go wrong. Without the right micro-nutrient nourishment, a person will experience certain processes in their body going astray such as: hunger, low-energy, poor recovery, joint issues, inflammation etc. Micro-nutrients especially help our body with the processes we need for survival, so when we think of vitamins and minerals in our food, they are vital to allow us to live well and honestly maintain life. If you are not getting enough nutrient dense food, or supplementing your nutrients, then we may have some problems.

Bonus - Water intake and Stress management. These two are the wrapping paper on the gift. They are so simple in theory but seem to be the biggest struggle for most people. Knowing how much water to drink per day and also having systems in place for stress management are so key to your results that if you don't have these things in place, you may not get there ever without these two.    

These processes take time, wisdom and grace to succeed. Don't let the social media generation fool you, many have tried and failed many times (maybe this includes you) but once allowed to really focus on loving and owning the process, they were able to conquer their goals. 

If you need help with knowing what to do, or some accountability while you're on this journey please feel free to visit my YouTube, Instagram or Facebook pages and shoot me a message to connect. I would love to equip you with tools to help you find out how much food you should eat for your goals, how much water to drink and recommended supplements for you as well.