5 Must Haves to Reach Your Fat Loss Goals in 2020

By Joy Grove, Fitness Manager, Five Points Washington

What is the magic sauce that you will need to reach your goal of fat loss in 2020? Is it a reset? A juice cleanse? A detox? A super intense workout plan? Contrary to popular belief, it is none of these.

Here are 5 things you absolutely must implement to reach your fat loss goals.

1. A calorie deficit. Without taking in fewer calories than you burn, you will not lose body fat. Implementing a calorie deficit can be done by decreasing your caloric intake. Lowering your caloric intake does not mean you have to get super technical and weigh and measure all your foods, but you can start with decreasing your portion sizes. When eating a meal, most of your plate should consist of protein and vegetables, and you want to start eating the protein and vegetables first to help with satiety. The section of the plate leftover should consist of carbohydrates and fats. Visually pay attention to what you are currently eating and start taking a smaller portion from now on.
2. Strength training. Lifting weights is going to be the best use of your time when it comes to fat loss. Lifting weights breaks down muscle much more than cardiovascular activities (jogging, biking, elliptical, etc.), and it takes energy to build that muscle back up, which requires more energy from the body. When you hop off a bike or elliptical, you are, for lack of better terms, done burning calories. After a weightlifting session, however, you continue to burn calories. Muscle is also more metabolically active than fat, therefore the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Although you may lose weight and become smaller from doing cardio activities, these activities do not build much muscle.
3. Moderation. When trying to lose body fat, you do not have to entirely cut out all the foods you enjoy. Being too restrictive will backfire, and you will likely have more cravings and go overboard on the foods you enjoy. Allowing yourself to have some of your favorite foods in moderation will keep you motivated and consistent.
4. Consistency. What you do 80–90 percent of the time is what matters. One bad day, one bad meal, or one day of missed exercise, will not hinder your progress. If you do have a bad day, the best thing to do is to NOT speak negatively to yourself, and to get right back on track the next day.
5. Patience. Often people do not reach their fat loss goals because they give up too soon. If you approach your fat loss journey correctly and you want your results to last this time, it will take time to see results. Many of us have tried quick fixes in the past to reach our fat loss goals, but here we are again trying to lose fat. Be patient, stay the course, and the results will come.

Whether you want to learn more about nutrition, training or getting back into a healthy routine, we want to help. Five Points Washington offers: an aquatics center, swim lessons, gymnasium, pickleball, cardio room, free weights, weight machines, walking track, group fitness classes, group training, personal training, kids clubhouse, nutrition coaching, MYZONE, cycling classes, kids fitness classes, and more!  We’re located at 360 N. Wilmor Rd. in Washington, IL. Learn more at www.fivepointswashington.org or call us at 309-444-8222.