Having worked in the Fitness Industry for over a decade I have long ago lost count of the amount of times I have looked at the food intake of people who are wanting to lose weight.
It might be in an in-depth analysis with a 1:1 client.
During a Bio Sig Assessment for one of our Group PT members at the RISE RISE s in Macclesfield.
During a dinner party with someone who’s just found out that I am a weight loss specialist.
In conversation with a friend.
I genuinely reckon I must’ve asked what people eat a few thousand times, at least.
And I’d honestly wager that at least 95% of the time their reply is something along the lines of:
“I eat a low-fat, healthy diet.
I’ll have something low fat like porridge or cereal for breakfast. Maybe with a slice of toast and a glass of orange juice.
For lunch I’ll normally have to grab something quick. Usually a sandwich. Sometimes a soup.
And tea will normally be a ‘proper meal’ like a pasta dish”
When I first started working in the fitness industry, I didn’t really understand weight loss.
I didn’t know what fat was.
Why it accumulated.
What is was made from.
And what you really had to do to remove it.
However I very quickly noticed that nearly everyone I spoke to who wanted to lose weight was eating a diet approximately like the one described above.
I understood why.
It was what the government guidelines seemed to recommend.
Low fat mainly.
Calorie control too.
But it very rarely seemed to work.
Long term anyway.
It wasn’t that people who ate like this were always overweight.
But that overweight people nearly always seemed to eat like this.
And it might lead to short term success.
But long term, the weight came back on.
And then some.
I just couldn’t balance up in my head something that seemed to actually work so rarely being the best way to do something.
Over time I learned the truth.
How to really remove fat.
And why there is so much confusion.
These things are explained elsewhere on this site and blog.
But that early lesson will stick with me forever.
If everyone else who’s in the same boat as you doesn’t get results with a certain approach, chances are you won’t.
If all the slowest runners at a running club saw the same coach and used the same techniques, I’d advise avoiding that coach.
If all the worst French speakers in a French class saw the same tutor, I’d avoid that tutor and their methods.
So, if you are looking to lose weight and are trying this approach.
And it’s not worked for your long term.
Then maybe it’s time to rethink what you’re doing.
Just because it works for some, doesn’t mean it will work for you.
Especially if it’s not worked the last 2 times you’ve tried it.
Or 10.
Or 50.
If you want to achieve something – look at what people who have been in the same starting position as you have done to achieve it.
Do that.
And look at what people who have been in the same starting position as you have, but haven’t achieved it, have done.
And avoid that.
Look what people who are trying to lose weight but not achieving it long term are doing.
Chances are it will be cereal / toast / juice for breakfast, a sandwich or soup for lunch and pasta meal for tea.
Avoid that!
