Ensuring you’re moving your body for at least 30 minutes a day is one of the foundations of living a healthy life.
However, when it comes to exercising for weight loss some people might notice that although they’re slaving away at the gym, or with whatever their workout of choice, their bodies aren’t reflecting the hard work.
We are here to help you unpack the likely reasons why that’s happening.
You could be consuming more calories than you realise
Without regularly tracking what you’re eating, it can be challenging to accurately measure our caloric intake.
This is due to a number of factors, including varying portion sizes. Additionally, foods that are perceived to be ‘healthier’, think veggie chips for example, are often just as calorie-dense as their deemed ‘less healthy’ counterparts.
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You may not know your individual calorie intake needs
Here at equ we’re absolutely an advocate for maintaining an active lifestyle where possible, and the health benefits linked to exercise. However, it’s important to note, research data has shown that working out alone plays a very small role in weight loss.
This is coupled with the fact that exercise can stimulate appetite or make additional calories feel earned, causing us to overeat.
This is why a tailored nutrition approach that adequately supports recovery and is catered to your calorie intake needs is an essential component of a sustainable weight loss strategy.
You may not know your individual macronutrient intake needs
In case you missed it – our body requires particular amounts of macronutrients, energy and calories. The four macronutrients needed are carbohydrates, protein, fibre and fat.
While your macronutrient intake won’t directly inhibit weight loss, having the right split of protein, fat and carbohydrates is fundamental to achieving desirable body composition changes.
For example, maintaining a high protein intake while aiming for weight loss helps your body break down fat tissue first, rather than resorting to your muscle tissue for energy, which is what we want!
The result – a toned physique and good energy levels.
You may be dehydrated
Water is an extremely important player in almost all biochemical reactions occurring within our body (including our metabolism).
Having an adequate daily water intake supports these processes to run at an optimal rate, which in turn, is key for maximising fat loss.
If you want help calculating your individual calorie and macro needs to reach whatever your health goals may be, equ is here to help.
By signing up, you’ll receive your very own personal nutrition plan and the support of a team of experts.
Find out more about our programs here.