Let”s think about a situation. Say, 3 women are a few stone overweight, and all of them want to lose fat to feel healthier, sexier and more confident.
1 decides to do ‘just dieting.’
This means:
Restricting some, if not all types of foods at some point…..sometimes protein eg meat, sometimes carbs, eg pastas and breads, and fats, eg nuts, butter, oils.
Calories need be restricted to lose fat….her slimming group pals say.
As woman 1 is ‘just dieting,’ she is not doing any exercise other than the usual walking she may do as part of her regular routine.
Woman number 2 decides to exercise only and doesn’t change her eating.
This means:
She doesn’t change any dietary foods at all – she eats exactly as she has done.
She believes that the extra exercise will shift the fat she’s gained over the years – after all, she’s not going to eat more so it’s gotta work because its all about calories in and calories out!
Woman number 3 decides to eat sensibly and take on some exercise too.
This means:
Eating more protein and vegetables, and eating treats at allocated times set by herself. She won’t smash her face full of food or alcohol – but will plan nights or days where she can relax and eat/drink what she wants.
She will take on some exercise, but will not see it as the main way to lose fat.
How the first 3 months may go….
Woman 1 would restrict food portions.
She would be hungry many times of the day.
She would have lost a lot of weight lost – especially at the start.
Some weeks would be agony because she would be really hungry, and may even gain a pound or 2 some weeks.
She would not feel fitter – but would have increased confidence due to the weight lost.
Her friends would tell her she’s doing really well!
Woman 2…….
Would feel a great deal fitter – probably within a week or 2. Stairs and aerobic exercise will become noticeably easier from 1 week of 3-5 hours of exercise.
Sees an increase in strength. Maybe not noticeably at first, but by month 2 and 3, the weights will definitely have increased if progressive overload was used.
Her bodyfat may have decreased – or it may not (This is how important food is)
Her weight may have decreased – or it may have even gone up! (Again food is crucial here)
It’s most likely, that her weight will have stayed roughly the same, and her bodyfat will have gone down.
Her confidence will most likely to have increased a lot simply due to her ability to do more in her training – and that her clothes are feeling slightly better.
She will be tougher – due to the exercises that have pushed her to do more than she used to
……..but her motivation is flailing a little due to only a small positive change in appearance.
Her friends are saying they can see a difference in her clothes and her overall attitude.
Woman 3
Would be fitter due to training.
Is likely to be stronger – much like woman 2…….seeing big increases in strength in month 2-3
Paying attention to her food quality, quantity and timing…….would likely see a bigger reduction in bodyfat with perhaps a slight reduction in weight. Her clothes are fitting loads better – so who cares about the weight! She may even have gained weight but lost inches – because muscle, although heavier, takes up less room than fat.
Her friends are saying how great she’s doing!
Watch your favourite blog next week to see how the following months pan out!
John