American Fitness Professionals & Associates

Dennis M. Loya, BS.,JD., Certified Personal TrainerThere are millions of opinions on the subject of losing weight and I did not think I would feel compelled to add to them until I was talking to someone about losing weight and what they can do to “drop a few pounds”. I discussed with this friend about the issue of eating and exercising at a “calorie deficit”, and when her eyes glossed over I knew at that point what I was saying was not making sense. So I have decided to write this article to try to educate and inspire others to participate in a healthy lifestyle.

As a personal trainer I find that if I try to explain anything too complicated my clients eyes gloss over, they do not understand what it is that I am trying to convey or how it fits in the big picture of their training. My impression is that clients are not really interested in the mechanics of weight-loss and strength training, just the end result.

People will try anything to lose weight I know people who are having their stomachs for the most part sewn shut so that they can only eat a few ounces at a time. I have seen and been part of a whole industry of drugs for helping individuals find the “magic” solution to being the right weight. I have personally participated in the infamous diet known as “The Atkins Diet” that advocates eating very few carbohydrates and an abundance of protein and fats. Mostly I lament over the people making money from the obsession of losing weight and placing unsuspecting/trusting individuals in harms way, at the same time stealing their money by promising some talismanic cure to obesity. The answer to losing weight for the average healthy person seems so simple but is obfuscated by the self-appointed self-serving pseudo-intellectual weight loss gurus we see on late night infomercials. Here is the answer and your clients do not have to climb a mountain to find it…eat and exercise at a calorie deficit.

Eat less and exercise. I said this seemed simple, but not easy. The real trick is to get your clients to understand and comply. To lose weight requires this proven magic formula, you must burn more calories than you take in, there is your magic formula in one sentence. There is literally an industry of books, gadgets and videos that tell you what kind of calories you should take in (low fat, low carbohydrate, high protein, high fat, eat in The Zone, eat for your body type, etc.) and most of your clients will own either one or several of these devices, books and/or gadgets. All of this is nonsense and pointless if your clients are still eating more calories than they burn.

One way to facilitate calorie burning is to take in fewer calories and exercise to augment the calorie burning process. Eat a balanced diet (convince your client that Twinkies, cupcakes, and donuts are NOT part of any known food group) consisting of less calories than they are burning during the day and your clients will lose weight and have you to Thank for it. The important message to convey to your client is that they need to eat less, not eat nothing. Convincing your client that they will lose weight slowly and safely is the toughest part in a society that wants instant gratification. Your clients must eat so that their metabolism does not slow to the point where they are not burning enough calories to lose weight sending their metabolism into “starvation mode”. If the body perceives a consistent large calorie deficit as a threat, it begins to store fat to combat the “famine conditions”.

Accept that healthy and thin are not equal or go hand in hand. Does anyone think that someone who is anorexic is a good role model for a healthy look? Realize that genetics are a very important factor in this equation. If your clients’ Mother and Father were obese, they probably will be too, however that does not mean something cannot be done to change that vicious pattern and it does not mean they cannot live a healthy lifestyle which is inherent to a quality life. Just remember that simply because a food exists does not mean we are obligated to eat it. Really if you looked at it, there is no reason for a donut to exist, especially a chemical laden “low-fat” donut. Talk to your client about not being a slave to the scale, tell them to listen to their bodies and know their bodies, see if it feels healthy. Motivate your client to embrace themselves and get healthy and throw away the over-the-counter diet drugs.

Caloric deficit is proven technique that can transform their bodies and improve their fitness level over the long-term.
Unfortunately many so-called weight loss strategies are really muscle loss strategies sending the body into a catabolic state. These include the severe restriction of carbohydrates (the Atkins diet, for example) and excessive training without proper post-exercise nutrition. Eating too much in the way of simple, processed carbohydrates (white flour, sugar) also kicks up insulin, which prevents fat burning until the insulin clears the system (which can take a while if your client has insulin regulation problems).

Yet many of us still eschew serious weight training even though experts insist it’s necessary for optimal body composition. More muscle equals less body fat over time. A pound of muscle requires at least 35 calories a day to function; a pound of fat only needs one or two calories. Your clients must understand when they build muscle, they boost their resting metabolic rate (RMR), so their bodies burn more calories, even when they are asleep.

Many weight loss diets and diet plans involving weight loss pills or supplements encourage very fast weight loss, often in excess of three to four pounds per week. This is both unhealthy and ineffective. The average healthy human body simply will not shed more than about two pounds of fat, per week. But it will shed water, which is what most fast weight loss is…WATER LOSS!

If your clients’ goal is fat loss, the scale is an extremely poor tool for measuring progress, particularly when they are doing any kind of weight training. Also, there is so much variation in water retention and digestive contents that you really cannot get a useful reading until their fat loss is significant as a percentage of their body weight. The mirror is another poor measuring tool.

Fat never spot-reduces. It comes off in proportion to the existing fat layer. Usually, the shoulders and upper body are the first to show visual improvement, since these are the areas where the fat layer is thinnest. “Problem areas” are virtually never the first to show improvement. But the progress will come if your client is dedicated, motivated and will not give up.

A complete program includes resistance training, aerobic training, interval training (get winded and recover, get winded and recover and so on…), cross training (alternating two different exercises on different days, e.g. treadmill and exercise cycle), small frequent meals (5-6 small meals per day; or a meal every two hours) containing high-quality protein and carbohydrate, and low-glycemic nutrition (avoid a lot of refined sugar, white flour, and highly processed carbs - focus on carbs that exist in nature). Proper supplementation, particularly post-workout whey protein or Leucine, is helpful. Lots of water and sufficient rest are also a must.

For the first few weeks, have your client write down everything they eat - you’ll learn a lot about them, otherwise their daily estimates may not even be close. If they follow roughly the same meal plan every week, it is definitely worth the effort to carefully and honestly estimate the calories of their usual meals using a measuring cup and an inexpensive food scale (I tell my clients to purchase a simple postage scale). If they do this even once, they will find that it’s much easier to track their daily intake accurately.

If your client wants to lose body fat, a useful guideline for lowering their calorie intake is to reduce their calories by at least 500 kcal, but not more than 1000 kcal below their maintenance level. For people with only a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 kcal will be too much of a deficit. As a guide to minimum calorie intake, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 kcal per day for men. Even these calorie levels are quite low.

There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you have your client create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, they will lose one pound of body weight. If you create a 7000 calorie deficit they will lose two pounds and so on.

The calorie deficit can be achieved either by calorie-restriction alone, or by a combination of fewer calories-in (diet) and more calories-out (exercise). This combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss. Indeed, sustained weight loss is difficult or impossible without increased regular exercise.

The basic premise is that whatever activity level your client might be, increase it within reasonable limits. If your client is a couch potato, start by having them walk around the block on a regular basis as part of their exercise regimen. For their weight-loss workout, choose an activity or activities that they enjoy (this is information you should have received on the initial interview and listening to your client). Options like walking, bicycling, aerobic dancing, stair climbing, golf, tennis, jogging, and swimming are all great. Walking is a good option for many people, and it’s inexpensive and readily available to most and does not place a lot of stress on their joints.  When exercising, increase slowly and gently and try to do enjoyable things because this is a total lifestyle change and not some fad.

The pivotal trait for success? Consistency. Weight loss is best achieved by making long-term changes in diet and exercise that become part of a healthy lifestyle. Small changes that cause few disruptions in life are more sustainable and more likely to help your client keep those unwanted pounds from returning home to roost and they will have you to blame for the weight gain.

In addition, adding resistance training will help maintain the metabolic rate as discussed in earlier paragraphs. A simple weight lifting program two to three times a week should make a world of difference aesthetically and psychologically to encourage your client to pursue further weight loss. Exercise also improves self-esteem, which may help them stick with their healthy lifestyle habits. Finally, physical activity helps your client feel better regardless of how much weight they lose.

To burn more calories, those who currently exercise three days a week should try adding a fourth day, exercising longer each day, or doing both. In addition to their planned daily exercise and healthy diet, they can lose extra pounds by adding more physical activity in general to their daily lifestyle for instance talk to your client about taking the stairs instead of the elevator; and walk to the store around the corner instead of drive.

Here is a checklist of things that can be done, you might even create a similar checklist for yourself to give to a client as a reminder:

1.Replace “full”-calorie food with low-calorie options (skim milk vs. whole milk, low-calorie dressing vs. high-calorie dressing)
2.Replace high-calorie condiments with low-calorie choices (mustard instead of mayonnaise, salsa instead of cream-based sauces)
3.Choose small servings (large portions may contain twice the calories)
4.Eat “slow-down” foods (for example, an orange instead of orange juice)
5.Drink lots of water.
6.Follow a daily food plan (impulsive choices tend to be high in calories)

In short, convince your client to get active, eat healthfully. The foregoing is the secret formula for weight loss which is really not a secret at all. By counting calories every day, our clients can expect to achieve effective long-term results. Moreover, a complete record of their daily calories allows you to use your feedback to more effectively, control their weight loss experience in many other beneficial ways.

Few people lose weight without occasional periods of discouragement and frustration, as personal trainers we are motivators. Create an attitude of persistence during times that your client reaches a weight plateau. In addition, some people benefit from the motivation provided by weight-loss support groups. Exercise, like a healthy diet, is a lifestyle adaptation that should persist throughout life.

Counting calories and creating a calorie deficit is a very specific mathematical formula, a very complicated one. I did not want to complicate this article by including the specific formula. If you are not familiar with the process in which to figure a client’s caloric deficit I will be happy to send it to you via email. You can write to me at dennis@ironwerkspersonaltraining.com, and I will fulfill your request as soon as possible. Encourage your clients to have their body composition tested regularly and adjust their training and dietary needs accordingly.

My disclaimer: I do not recommend undertaking any new exercise or diet program without getting solid medical advice from a trained professional. While what I am going to tell you will probably come under the heading of “common sense”, if your client knows or even suspects they have some unique health circumstance, encourage them to talk to their Doctor first.

Copyright © 2003 by Dennis M. Loya, JD.

All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the author. Author Biography

Dennis M. Loya, JD. is owner of IronWerks™, a personal training service that focuses on weight loss, nutrition, sport specific and condition specific training serving the beautiful Newport Beach/Corona Del Mar area of Southern California. Dennis has a law degree from American College of Law, and is a Certified Personal Trainer through the International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA) and National Personal Training Institute (NPTI) and is a AMFPT and NPTI Certified Sports Nutritionist. Dennis has been involved in training and health related issues for over 25 years. As a trainer, he specializes in physique transformation, exercise for pregnant women, and sport-specific strength training preparation. IronWerks™ web site can be found at www.fitnessresultsnow.com the phone number is 949.278.3875 and any correspondence can be sent to:

IronWerks™ Personal Training
Attn.: Dennis Loya
1000 W. MacArthur Blvd. #21
Santa Ana, CA 92707