I had a call with a client last week where we talked about some lifestyle changes with the goal of losing a few pounds over the next 12 weeks. We came up with several small changes to make over the next few weeks. Individually, those small changes may not be much. But together they compound to a big change in energy expenditure.
What we decided for this client:
- Use standing desk for first 1/2 of the day
- Plan meals for the week, not necessarily which day they are made on
- Purchase healthy snacks that are ready to eat for late night cravings
- Shift from casual drinks 3-4 nights/week -> 1-2 nights/week
- Aim for healthy options when ordering out, apply moderation in portion sizes
- Add activity to rest days
- Shift workouts to circuit style training with reduced rest
As you can see, all of these on their own won't yield big results. But small changes applied throughout your day/week/month can really come together to be reasonable, sustainable, changes without affecting your whole life.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- What does your commute look like? Can you get off the bus a couple stops earlier and add a walk? Can you walk/bike to work?
- Do you know what you're going to be eating in 1/2/3 days? Can you add some soft/hard planning around your groceries and meals?
- What is your "action plan" when you get hungry 2-3 hours after your dinner? What ready to eat foods are in your cupboards/fridge right now?
- What % of your training sessions is spend resting between sets? If your main goal is weight loss, can you superset some exercises to get that heart rate up without sacrificing the weight lifted?
- What does your weekly training schedule look like? On the days you aren't training, can you allocate some active recovery time for a walk/bike/swim? Can you structure your sessions differently so you can train harder on your workout days?
Small changes yield big results. If you're looking for advice drop me a line! Always happy to chat.
Mylan Clairmont MSc, CSCS