Exercise and Nutrition for Fat Loss

History of Fat Loss

People have been dieting since the invention of the mirror.

Vanity is nothing new.. it has become magnified over time.

Today we are told that lean people live longer and are more productive in their daily lives than their less lean counterparts. So for various reasons millions have embarked upon some sort of weight loss program.

Years ago people who wanted to lose fat did so based on very limited information. Before the discovery of the  calorie people lost weight by ‘fasting’. When a person abstains from food the body has to break down body tissue for survival. Much of this fuel will come from stored energy in the form of fat reserves. Unfortunately  a severe fast is dangerous as the body will call upon other tissues to be used as fuel.

With fasting the body chooses a mixture of stored body fat and lean body mass as fuel. Just as the body taps into body fat and breaks it down to use as energy, it can do the same with muscle and organs. When deprived of food the body can easily break down the heart, the liver and other organs to make fuel. The body will also rip apart the muscles to make fuel during a starvation fast.

This can lead to exhaustion and eventually death.

So we can conclude that the fast isn’t the smartest approach to fat loss..

Once people figured out that prolonged fasting worked but the negative was death they began to alter the fasting approach to weight loss and the modified fast was born.

The modified fast involved abstaining from food completely for as long as you could and when you finally broke down, your willpower was crushed and your appetite screaming in high gear you would eat. Some would eat a small amount and drink a ton of water to suppress the appetite. But others would go crazy, break down and eat as if it was their last meal on earth, probably negating any fat loss during the period of fasting

The Calorie

With the breakthroughs in science man discovered the CALORIE and the never ending task of tabulating numbers, keeping records and avoiding large portions began. However the dieter did  not know how many calories he required in a day so in the hope of losing fat and with little knowledge he resorted to a method still prevalent today.

This method is
‘If you’re sure  how may calories you should be eating to lose weight just take the conservative route and eat less’

For many the magical number of 1000 calories seemed to be low enough to work and many who followed a diet that yielded 1000 calories a day lost weight.

However they also discovered the dreaded dieting plateau. Research began to prove that with calorific restriction, body protein, specifically in the form of muscle mass, was also being shed along with body fat.

To some degree I have been involved and infatuated with body fat control for 30 odd years.

Diets come and go. The Rice Diet, The Fruit Diet, The Low Carb Diet, The High Carb Diet, The High Fat Diet, The Low Fat Diet, The fibre Diet and the list goes on..

What each and every diet has in common is controlled caloric restriction (despite many claiming they are not).

One thing we know for sure is that when calories are reduced the body calls upon other sources for fuel and one of them is stored body fat.

So unlike some who say ‘diets do not work’ I would disagree and say……

‘DIETS DO WORK’

The problem is they are either difficult to maintain for long periods of time, do not supply enough calories, or simply do not educate the person in life long sustainable eating habits.

So the discouraged dieter throws in the towel and quits.

Dispelling the myths and confusion…

I will teach you..

Z

How to kick start your metabolism with sensible nutrition (no faddy diets)

Z

How to prepare your food properly

Z

How to plan an effective exercise schedule

Z

Why lifting weights won’t turn you into The Incredible Hulk .. and why it’s important for women to lift weights

Call Now 07946 256982

What our women say…

Before I started training with Rachel, I was 5lbs heavier and crippled  with running injuries. But after training with Rachel for less than a year, I am stronger, more flexible, completely injury free and as an added bonus, have shaved inches off my waist and hips. In short, I couldn’t be happier with the results. Rachel really knows her stuff and is completely focused on helping her clients’ achieve their goals.

 

Denise, 2013