How to Safely Lose Weight

Losing weight is definitely not black and white, and is something a lot of people struggle with knowing how to do safely and properly. Each persons body type is different and no one thing will work for everyone. Health and fitness involves a lot of trial and error before finding exactly what works for you. The good news is there are a few general rules that you can follow to get you started!

First off, I do not believe in any sort of "magic pills" that claim to help you lose weight fast or don't require you to workout and have a healthy diet. Sure, you may see results at the beginning, although generally it does not last or is not healthy long term. SAFELY, you can lose 1-2 lbs a week by exercising and eating properly! (Don't worry, this does not mean giving up all comfort foods, I like to follow the 80-20 rule, but again, find what works best for you so long as there is balance.)

You should also keep in mind that there is a difference between losing fat and losing weight. When you lose weight, not only do you lose fat, but you also lose weight from your muscles, bones, organs, etc... This is why we must eat proper amounts and pair strength training with cardiovascular training. Strength training has a ton of benefits, such as growing and strengthening muscles, and building bone density (very important, especially as we age to prevent brittle bones and diseases such as osteoporosis).

Next, when losing weight, you have to go into a caloric deficit. What this means is that you are burning more calories then you are ingesting, each day. If you are trying to gain muscle/weight, you would want the opposite. When putting yourself into a caloric deficit, you want to be sure you're under eating by no more than 300-500 calories a day. More then this and your body will go into starvation mode and you will not only lose fat, but overall body weight, and your body will no longer have enough energy to perform all of it's duties.

Aaaand lastly, you've probably heard it a million times, and I will tell you again, but you just can't beat a healthy diet and proper exercise. These two go hand in hand. Think of food as fuel, like gas in a car. Without proper food, your body isn't able to perform it's normal functions, let alone give you the energy to exercise. Your metabolism is also directly related to exercise (among other factors). The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism will be, the more fat you will lose! In some ways, our bodies are simple. Feed it right, exercise it right, and it will give you what you want.

Hope this helps anyone looking for a few tips on how to start their weight loss journey!

Sara Elle ♡