ML Coaching
Are you currently trying to lose weight?
If so, you should have a precise plan for how you want to structure your nutrition and training, to reach your target weight as efficiently as possible.
But it's also important that you define your weight loss goals precisely.
Most people have a rough idea of how many kilos they want to lose by some approximate date, ideally as fast as possible. This approach is often doomed to fail because the goal is simply too vague, and progress isn't measured properly. Just like with all the other goals you have in life, your weight loss goals should also be "SMART." The abbreviation means that the definition of your goal should include the following concrete elements: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Based.
If you define your weight loss goal using this little formula, your chances of success go up, and at the same time you save yourself a lot of stress.
In this article I'll show you exactly how to set realistic goals for your target weight and find the right approach for you.
Why you shouldn't lose weight too fast
Before we dive deep into the topic, I want to briefly address why you shouldn't try everything to lose as much weight as possible in a short time.
That might sound strange at first. After all, most diet programs and magazines try to sell you on rapid weight loss in the shortest possible time. Sounds good in theory, but makes little sense in practice.
Ultimately, your daily energy deficit determines how fast you lose weight.
Your energy deficit is the difference between the calories you take in (through food) and the calories your body burns. So if you achieve a bigger gap between these two numbers, you lose weight faster.
A large calorie deficit can, however, have many downsides:
- Strong daily hunger, causing you to give up your diet sooner
- Increased risk of a slower metabolism, which makes long-term weight loss difficult
- Increased risk of muscle loss and worse training performance
So let's look at the pros and cons of different approaches to losing weight, so you can pick the best one for you.
Option 1: weight loss of under 0.5kg per week
This is a fairly conservative goal that only requires a daily calorie deficit of 10-15%.
Advantages:
- Only minimal changes to your diet needed
- Little to no hunger
- Low risk of muscle loss
- Minimal impact on your training performance
- Low risk of a slower metabolism
Disadvantages:
- Visible weight loss takes a long time, which can lead to loss of motivation
- Requires precise attention to calorie counting, since even an extra 100 calories a day makes a real difference
Who is this method suited for?
This approach suits people best who are already fairly lean, know their way around nutrition, and place value on preserving muscle and strength.
Option 2: weight loss of 0.5 - 1kg per week
This is a moderate goal that requires an energy deficit of 15-25% per week.
Advantages:
- No overly drastic dietary changes for most people
- Hunger is fairly manageable
- Relatively low risk of muscle loss
- Relatively minimal impact on your training performance
- Relatively fast fat loss, especially measured over several months
- Manageable risk of a slower metabolism
Disadvantages:
- Can feel slow if you want to lose a lot of weight
- Can be too fast if you want to preserve your athletic performance and muscle mass and are already fairly lean
Who is this method suited for?
This approach is best suited for people who want to lose a moderate number of kilos (between 2.5kg and 25kg), and who want to keep their body shape rather than strictly focus on the number on the scale. In my view, this is the best method for most people.
Option 3: weight loss of more than 1kg per week
This is a fairly aggressive goal that requires a daily energy deficit of 25% or more. Advantages:
- Maximum fat loss
- Minimal impact from imprecise calorie counting, as long as you stay in a deficit
Disadvantages:
- Major dietary adjustments needed, which are inflexible and harder to sustain
- Strong hunger if not well planned
- Hard to maintain long-term
- High risk of a slower metabolism
- High risk of muscle loss (depending on body fat percentage)
- Strong impact on athletic performance (depending on body fat percentage)
Who is this method suited for?
This approach is best suited for people who want or need to lose a lot of weight (over 25kg), and who aren't too concerned about their body shape and athletic performance. Even then, this method should only be used for short periods, for example at the start of a diet or dietary change.
Conclusion - which method for weight loss is best?
As you can see, option 2 has the most advantages and the fewest disadvantages. For most of my clients, whom I coach as a personal trainer in Zurich, this method is the most sensible and the most beneficial in the long run.
If you plan your nutrition correctly, you can largely preserve your muscle mass and, above all, lose fat instead of muscle. Your hunger won't be too intense, and your metabolism won't slow down too much.
If you're not entirely sure how to create an individual plan for your weight loss goals, feel free to contact me. Together we can create an individual nutrition and training plan that gets you fast, visible results and isn't too hard to stick to. Do you have other questions about reaching your goals, whether related to weight or building muscle? Just leave a comment and I'll reply as soon as I can.