3 common mistakes to avoid when starting a weight-loss program
Quick caveat: when most people say "I want to lose weight" what they really mean is "I want to reduce my bodyfat percentage." Here are 3 mistakes to avoid if you're trying to reduce bodyfat:
1. the "starvation" diet
While it is true that you must create a caloric deficit in order to see a decrease in bodyfat, how much of a deficit is an important question to answer. The American College of Sports Medicine defines a "safe" rate of weight loss as 1-2 lbs/week. This corresponds to 500-1000 calories of deficit per day.
If you were to lose 1 lb/week for a year, that would add up to more than 50 lbs in 12 mos; that'd be an incredible achievement! Take the long view, don't try to lose 20 lbs in 20 days.
2. avoiding resistance training
Besides being medically unsafe, if you cut calories too drastically, your body will respond by catabolizing (breaking down) muscle tissue. While this is an incredibly useful survival mechanism if you were actually starving, it's the last thing you want when trying to reduce bodyfat.
Having more muscle mass is a great ally in your quest to lose bodyfat! Did you know, 10lbs of muscle mass burns 500 calories/day? Follow a program that includes resistance training.
3. tons of intensity/not much consistency
Certainly you've heard the story The Tortoise and the Hare? Steadiness helps the slow tortoise to reach his goal before the super-fast hare. Similarly with fitness, working out for one week with incredible intensity will not have as much impact as working at a lower intensity that allows you to be ultra-consistent.
Now don't get me wrong: intensity is important--you can't build muscle (remember, muscle helps burn fat) without challenging your body to reach new levels of weight and repetitions. Yet, consistency is king; you won't make a meaningful change with the latest break-neck fad in fitness that you do once, and can't do again for two weeks because you're so sore!
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