I would say that almost 75% of you are trying to lose weight and get in better shape. I can even hear some of you exclaiming how you wish you could lose the flabs on your arms or the love handles. And I’m pretty sure that some of you have even tried to follow advice you get off the internet or from your favorite fitness celebrity, only to be met with disappointment with the results. Is it even possible to lose weight, and keep it off?

Now before we begin, let’s establish that the kind of weight we’re talking about here is in the form of fat. Of course, you could just as easily lose weight in the form of water and muscle, but who cares about water weight (Well, you should but that’s beside the point of this video), and do you really want to waste your precious muscles, when they are the ones responsible for giving you that “toned” look you’ve been dreaming about? Let’s also establish the fact that there is no such thing as spot fat removal. Time and time again, I get clients coming up to me, asking me to help them lose weight around the thighs or the hips, or the arms. It. Doesn’t. Work. Like. That. Period. Imagine if it did though. You’d have toned-up arms while the rest of your body looks like a floppy mess. It doesn’t make sense, now does it? Lastly, you may find that the tips I’m giving are common sense. Well, if they really are, then I’m sure you wouldn’t have trouble losing weight in the first place. The problem is that readers tend to assume that they know it all but fail to put any action into it. As such, it would be in your best interest to put all these tips into physical action, for maximum results. With all, here are my top 5 tips on effectively shedding the kilos.

 1: Calories in VS Calories out in a sustainable manner.

This is, by far, THE MOST important factor when it comes to successful weight loss. This theory suggests that when your caloric expenditure exceeds your consumption, your body begins to utilize fat as an energy source, and hence weight loss. And for those who have tried fad diets or crash dieting before, the foundational concept of those diets is the same. However, many people tend to experience a rebound effect when they stop the diet entirely. It goes a little something like this. You want to lose weight; you look up how to do so on the internet and find a “detox” diet that will “shed the kilos in 2 weeks”. You follow the diet, and it proves to be effective. Then you stop, and soon you find yourself putting the weight back on. What happened here? Some of you might’ve gone into the diet, assuming that you only needed to work hard for 2 weeks and enjoy the fruits of your labor for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case with dieting. Many of the fad diets you see on the internet do work but are highly unsustainable. Think about it. Could you go your entire life on a zero-carb diet without feeling lethargic? What about the health implications of going through such a diet? Losing weight is a marathon, not a sprint. You want to conduct the diet in the most sustainable way possible, to be able to maintain your results long-term. The best way to conduct a weight loss phase is to identify what your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is, and then reduce the calories by 500, in the form of either carbs or fat, keeping protein intake high. This will be done until you see a plateau, and only then will you reduce it further. Of course, this won’t go on perpetually. That is why I’ve included a tried and tested phasing system into each of my client’s programs.

2: Be more active

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but what most people don’t realize is what the implications of being more active really are. Most of us assume it’s just about the “calories in-calories out” concept and try to balance between how many calories they consume in a day, and the number of calories they see being burnt on the cardiovascular machine they’re on. While that may be slightly true, it isn’t the whole story. Being more active increases your body’s N.E.A.T. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. In layman’s terms, that’s how many calories are you burning simply by existing. The higher your NEAT, the quicker and easier it will be to reach your weight loss goals. My recommendation is always to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio in a week. Of course, some of you may have never done a workout in your life, so start small! Remember, the goal is to lose weight EFFECTIVELY and SUSTAINABLY. Commit to three 20-minute cardio sessions a week, for example, and increase it as you go along.

3:  Find alternatives to sugary drinks and calorie-dense foods

Ah, this one’s a classic. Especially in hot Singapore. What is the number one must-have drink? Bubble tea. What is the cheapest and most convenient food source available? Fast food.

“But Elvis, didn’t you say it was about calories in VS calories out? Couldn’t I just eat whatever I wanted, as long as I don’t exceed the number of calories required to lose weight?”

Well, in theory, yes you can. And that would be called “if-it fits your-macros”. While it sounds logical, think about this. How are you so sure that every burger you ate had the same number of calories? Where are the calories coming from? Do you feel satisfied after the meal, or did you feel like going for dessert afterward? Those are but a few of the questions you need to consider before jumping in on such a diet. By doing your own meal preps, you will be able to identify exactly what you are putting into your body. You will have full control over how much you are eating, and any adjustments required will be easy to do so. I know. Most of you are going to say that you don’t have time. I’ve heard that a million times. I might hurt some people, but I’m here to help you be better, not to kiss your boot. If you have time to stream your favorite series on Netflix; if you had time to wait in line for that BTS meal from McDonald’s; if you have time to scroll through Instagram, then I’m pretty sure you have more than enough time to meal prep. The real reason why you don’t want to meal prep is that you think it’s going to be a boring, flavorless journey, the typical chicken breast, broccoli, and rice diet. Unless you’re intending to become a professional bodybuilder (In that case, why are you even reading this article), then there are numerous ways you can get creative in the kitchen while still being able to lose weight! For example, instead of ice cream after dinner, try a bowl of fruits. Instead of sugar in your coffee or tea, try artificial sweeteners. (“oh but they’re bad for your health.” I will explain in another article why this is so untrue) Instead of sugary breakfast cereals, try overnight oats! I will be releasing new recipes soon, so do check them out!

4: Include a resistance training program into the mix

This one can get some people scratching their heads. Some of the common responses I get are as follow:

“What does that have to do with losing weight? Isn’t it just cardio and dieting?”

“I have no intentions to become a bodybuilder. Why do I need to do weight training?”

“I don’t want to touch the weights because I’m afraid I’ll get too big” (This one is a HUGE pet peeve of mine and I will rant about this in another article.)

Muscle cells are metabolically active, meaning that they require energy to function. The more of it you have, the easier it will be to burn fat. Not to mention, resistance training allows you to stay in shape, helping you move around your everyday life with ease. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to lift boxes and move around at work, and still be fresh enough to go through with your cardio sessions? That’s one of the numerous benefits of resistance training. I would go more into detail, but this should be left for another time.

5:  Have an accountability partner                

Most of us have lives outside of looking good. And so, it becomes easy to fall through the cracks and give up midway through your weight loss journey. Or for some of you, it would be much more motivating to see someone going through the same journey as you are. That is why an accountability partner can mean the difference between success and failure. Unless you are highly self-motivated, an accountability partner is a valuable asset, as he or she will be there with you to ensure you stay on track towards your weight loss goals. This is one of the many reasons why people hire people like me. It is, quite literally, our job to ensure that you do not go off track and to make this journey as smooth sailing as humanly possible. (More reasons on why personal training is highly advantageous in another article)

And so, those were my 5 tips on effective weight loss. Put these into practice, and you will be that much closer to achieving your weight loss goals once and for all. I’ll see you guys again in the next article!