4 Pillars of Weight Loss

For those who follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, you know that I constantly post very quick additions to your workout regimen. I have had to start including the note that each exercise I post is not a full workout in itself because I get this question so much: "If I just do that, how fast can I lose weight?" or "Will this make me lose my bum?". The problem with these questions is the assumption that there is a magical way to lose weight without putting in the necessary work, and that all people lose weight the same way.

Every body type is different, which means where I lose weight will most likely be different from where you lose weight. A lot of black women are concerned about their curves, but it is unfortunately impossible to say whether a person will lose their curves or not.

So let's assess what it takes to lose weight. There are 4 basic pillars that I think everyone with weight loss goals should implement:

• Nutrition: This is arguably the most important because in most cases, people underestimate the calories they consume. Portion control is essential in any weight loss goal. How you choose to manage your diet may vary based on your situation, but it is key to manage how much and the quality of the food you eat. This means eating fewer calories and eating more natural unprocessed food.
• Cardiovascular Exercise: Also referred to as 'cardio'. This is where you really burn calories. Health experts recommend that each person get about 150 minutes of moderate intensity cardio activity each week to maintain a healthy heart and maintain your weight. In order to really burn calories, you should be doing more than that or cranking up the intensity of your workouts. Cardio activity includes things like running, cycling, skipping, and swimming.
• Strength Training: You know tons of people who lift weights or do other strength training exercises like pushups, and you may wonder why. Weights help to build muscles, and muscles require more energy to be maintained. So besides the benefit of having nice abs and looking 'tighter', you get your body into constant fat-burning mode. Women also seem to shy away from lifting weights because they do not want to be bulky, but it takes a lot for a woman to grow as big as a man.
• Rest: This may not seem intuitive, but your body needs sleep. In order to burn calories and build proper muscles, your muscles need to repair after you've burned them out. Rest provides that.

To understand the math behind weight loss, including calorie consumption and how burning these calories helps you lose weight, I have explained it in detail in this post: The Math Behind your Weight Loss Goals.

Cheers Eights & Weights!