Beyond The Basics: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective and Sustainable Weight Loss

Everywhere we turn we hear fitness and nutrition gurus tout about all the things we should be doing/eating or avoiding to help us achieve our weight loss goals. While some recommendations may make sense, most are not customized to any one person. Additionally, saying that we should move more and eat better is a no-brainer, "Say Duh!" ??. This superficial advice does nothing for you. On top of this, quotes like "The best way to start is to start", "There's no time like the present", and "Yesterday was the best time to start, today is the second best", all seem like FOMO tactics to get you to jump on board with their programs ASAP. The reality is that no one should say when the best time for you to start is. However, when that time comes for you, having a solid framework and understanding of weight loss will give you an advantage in knowing where to allocate your energy, effort, and attention to address the things that matter most for your best results.

As a health & fitness consultant to driven executives, I often coach on the importance of fostering a growth mindset and having solid frameworks to combat different health and fitness aspects. I use a pyramid diagram to depict three major stages of development to achieve success from the ground up: 1. Fundamental Weight Loss Framework, 2. Growth Mindset & Program Execution, 3. Ownership & Goal Mastery. Today, I am sharing the first stage of my program to help you understand weight loss better and provide clarity and direction.

Fundamental Weight Loss Framework

1. Benchmark Your Health, Fitness, and Nutrition

Know where you stand with your health, fitness, and nutrition. Take a deep dive into your physiological and nutritional makeup. For many people, this sounds like this... "My health is okay, I can use more fitness, and I need to eat better." However, this is not enough. To get accurate results and build a custom plan it would behoove you to establish this strong foundation from the very start. Some questions I typically ask are:

• What are your health vitals like? i.e. Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, BMI, Testosterone, A1C Blood Sugar, Weight, Body Fat %, Muscle %, Circumference Measurements, etc.
• Where are you starting from with your fitness? i.e. Daily Step Count, Muscular Strength, VO2Max, Resting Heart Rate, Current Plank Time, Hiking Distance, 1-Mile Time Trial, Flexibility, Average Active Energy, etc.
• What is your current nutrition like? Do you have any nutritional deficiencies you are aware of? Macronutrient Averages (proteins, carbs, fats), Micronutrient Averages (vitamins & minerals), Food Logs & Habitual Food Intake. Using MyFitnessPal for some time (1-2 weeks) can give you some good nutritional insights.

2. Establish Weight Loss Goal & Timeframe

Establishing a pragmatic weight loss goal is a good place to start. If you aim for a large weight loss goal in a short time frame then you may become overwhelmed and fall off the wagon per se, especially if you are not working with an accountability partner. If you aim for a small weight loss goal in a large time frame, then you may not be challenged or motivated at all. Despite what you decide on it is crucial to understand energy balance and what it takes to achieve a calorie net deficit (burning more calories than consumed). Comparing the calories from your nutrition to the calories of your TDEE Total Daily Energy Expenditure you will have a clear understanding of where you want to allocate your focus and energy. When you benchmark your nutrition, as explained in the previous step, you extrapolate your caloric intake. However, to calculate your TDEE you must primarily understand your metabolism and how it contributes to your overall TDEE.

The human body requires 3,500 calories to burn one pound of body weight. You probably already know that achieving a negative 500-calorie daily deficit will yield you a one-pound weight loss per week (-500 x 7 = -3,500). While this is true, most people do not understand their metabolisms entirely and how, when compared to their nutrition, it can affect their weight loss results.

Below is a breakdown of your TDEE Total Daily Energy Expenditure, and how your metabolism plays a major role in it.

TDEE Total Daily Energy Expenditure (total metabolism)

• BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate ~70% (resting metabolism / non-active calories) - This is the most misunderstood component of metabolism. Your BMR accounts for the number of calories your body requires at rest and for life-sustaining functions like sleeping, breathing, etc. The biggest contributors to your BMR are your weight and muscle to some extent. BMR makes up a majority of the calories you expend in a day, especially if you are not active. To calculate Your BMR use the formula below or use the online calculator here > BMR Calculator
• BMR For Men = [4.536 x weight (lbs.)] + [15.88 x height (in.)] - [5 x age (years)] + 5
• BMR For Women = [4.536 x weight (lbs.)] + [15.88 x height (in.)] - [5 x age (years)] -161
• PA - Physical Activity ~20% (active metabolism / active calories) - For most people, physical activity calories are your second largest form of calories expended. This includes all of your movement in your day including walking, exercise, going up and down stairs, and any moment that is not at rest. Some researchers classify any movement that is not exercise as NEAT Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, but I include this in your total physical activity. Some online calculators attempt to calculate your physical activity by multiplying your BMR by an Activity Factor. However, I find this to be very inaccurate. My best recommendation for calculating this is to use a fitness tracker like an Apple iWatch (red rings), Samsung Gear, or FitBit. These trackers will help gauge your physical activity. Though your physical activity is a smaller percentage of total calories, adopting a routine of regular exercise and activity can pay off dividends when done wisely.
• TEF - Thermic Effect of Food ~10% (digestion metabolism / non-active calories) - TEF refers to the amount of thermogenesis (heat) needed to break down, process, and digest your food. Foods high in fiber, protein, and complex carbohydrates have a higher thermic effect of food, whereas foods lower in fiber, protein, or complex carbohydrates have a lower thermic effect of food. Consuming high TEF-generating foods not only bumps your calorie burn, but they are also satiating and can act as appetite suppressants naturally.?? ??

With a clear understanding of your caloric intake (nutrition) and caloric output (TDEE) you can now make an educated decision on how you'd like to approach your weight loss journey... albeit optimizing your nutrition, movement strategy, or a combination of both. Aiming for about (0.5-1.5) pounds of weight loss usually works well for most individuals, but find what works best for you.

3. Determine Your Best Movement & Nutritional Strategy

As mentioned earlier, most people wanting to lose weight either look for ways to move more or diet. Though these general recommendations may be effective, they are not enough. Your time and energy are valuable and you should do whatever research it takes upfront to ensure the best success. My clients will be the first to tell you that I am a big risk-reward type of person, but they will also tell you that I am a hard sell and I always do my homework. When it comes to fitness and nutrition aim to ask these three questions:

• 1. Is this fitness or nutrition program effective? This is the number one question you should always ask. If the program itself is a trend or has a lot of jargon, then it probably is a facade.
• 2. Is this fitness or nutrition program sustainable? If you cannot see yourself adopting your new program long-term, then it probably isn't the right one for you.
• 3. Does this fitness or nutrition program teach me or help me become autonomous with my new fitness lifestyle? I will be the first one to admit that my coaching and consulting services are a business and that I rely on referral marketing to expand. However, building autonomy is a large component of my program. Teaching and learning are the best ways to grow and I hope that whatever program you commit to has an educational component to it and is not just another eat this-not that, do this-not that type of program. Seek clarity, understanding, and transparency.

Conclusion

Once you have established your benchmarks, established your weight loss goals, and determined your fitness and nutritional strategy, then commencing your health and fitness program is your next step. Make sure you do your research on what works best for you. Know that the best time to start is when you say it is. Do something bold and worth pursuing, and if you are going to do anything do it to the best of your ability. Aim to establish a weight loss framework that promotes betterment and sustainability

Andy Padilla III, MS, EPC, CPT, FMS, USATF1

AP3 Personal Training