Weight loss and workouts

Here are a few common question’s we get at Right Fit: “If I work really hard in the gym, can I eat and
drink whatever I want?” or “I’ve been coming for 6 months and I haven’t lost any weight.”
Unfortunately, the answer is “no.” You can’t cancel out the effects of poor nutrition, even with
one of our training plans and workouts and weight loss often don’t go hand in hand.
Why not?
It’s a simple matter of numbers:

• A common fast-food burger might have 550 calories.
• Ten minutes of cycling at medium intensity burns about 100 calories.
• So, it would take you approximately 55 minutes of cycling to work off one burger!

While it’s true that humans burn calories at rest, (your “basal metabolic rate”), we’ll ignore that
here because when people ask about outworking a bad diet it’s not that ‘Mixed Heritage
Greens’ salad from Birdy’s we’re talking about, but pizza and poutine with all those extra
calories.

And, it’s so easy to to take in those extra calories! Few people overeat a cobb salad topped
with grilled chicken breast. The foods we love and crave are often packed with sugar, salt and
fat in a combo that’s irresistibly tasty. It is hard for all of us to limit intake.

If we look at our earlier example and add fries and a pop to that burger, we’re now at about
1,320 calories. If you trained hard for two hours, you’ll burn about 1,200 calories….but that’s
still not enough to work it all off…. Especially not if you add cookies or a glass of pinot noir at
the end of the day!

You can see how it spirals. It would take many hours of intense effort in the gym and a huge
amount of willpower to burn off all the excess calories.

It’s not just about the calories either.

Another thing to consider: a poor diet usually contains too much of something and not enough of something else, like too much sugar and not enough fibre, or too much fat and not enough protein. Similarly, processed foods supply tons of sodium but lack many important vitamins and minerals that our bodies need.

These imbalances and excesses can cause significant health issues.

Of course a solid fitness regime will keep you healthier than you would be if you didn’t work
out at all, but you can’t run away from a hangover or bench-press until you’ve acquired
enough antioxidants and vitamin C. You also can’t use high-intensity interval training to make
all the sugar you ate disappear or magically repair a liver that’s processing way too much
alcohol every day.

So, can I never enjoy great food and drinks and lose weight?

Of course not!
Honestly, the best plan is a balanced approach with moderation built in. And at Right Fit, that’s
what we stress – we want you to attain overall fitness in a way that’s realistic and achievable,
and completely limiting irresistible treats just isn’t going to set you up for success.

Our recommendation for you:

• Work out regularly but realize it’s only half the battle.
• About 80% of the time, eat lean protein, fruits and vegetables.
• Stay away from alcohol, processed foods, and foods and beverages with added sugar
  as best you can.
• About 20% of the time, enjoy a favourite meal without worry.

With this plan, your work in the gym is amplified by work in the kitchen, and you’re taking in
healthy foods most of the time.

Because you have a solid base of consistent fitness and healthy eating, you can enjoy that
greasy burger and fries occasionally, guilt free and without negative consequences to your
body.

This “80-20 plan” is just a starting point, of course. It’s a very general approach that can be
adjusted by one of our coaches to ensure you hit your health and fitness goals.

Here’s the great news:

If you work with a coach at Right Fit to create a solid workout and lifestyle plan, you’ll make swift progress toward your goals without feeling like you must give up all the foods you enjoy. Starting to think about workouts as a way to build bone density, improve strength and mobility, and living a longer, more functional life is the key. If you constantly look at the scale and workouts as one, it will become very hard to stay motivated to move.

You also won’t have to spend hours in the gym (although we do enjoy having you here…)!
It’s all about planning and balance.

So, although we can’t help you outwork poor nutrition, we can help you create a lifestyle
and fitness plan that works for your individual goals and lifestyle.