that are stopping you from reaching AND maintaining your desired weight.
There are so many false assumptions out there trying to trick you and make things complicated. But losing weight shouldn’t be an unpleasant experience—it should enrich your life and give you more energy. That’s ultimately our goal and wish with a healthy lifestyle.
My name is Marcel Schaar, I’m a personal trainer, and I’d like to point out a few things that just aren’t true.
1) You have to do cardio
Movement in general is great, but you don’t have to spend hours on the stairmaster at the gym. It’s better to focus on regular strength training and keep an eye on your food intake. This way, you’ll get faster and better results—and save time, too. The key is to keep everything as simple as possible and fit it into your daily routine. If regular strength training is already something new for you, then that should be your main focus. It’ll help you maintain your muscles and even build a bit more. That way, you’ll only lose the annoying excess body fat in the end.
2) You have to avoid fat
Whether it’s fat, sugar, or anything else, you don’t have to avoid any macronutrients (that’s the name for these groups). Fat is a super important macronutrient for keeping your hormones functioning normally. Plus, dietary fat keeps you full and adds flavor to your meals. Your diet should taste good, too! That’s the only way you’ll stick with it long-term. Make sure you get at least 0.6g of fat per kg of body weight per day in your diet.
3) Higher reps in the gym burn fat faster
Building and maintaining muscle is key and a real challenge for your body. Doing strength training at least twice a week is super beneficial and can even be done at home. Focus on lower reps (up to 15, max 20) and maintaining your strength. Training during a diet isn’t much different—you can still build muscle if you get stronger, which is easier with lower reps (from 5 and up).
4) I have to give up all my favorite foods
You can still enjoy a piece of cake, ice cream, or pizza and lose weight.
Track your calorie intake with an app (YAZIO, MyFitnessPal) and focus on your protein intake (1.5-2g per kg of body weight daily). Aim for 80% whole foods and allow yourself 20% treats (the less nutritious stuff). Calorie tracking is absolute gold! It gives you some flexibility and lets you still take part in everyday life. Who doesn’t know the classic grandma comments at coffee time? Imagine how happy she’ll be if you can still have a small piece of cake with her. As always, it’s all about balance. Extremes rarely help, so keep things balanced!
5) A fasting or juice diet brings faster results
That’s not a sustainable diet model. Just adjust what you’re currently eating, choose healthier options, and eat regular meals. Crash diets will only starve you, make you lose muscle, and lead to yo-yo effects. All things you want to avoid. You want to aim for lasting change. That’s what will help you keep your desired weight in the end.
6) I have to eat small and frequent meals
That’s not necessary either. Stick to a meal structure that fits your lifestyle. You can lose weight with 2, 3, or 4 meals a day. The important thing is to eat whole foods and be in a slight calorie deficit. Use typical restaurant portion sizes as a guide. In a steakhouse, you get 200-300g of meat, a large potato, and some veggies or a salad. That’s a perfect meal template. Plus, most people eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So you’re not totally out of the norm, which makes it easier to stick with it.
7) I have to take supplements and diet products
The best option is always whole, unprocessed foods. ALWAYS! Spending your money on real food will give you the biggest benefit. Add veggies, fruit, and animal products to your diet. Healthy eating isn’t expensive and keeps you full for much longer. Compare that to the costs of being sick and dependent on the healthcare system. Investing in yourself always pays off. That’s also why there are so few ingredients in Orgainic—it fits perfectly with this approach. A whey shake and creatine are really the things that make the most sense. Whey especially if you struggle to hit your protein needs. Together with an apple or banana, it’s also the perfect meal when you’re in a hurry.
