How I lost 14 kg while eating 2000 calories a day.

The aim was simple to reduce body fat, maintain lean muscle mass and look my best on stage.

There had to be a plan, a plan that needed direction and focus otherwise it would fail.

Over a six-month period, I would go on to lose 14 kg in preparation to compete as a natural bodybuilder on stage. From the start there was no set weight to achieve, the bigger picture here was body composition, reducing body fat and become as lean as possible. The focus was there for sure as willpower is something I cherish, but willpower will only get you so far. This is where you have to have structure, a plan and an understanding of the direction you wish to go in and how to get there. Knowing your target is the key to your success.

Often setting a weight point as your only goal can cause you problems, creating even more stresses with that fixed number the constant pressure and focus that this is the best all and end all. Weight loss is a stressor on the body anyway why create more with a fixation on numbers. It’s all about being flexible, having aims and objectives like reducing body fat, changing body composition, maintaining or increasing muscle mass or just a good old lifestyle change.

Yes, being in a calorie deficit must happen, the challenge is managing the macronutrients you eat, the protein, fats and carbohydrate, the quantity, the quality, and balance. And so hence why 2000 calories a day was the key for me. This would allow my body to lose body fat at a steady rate of 1lb per week over a longer period ensuring the weight loss was indeed fat loss and not water or muscle. The one true aim and goal here was to maintain lean muscle mass, and for all of you and me this is key in regards to many aspects of health. This is where fat loss and weight loss are two very different elements when we are addressing those extra pounds we are carrying. 

Muscle is so important for health, and I am going to highlight and raise the awareness of way maintaining muscle is a key element in any weight loss program. 

Muscle and the fat burning qualities it has.

Having more muscle mass means you burn more calories at the same body weight than if you had less muscle mass. Muscle doesn’t burn fat directly, however muscle is metabolically active tissue that requires energy to maintain, where fat it not. The act of building muscle by strength training increases your calorie burn to help you burn fat as well.

Strength training, and weight loss is there a connection. The short answer is yes there is and in fact there is evidence to say that should you use strength training you may burn an extra 250 calories a day by putting on muscle. But here is the thing, the returns from strength training also include mood, sleep, brain function as well as decreasing anxiety and stress.

For me as I get older maintaining muscle mass is key to my health, physical, mental, and metabolic health too. Helping me to burn those extra calories, improve coordination, balance, and prevent injuries as you strengthen bones and connective tissue. In fact, maintaining your muscle mass as well as gaining more lean tissue is often what keeps us from gaining weight as we get older. 

2000 calories a day helped me do all the above and more. Fueling the body to recover and repair, allowing that maximum recovery from the positive stress the body gets from exercise, being active and daily life. Dense nutritional foods that feed health and not destroy it, and at the same time enjoying food and living a healthy life of quality. The body is designed to move, you need to thrive and not just survive. Feed the body and mind from within and know you are getting the balance right.

The take come from me to you is this, be in a calorie deficit but in a deficit of wholesome foods, don’t be fooled by the only 99 calories claim as often the wrong calories regardless of how little can be the wrong calories.

Consider your goals and aims, it’s not all about the weight in numbers. Think about body composition, shape, strength levels, mindset and feeling, being active to support your physical and mental health.

Stay focused with what you want to achieve, know that this is nothing more than you deserve and know that there is no such thing as failure only feedback. Create that positive feedback loop around your actions, the triggers for those actions and reflect on how those actions really make you feel. Is it instant gratification you are getting here and is it really supporting your mission.

The process of delay gratification on the other hand supports your mission for the long haul, that positive loop of energy and drive. Delay gratification is the act of resisting an impulse to take an immediately available reward in the hope of obtaining a more valued reward in the future. The ability to delay gratification is essential to self-control and ultimate success.