This is Part 2 of my personal story about when I was fat and had started working in the fitness industry. Part 2 wont make much sense unless you have first read Part 1.
The story picks up after 8 weeks of exercising with NO results. My jeans still did not do up and my tummy was still flabby.
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I was feeling frustrated, angry and ripped off to be perfectly honest.
I always thought that TIME + EFFORT = RESULTS.
I had definitely been putting in time and effort, so where the hell were my results?? (It turns out this equation only works when your time and effort is put into a plan that works)
The gym I was working at received professional publications with the latest research and information on all things fitness and fat loss. One day when things were quiet I had time to sit down and read some of them. I vividly remember reading the one that changed everything and started me on this learning journey. I can still see in my minds eye, exactly what the piece of paper looked like and what it said.
“It takes a 7000 calorie deficit to lose 1kg of weight”
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Uuuuummm. What the??
My hard 1 hour exercise sessions burnt about 500 calories. Hang on a minute, that means that I need to exercise for 14 hours to burn 1 measly kilo !! (I have done a video lesson on this HERE)
And that is assuming I don’t eat anything extra, which of course I was doing. All that exercise was making me hungry. I was choosing healthier foods, but I was still eating more than I needed to lose weight.
Apparently I should create some (most) of this so called calorie deficit through my eating plan. I was not too happy to learn all of this, but I was also desperate to make a change.
I realise that a lot of people know this now, but hey… it was the mid 90’s
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I was pissed off.
“If I had of known this 8 weeks ago, I could be 8 kgs lighter by now”, I thought.
Truth be told, the 25yr old me was still a little confused about it all. I didn’t really know what a calorie was. I had no clue how to measure or count one and it all seemed hard and complicated.
Then I started a program that changed the way I ate… completely.
I continued to exercise most days of the week. Some weight training days, some HIIT cardio days. Not long sessions, but effective.
I still didn’t quite “get” the whole calorie deficit thing, I just followed the program. I actually ate a lot of food (but less calories weirdly enough). I have written about how that works HERE.
It wasn’t til years later that I connected the dots.
- Was it the carbs? – – – No. but eating (somewhat) lower carbs may result in eating less calories
- Was it the sugar – – No. but eating less sugar may result in eating less calories
- Was it the timing of the meals and exercise? – – No, that makes little to no difference
- Was it the hormones? – – Well this does make sticking to the plan easier
- Was it the protein – – Eating adequate protein ensures that I maintained (or built) muscle and that means I burn more calories (yay)
Why did I lose weight now and not before?
- 1) I created a calorie deficit (some of it via exercise, but most of it via my eating plan)
- 2) I ate enough protein to build or at least NOT LOSE muscle
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Side note – – You may assume from all of this talk about calories, that I now strictly count calories in vs calories out. I personally don’t do this. I am calorie AWARE and I find that’s enough for me to achieve a result.
My previous results…
8 weeks of EXERCISE
+
NO CHANGE IN EATING
=
NO RESULTS.
This time…
12 weeks of EXERCISE (short bursts only)
+
MOVING MORE throughout my day
+
EATING TO A CALORIE DEFICIT (Whilst ensuring adequate protein)
=
**Scroll down to see
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Keep scrolling 😉
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A little bit more
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12 weeks later – – 10 kilos lighter..
Still in the nineties and on my path to learning and mastering this “fat loss” stuff.
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I immersed myself in learning and mastering fat loss over the next 20 years.
When I say “immersed myself”, that is what I really mean. I don’t think a day has passed that I didn’t read or learn something on the topic. Learning is my entertainment (weirdo).
I read countless books and research papers. Attended lectures. Listened to 100’s of hours of podcasts. But even more importantly than all of the theory, I have practiced it and experimented with it in the real world. Both on myself and on 100’s of willing clients. 20 years of…
- learning
- experimenting
- researching
- trying
- failing
- learning some more
- trying again
- succeeding
- improving
- tweaking
- refining
- simplifying
I know others are struggling with this also
And that is why I created my 12 week online fitness and fat loss coaching course Healthy Happy Habits. So that you wont have to spend 20 years of your life studying and trying to figure this all out for yourself. You can invest just 12 weeks of your time and attention to shortcut the whole process. I am so passionate about sharing this knowledge and making your journey easier than mine.
I have taught 100’s of people just like you how to lose weight, get in great shape and increase their energy, whilst including their favourite foods, eating to their natural hunger levels and exercising less than 4 hours per week.
If you are interested, I would love to coach you and help you achieve fantastic weight loss results WITHOUT it taking over your whole life.
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Did all this mean that I lived happily ever after??
Yes, I am totally happy and I never went back to my 25 yr old body.
I do however still fluctuate in weight sometimes. I am only human and knowledge is only half the battle. Most of the time I put my knowledge into action, but I wont lie sometimes I don’t and I gain extra weight just like the rest of the population. Luckily I can kick myself back on track quickly without wasting precious time and energy on things that don’t work.
With almost 20 years experience, Chriss Tinslay is one of Australia’s leading Personal Trainers.
Chriss started her career into the fitness and personal training industry in 1994 as a receptionist at the local gym she attended and loved.
She quickly went on to become qualified and registered as a Master Trainer with Fitness Australia. Over the last 20 years Chriss has helped 1000’s of people transform their bodies and lives.
She runs regular face to face and online fat loss coaching programs.
Chriss believes that fitness and fat loss should fit into your fabulous life, NOT take over it. You can connect with her on Facebook where she shares useful tips each and every day.
