Get Shredded for Summer!

Now that summer is here; there is going to be a trend that many individuals will embark on a weight loss journey. However, with every journey, there will be risks. Mistakes in losing weight can lead to disappointment over a lack of weight loss, accidentally losing too much muscle mass, and losing weight without developing a sustainable diet that will keep the weight off long term. To avoid these treacherous waters, it is important that we develop an understanding of how weight loss happens, and what kind of choices we can make to develop a diet that facilitates safe and sustainable weight loss. As usual, anyone thinking about starting a new diet should consult their doctor first.

Energy Balance & Safe Rate of Weight Loss

Before you begin your shredding journey, it is important to understand first that energy balance is the underlying principle of weight management. If you are looking to shed off some pounds, it is essential that you take in fewer Calories than what you expend. As a general guideline, a daily deficit of around 500 Cal from your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) per day is good for a safe weight loss of about 1 pound per week.

Now that you understand that you have to consume less energy than what you expend, it’s important to know how much Calories you are expending. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015 to 2020, an average female requires around 1600 to 2400 Calories per day, while an average male requires around 2000 to 3000 Calories per day to maintain their weight. And those ranges represent differences in factors that affect energy expenditure such as exercise, metabolism, height, age, and others.

One way to accurately see how much Calories you are consuming is to track your food diligently and log down how much Calories you consume each day on average, and then start to eat 500 fewer Calories per day for a safe rate of weight loss of about 1 pound per week. MyFitnessPal https://www.myfitnesspal.com is a fantastic online tool that can help you track your caloric intake. Please be aware that individuals shouldn’t generally eat fewer than 1200 Calories a day; even on a diet.

Food Choices

Now that you know you have to eat fewer Calories than what you would eat for maintaining your weight, it’s important to choose the right food. Focus on whole foods that are nutrient dense, low Calories, and more satiating.

Nutrient Dense and Low Calories

• Eat vegetables with every meal. Greens such as broccoli and spinach are low in Calories, but high in micronutrients such as iron and Vitamin K.
• When reaching for a snack, choose fruits. One medium orange contains only 65 Calories, but it packs 85% of the Daily Dietary Allowance of Vitamin C for an adult female.

Feeling Full On a Diet

• Focus on eating lean cuts of protein such as top sirloin, chicken breast, and cod; and be sure to trim off all the visible fat. Protein is the most satiating of all the macronutrients, so it’ll help keep you feeling full when you are cutting back on foods. And also consider that protein take the most energy to breakdown and digest, allowing you to expend some extra Calories. Furthermore, eating an adequate amount of protein will also help you minimize the muscle loss that often comes with a weight cut.
• When you are eating carbs, focus on sources that have the most amount of fiber. Soluble fiber, in particular, will slow down gastric emptying; allowing you to feel fuller with a lesser volume of food. So pick high fiber carb sources like navy beans, pears, collards, whole grains bread, and pinto beans.

Portion Control

Even with the best food choices, losing weight often still mean accounting for portion sizes. Remember from above that being in a Calories deficit is the overarching principle of weight loss. Therefore, it’s a good idea to implement tools as kitchen scales, standard kitchen measuring cups and spoons to make sure you’re eating the right amounts of foods.

And here at Meals of Steel, we understand that some people’s energy deficit will be others’ energy surplus, so we offer different portion sizes to accommodate for weight loss among as many individuals as possible. Check out our Lean, Maintain, and Bulk portions to see what fits you best. Any 10 Meal or more on the first order will qualify you for 1 FREE nutritional consultation.