How to Lose Weight: The 70/30 rule

Diet and fitness go hand-in-hand: You can workout like a pro, however, if your nutrition isn’t up to scratch, you won’t lose the pounds.

You could be in the gym every day but not see any weight loss; this is more-often-than-not due to a bad diet. 

Shifting stubborn fat comes down to the 70/30 rule: only 30% comes from exercise whereas 70% comes from making changes to what you eat. It is the most important factor in a shredding fat. Our nutritionist partner Lily Soutter has shortlisted 6 ways to shift fat using the 70/30 rule.

1. Remove one bad food/drink per day

It only takes a few minutes to consume a couple of hundred calories but hours to burn them off. Try taking your vices one day at a time rather than all at once. Skip your afternoon treat and burn off your stored calories instead. Try skipping your afternoon chocolate snack or your morning fruit juice with a healthier alternative that has less sugar. 

2. Eat more protein first thing in the morning

Protein keeps you fuller for longer, so make sure you’re eating the most in the morning. Some favourites of ours are poached eggs and avocado, porridge with seeds and yoghurt or serve up some salmon and avocado for a brunch inspired breakfast.

3. Try not to snack between meals

Research shows how grazing between meals can be counterproductive to weight loss. Try having balanced meals with proteins, grains, veggies and healthy fats. If you do need to snack to get you through the afternoon, opt for whole foods such as apples with a natural nut butter.

4. Don’t overdo cardio

Running on the treadmill for hours is not only boring but it can be counterproductive for shifting those pounds. It’s much more effective to combine cardio with some resistance training. 30 minutes per day is the optimal amount of time for a workout. Try a brisk walk paired with some Pilates.

5. Keep track with a food diary

Weight loss is more common when you keep track of what your food intake is according to a study of 1,700 people. Record what you’re eating by using an app, taking pictures or by simply writing notes.

6. Make new habits

It takes approximately 1-4 weeks for habits to change. Don’t make restrictions, change them to healthy habits. Stick with it and eventually, it will become second nature to you.