Whenever springtime comes, online searches for “body transformations” and “reducing fat percentage” almost double, according to online statistics. Why? Because everyone wants to get in shape for the times of the year when you’re wearing less (and often, tighter) clothing and getting out of the house more.
What is a body transformation?
Your body transformation is defined by a huge drop in body fat percentage and overall appearance. If you are looking to lose 50 lb or more, this is generally referred to as a body transformation. And you may be surprised to know that you can get this done and anywhere from 60 to 90 days, depending on how much weight you want to lose as well as other factors such as genetics, gender, lifestyle, and overall health.
Changing your body fat percentage in 90 days isn’t necessarily difficult. It’s actually pretty simple (it’s calories in vs calories out). However, that doesn’t mean it will be easy. You will need to stay motivated day-to-day and week-to-week to get the results that you want.
This means resisting the urge to stop by Dunkin Donuts on the way to work and saying no to those weekend invites to the local pub for beer and pizza. And remember, going on a fitness journey doesn’t mean that you have to live like some sort of food munch.
It simply means eliminating or reducing highly caloric foods momentarily while you work on getting the body that you want. So let’s take a look at how to do it.
Things you’ll need:
- Meal plan calendar (you can use Google Docs)
- Body weight scale
- Meal prep containers
- Camera or smartphone
How to Transform Your Body in 60-90 Days
Alright, so let’s get on to how to get it done.
Use a Calorie calculator
The first step to starting your weight loss journey is determining how many calories you need to consume each day to stay at a caloric deficit. A calorie calculator can help you with this if you don’t have a nutritionist on standby. The calorie calculator will tell you what your caloric intake should be for a deficit, to remain the same weight, and the number of calories daily that will cause you to gain weight.
You simply need to answer and your age, gender, lifestyle (sedentary, modest, active), and current weight. According to the John Hopkins Medical Center, you need approximately 15 calories per pound to maintain your weight. To lose weight, you will need to go slightly lower.
You can start with 12 to 13 calories per kilogram and increase from there. A calorie calculator can be used to simplify the process.
Check out this calorie calculator by Mayo Clinic
Take into account your daily activity levels
When calculating your calories, take into account your activity level. The American Council on Exercise states that your resting metabolic rate is responsible for between 60 and 80 percent of your daily calorie intake. This is largely determined by genes, but a significant portion of calories burned each day comes from exercise.
You can burn more calories if you’re active but may lose less fat if you don’t exercise or have a sedentary job. So be sure to get moving if you can. Even a short 15 and 30 minute walk a day can help you advance toward your goal.
Hit the gym or the trail
Your daily activity is the biggest contributor to your calorie burning, but you’ll also have to exercise to lose excess calories. For weight loss, schedule in at least 3-5, 30-60 minute sessions of cardiovascular exercise per week. Try to strength train twice to three times weekly to build muscle– you can even combine both of them for an awesome HIIT workout.
Practice, Practice, Practice portion control
Reduce your portion sizes. This is an absolute must if you’re looking to change your weight. It all comes down to the number of calories that you eat and how much you eat. The best way to ensure you aren’t consuming too many calories is to reduce your serving size, especially for higher-calorie foods.
Sometimes, you may not be familiar with how much you eat, because you’re used to just eating until you get full. However, becoming more mindful of the amount of meat and starch you eat can be useful in showing you where those “invisible” calories are showing up.
Check out this guide by MyFitnessPal to see what your portion should look like.
Schedule Weekly Weigh-Ins
You should weigh yourself at least once per week (or daily if you’re starting out and want to see how much you can lose each day). Although some scales may not show body fat, it can give you an indication of your progress.
You can tell if you’re maintaining muscle strength at the gym that the weight you lose will be body fat. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a weekly weight loss of between 1 and 2 pounds is acceptable (and safe).
Get more protein and whole foods
Increase your protein intake. Two ways protein can help you lose fat are highlighted below. It aids in muscle retention. If you’re losing weight and maintaining muscle, then you can be certain that the weight you lose will be fat mass.
Your calorie burn will be higher because your body needs more energy to build and store protein. Protein-based foods should make up around 20% of your daily calories. And don’t forget your fruits and veggies (aka “whole foods”), which should make up the majority of the rest.
Take progress pics
At the halfway point, take a progress shot. One shot should be taken from the front, one side and one back. You can do this while wearing thin clothing (such as a t-shirt and tight shorts) or a bathing suit. The first shot can be used as motivation. The second one is a progress assessment. And the last one shows how far you have come.
Bust through the barriers
When you reach a plateau in your weight loss or fat loss, reduce your calories intake. It’s normal to hit a stumbling block from time to time– especially when you get into the last leg of your weight loss journey. At this point, it could seem like those last 10 to 40 pounds simply don’t want to go away.
But the key is to be persistent and, more importantly, to try different ways of burning fat. For example, if you’ve been doing quite a few only, consider adding the strength training with resistance to burn off those extra calories. You may also want to tighten up your diet as well.