Getting leaner just got a whole lot easier, thanks to top trainers who are dishing out their go-to tips. We chatted with the experts and have some crucial scoop on the diet and fitness habits you should adopt into your own routine to see noticeable results. But before we get into them, dropping weight and achieving the fit, lean physique of your dreams all starts with nailing down your ABCs, according to Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD via Jumpstart by WebMD.
You heard that right—and these aren’t the typical ABCs you recited at school! For instance, “A” stands for attitude—aka, keeping a positive mindset that helps you effectively deal with any roadblocks or curveballs that are thrown your way while trying to lose weight. The letter “B” signifies eating a healthy, nutritious breakfast to start each day off right. And “C” is all about staying on top of the calories you consume.
Diet, exercise, and maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle all play key roles in your weight loss success. So without further ado, two top trainers share their most prized secrets to getting leaner. Keep reading to learn more, and get ready to take some notes! Next up, don’t miss 5 Little Things You Can Do Every Day To Lose a Lot of Weight.
Eat whole, nutrient-packed foods, and read ingredient labels.
Getting leaner is about eating whole foods that are bursting with nutrients, according to Jacquie Smith, a certified integrative nutrition health coach and fitness instructor specializing in barre, yoga, and pre/postnatal workouts. “Rather than focusing on counting calories and macros, I focus on eating foods in their rawest form,” she explains to Eat This, Not That! “The same goes for any packaged goods—it’s about reading the ingredient label and making sure that it is made from real food. Your body can process real foods more easily and extract the nutrients that your body needs to thrive.”
Getting leaner means syncing your workouts with your cycle.
Smith says this secret tip is necessary for women in order to work efficiently with your hormones rather than battle against them. “Excess cortisol levels during your luteal and menstrual phases can cause your body to store fat and retain water,” she says. “This is why I focus mostly on low-impact workouts like barre and yoga and add in high-intensity workouts during my follicular and ovulation phases to keep a tight, toned physique.”
Make sleep a top priority.
There’s something to be said about getting a solid amount of beauty rest when getting leaner. According to a review published in Nutrients, some research shows that getting sufficient Z’s can promote weight loss—most specifically, fat loss—when following a calorie-restricted diet. More research reveals that not getting enough sleep can lead to late-night snacking habits and opting for bigger portion sizes for meals.
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“Winding down at night and getting proper sleep can help balance your hormones, including the ones that affect your hunger levels,” Smith explains. “Plus, if you’re sleeping you’re not eating and you make better food choices when you have a clear head and rested body.”
Be prepared.
It always pays to be prepared, whether you’re running errands for the day, traveling, or heading to the gym for a workout. “I never leave my health up to chance, which is why I always pack travel snacks whenever I’m on the go so that I can fuel my body with food that makes me feel good instead of what’s conveniently available. I pack things like nuts, dried mangoes, nut butter packets, and GoMacro bars to keep it simple and keep myself satisfied,” Smith says.
Consider the “G flux” if you want to get lean.
Anthony J. Yeung, CSCS, a fitness expert and the founder of GroomBuilder, starts off by saying there are no “secrets” on his end, but there is a little-known, underrated principal called “G flux.”
“Instead of eating less to get lean, you actually eat more but just exercise a ton, like at least eight to 10 hours per week. That way, a larger percentage of your calories goes toward fueling athletic performance, muscle growth/repair, etc. and you get bigger and faster changes,” Yeung explains.
Alexa Mellardo
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