With summer fast approaching, many are focused on lowering their body fat percentage to achieve their ideal body type and fitness level. Losing weight in a healthy way can be difficult and requires effort and patience. But having expert advice will definitely make things easier. If you're looking for a simple plan to shed some pounds and increase lean muscle mass, Myprotein ambassador Aseel Soueid just revealed his 5 top tips to go from 30% to 10% body fat. In just 90 days, Aseel went from a start weight of 176 lb to an end weight of 156.8 lb, totalling 19.2 lbs of weight loss. Let's see how he did it.
1. Understand Your Starting Point
Aseel explains that the first step to losing body fat is understanding your starting point. Weigh yourself and use a tape measure to take measurements of your waist, biceps, love handles, etc. Aseel advises weighing yourself every morning and writing down your weight. This will allow you to track your progress and hold yourself accountable. Don't fear the scale, embrace it.
Using your weights for every day of the week, at the end of the week you can calculate your weekly average weigh-in. You can do this by adding together your past 7 weigh-ins and dividing that number by 7. Calculating your average weekly weight will give you a better idea of where you're at and help you adjust your routine based on your net average weekly losses, gains, or maintenance.
Aheel explains that oftentimes, people will make adjustments to their routine based on daily weigh-ins, and this is problematic because our weights fluctuate daily. Using your weekly average weight instead will give you a more accurate idea of the direction your body is going in, and what needs to be adjusted.
2. Be on a Calorie Deficit
Be on a calorie deficit, but don't take it too far. According to Aseel, many who are trying to lose weight take on a calorie deficit that is too much for them to handle and isn't sustainable. The trainer suggests no more than a 300 daily calorie deficit. If your goal is a lower calorie deficit, it will be easier to maintain and allow you to be more consistent.
And if you're looking for a protein powder to help keep you on that calorie deficit, Aseel recommends the new Myprotein Clear Whey Isolate in Cola that just hit the shelves. This new flavour tastes like your favourite drink, and with 20 grams of protein per serving, it'll help satiate your appetite and keep you on track.
3. Weight Train to Retain or Gain Lean Muscle Mass
Training is just as important as diet when trying to lose body fat. Make sure you're being intentional about going to the gym to build lean muscle mass while losing body fat. To be as efficient as possible with your workouts, Aseel recommends doing simple exercises, progressing on those simple exercises, and training/lifting heavy to retain or gain lean muscle mass. This way, you can make a lot of progress without having to go crazy at the gym.
Check out Aseel's 7-move upper body workout to grow muscle mass:
7-Move Heavy-Lift Upper Body Workout
Work your upper body with this heavy-lift 7-move workout.
4. Include Cardio Post-Workout
Cardio is a great tool to help with losing fat, but it should not be your priority. Aseel advises avoiding cardio before your training sessions, or simply doing it on your off days. You want to ensure all of your energy goes toward weight training to retain as much lean muscle mass as possible.
When you're in a calorie deficit, your energy levels tend to be lower, so you want to save as much energy as you can for what's most important. Aseel recommends low-intensity, steady-state cardio for after your workout— get on the treadmill and set it to a 12 incline and 3.2 mph speed and run for 15-30 minutes. This will complement your weight training routine and help you really burn that body fat.
5. Eat a Structured High-Protein Diet
Nutrition is a huge part of losing body fat, and making structured meals makes it significantly easier to ensure you are getting all of the nutrients you need. The way to structure your meals is to break them into nutritional components— carbohydrates, protein and fat, and vegetables. Structuring your meals throughout the day is a surefire way to achieve your fitness goals.
With structured meals, pay extra attention to protein. You'll want to keep every single meal high in protein because it will keep you satiated and help you retain and gain that lean muscle mass while dropping body fat. Aseel advises incorporating 1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of lean body weight into your daily routine.
Take Home Message
There you have it, those are Aseel Soueid's 5 steps to transform your body and go from 30% to 10% body fat. Incorporating these tips and habits into your routine will make losing weight seem effortless. And according to Aseel, you might even enjoy it. Get started now and achieve your weight goals this summer. You got this!
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A Rutgers University Honors graduate, Jamie grew up on the Jersey shore and double majored in Comparative Literature and Anthropology in college. Jamie is an experienced writer in the health and wellness, biotech, and eCommerce fields. She loves writing with a purpose and has even written for the Department of Justice.
Jamie became drawn to exercise during her time in university and began to notice the physical and mental benefits of moving your body daily. Today, Jamie enjoys Pilates, light weight training, and going on long walks in nature daily.
Jamie is also passionate about eating right and prioritizing gut health and immunity. She is always trying the next innovation in health and wellness. When she’s not writing articles, Jamie enjoys reading, playing guitar, and finding dogs to play with.
