Are you a Monday to Fridayer? Are you working super hard during the week just to undo all that come Friday evening? I know a lot of people won’t like hearing it but it is the harsh reality. From Friday evening at 6pm until Sunday at 12am is 32% of your week. And unfortunately, when you put in 70% effort you don’t necessarily get 70% of the results.
Calorie deficit
If weight loss is a goal, you need to be in a calorie deficit. This means you need to be burning more calories than you are consuming. This usually works on an overall weekly figure (see previous blog post on how to calculate calories). If your overall weekly calories are not in a deficit, it doesn’t matter how hard you’ve worked Monday to Friday, you will not achieve your goals.
Example:
Mary is 70kg. She’d like to get down to 65kg. Mary has a pretty sedentary job but she trains hard 3 days a week. Her average daily calories are approximately 1700 for her to be in a calorie deficit. (2100 maintenance). Mary works hard Monday to Friday and keeps her calories lower during the week so she can allow for a few treats at the weekend. But those few treats turn into a cinema date Friday, Drinks Saturday and a big takeaway Sunday to cure the hangover.
So Mary’s overall weekly intake ends up at 14,800 which is her maintenance calories so the scales is not going to budge. Sound familiar??
Calorie deficit
If weight loss is a goal, you need to be in a calorie deficit. This means you need to be burning more calories than you are consuming. This usually works on an overall weekly figure (see previous blog post on how to calculate calories). If your overall weekly calories are not in a deficit, it doesn’t matter how hard you’ve worked Monday to Friday, you will not achieve your goals.
Example:
Mary is 70kg. She’d like to get down to 65kg. Mary has a pretty sedentary job but she trains hard 3 days a week. Her average daily calories are approximately 1700 for her to be in a calorie deficit. (2100 maintenance). Mary works hard Monday to Friday and keeps her calories lower during the week so she can allow for a few treats at the weekend. But those few treats turn into a cinema date Friday, Drinks Saturday and a big takeaway Sunday to cure the hangover.
So Mary’s overall weekly intake ends up at 14,800 which is her maintenance calories so the scales is not going to budge. Sound familiar??
If you continue in this cycle you will never achieve your goals. Nobody is saying you have to give up everything you enjoy, but you are going to have to sacrifice some things to achieve your goals. Results come to those who are consistent, not perfect
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