The Definitive Guide for How to Lose Weight

Looking for a resource on how to lose weight?

We’ll you’ve finally found it!

This “how to lose weight” resource is designed for those unfamiliar with Thrive Fit (Thrive for short) – and those salty Thrive veterans that want a refresher course on the foundational principles of exercise and nutrition.

It’s also a road map of sorts.

You see – all exercise enthusiasts are at various levels of STUCK. There’s just so much to learn.

From beginner to seasoned pro – we are all looking to get better at hitting our goals – always looking for an edge. It’s our defining characteristic.

This page is here to help you master how to lose weight…

… to help you get a better grasp on this “weight loss stuff”

And by stuff we mean…

The Definitive Guide for How to Lose Weight

Here’s how it works

• Figure out your Priorities
• Decide what you’re willing to do
• Decide on frequency
• Decide on what you’re not willing to do
• Start

Each step is dependent upon the last – creating 5 stages of the weight loss process. Follow the steps below and you’ll lose weight.

Simple right?

It looks like this:

NOTE: I’ll walk you through this entire Infographic and give you a copy of it at no charge. Just click here to grab your copy.

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You probably aren’t honoring all five steps…

…and this is an huge mistake if you want to lose weight.

Here’s the thing…

You can’t really DECIDE on what you’re willing to do until you figure out your GOALS and PRIORITIES. And you can’t accurately DECIDE on what you’re not willing to do until you figure out FREQUENCY and so on… make sense?

This is how your maximize your chances at successfully hitting your weight loss goal – you make choices with a purpose – moving yourself from one stage to the next. THIS is how you lose weight effectively.

Let’s go through these five steps in turn…

Step 1 – Figure out your Priorities and Goals

What are you trying to achieve here?

Do you want to lose weight to be and feel healthier?
Do you want to lose weight to look great naked?
Do you want to lose weight to get a chiseled six pack?
Or do you just want to lose weight to get ride of your unwanted the love handles?

You can achieve any of these goals but they each require a certain amount of work and sacrifice. We’re going to break that down in the next few steps so it’s crystal clear to you.

Knowing your goal and priorities is crucial before you get started. Once you know what’s important to you, You can zero-in on your goal and make sure that everything you do is getting you there.

For example, let’s say your goal is to run a marathon. On a most basic level, you have to make running a priority in your training. If you spend all your training just lifting weights instead, you’ll be sorely disappointed on race day.

Your goals and priorities are entirely up to you but we find that most people are interested in a few general areas:

• Health
• Fat Loss
• Performance (strength, endurance, or both)

For most people, a general blend of the three is desirable but the one you prioritize can change your focus. If your main focus is on health, you might have a more holistic approach focusing equally on things like nutrition, strength building, stress management, time management, work life balance, etc… Whereas someone who prioritizes a performance goal like strength might spend a lot more time in the gym deadlifting.

Once you’ve picked a goal, you have to figure out the next step…

Step 2 – Decide what you’re willing to do

Are you at your wits end because you repeatedly fail to achieve your fitness goals? Have you tried different diets and routines, all without results?

We’d like to share a little secret with you. Nearly 100% of the time that people fail to achieve their fitness goals, it’s because they bite off more than they can chew.

Making time to achieve your goals means making sacrifices. You’re adding a time commitment to your life which means you have to give up something else.

Exercise and healthy eating isn’t always super fun either so you gotta be real with yourself and ask…

What are you really willing to do to achieve your goal?

You’ll hear all sorts of information – new diets, sexy exercise routines, cleanses, home workout dvds, the list goes on. All of these CAN be helpful but what usually happens when someone is feeling stuck and at the end of the rope is they combine them all into one horrifying self-deprecating battle that can only end in an ice cream binge eating, Netflix watching marathon, served with a heavy side self pity topped with crippling guilt.

Instead, we take a more conservative approach. What’s the easiest thing you’re willing to do right now to move toward your goal?

Are you willing to go for a jog once a week?

That’s great!

With a change like that you can notice some small positive improvements as in as little time as a month. You won’t, however, have the same results as if you were to train 6 days a week with a personal coach and no responsibilities.

Maybe you’re willing to stop indulging your sweet tooth on weekdays and save it for weekends instead?

That’s awesome!

A change like that can make an improvement to your health and potentially your waistline.

That’s nothing to scoff at.

Regardless, make sure that you decide on what YOU are willing to do. Not what the latest magazine article told you you HAD to do, not what your friend is doing, what YOU are willing to do.

When you plan based on your wants and your priorities, you set yourself up to win. This is the key to long-term success.

Once you know what you’re willing to do, we can break it down even further with the next step…

Step 3 – Decide on frequency

For most of us, free time is scarce.

This is another place you have to be realistic. If you want the results of someone who trains seven days a week and never eats an “off plan” meal, that’s great. But if you only have a few hours to spare every week and have to eat at restaurants regularly to talk with clients for your job, there’s a disconnect.

Take an honest look at your week and see where you can fit in your training or activity, whatever it might be.

Then schedule it.

Write it down, set a reminder on your phone, tell your spouse you’re going to do it, find a friend to accompany you, whatever you can do to guarantee that you get your butt moving when the time comes.

And one word of advice on this:

Startwithless.

(I know, I know, that isn’t a word)

START WITH LESS.

Training three times a week is adequate and will make a huge difference in the long run. If you can maintain that for at least three months, then maybe you can think about adding more days. Till then, make it a habit and enjoy the changes you notice.

Step 4 – Decide on what you’re not willing to do

Going from overweight to the higher end of healthy can be done with some very small consistent changes. Getting a little leaner requires a bit more work and a bit more sacrifice. Getting stage-ready for a bodybuilding show requires a LOT more work and sacrifice.

Somewhere down the line, you’ll run into something you aren’t willing to do. Maybe you love to eat out at restaurants and the idea of carrying tupperwares of chicken breast and plain rice with you everywhere isn’t appealing.

That’s fine. In fact, most of us don’t want to do that. Our coaches at Thrive don’t like doing that either.

For an idea of what’s needed to get lean, check this out:

• Over 20% body fat for men and over 30% for women
• Diet is mostly processed foods, often eaten quickly and in very large portions
• Generally inactive and low on sleep

• Around 15-20% body fat for men, 25-30% for women
• Diet includes some vegetables and lean protein on a consistent basis
• Active 3-5 days a week at any intensity
• Enjoying deserts and caloric drinks moderately

• Around 13-15% body fat for men, 23-25% for women
• Diet and exercise require more deliberate planning
• Diet includes 1-2 palm sized portions of lean protein and 1-2 fist-sized portions of vegetables at most meals and is very low in processed foods, desserts, and caloric beverages
• Active every day for 30-45 minutes
• At least 7 hours of sleep a night

• Around 10-12% body fat for men, 20-22% for women
• Diet and exercise require more deliberate planning and sacrificing other hobbies and interests
• Diet includes lean protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and healthy carbohydrates at every meals and is very low in processed foods, desserts, and caloric beverages
• Active every day for 45-60 minutes
• At least 7-8 hours of sleep a night

Step 5 – Start

Now that you know a little more about what your options are and how to be real about your goals, go ahead and get started!

Don’t wait till you’re “ready” and don’t worry about getting to your goal tomorrow. Neither of those things will ever happen. Instead, just figure out your answer to the above four points, and start making very small changes, one at a time.

How do I get started?

It starts with understanding the 5 steps listed above.

After that, it’s a matter of determining where you can make the most impact with the least amount of resistance.

• Can nailing down your goal provide you with the necessary motivation to stay consistent for the year?
• Should you just get started with something that is easy and simple like running or joining your local gym?
• Could starting at a frequency that is less than you expected (3 days is the right answer) being enough to get those last lbs off your body
• Can you make 80% of the recommended habit changes on the avatar you identified with?
• Would you be ok with working with a fitness professional to help keep you accountable for the duration of your weight loss program?

The answer is YES on all accounts.

Now pick one and get started.

What questions or comments do you have? Let’s talk about it in the comments below.

Categorised in: For Men, For Women, Infographics