Physical exercise in itself is not enough to transform one’s body. Combining sports and a balanced diet is crucial for weight loss and muscle gain. Eating healthy is not necessarily a synonym of restriction and privation. In fact, choosing a healthier way of life is above all listening to one’s body’s needs.
An efficient and long-term perspective weight loss ?
The amount of calories your body needs is divided into two parts : the basic metabolism (all of the calories the body needs to operate daily vital functions) and physical exercise.
For an adult male (average height and weight), the total metabolism is approximately 2,500 calories. For an adult female it is between 1,800 and 2,100 calories. Most of diets rely on a cut in daily calories. Actually, our body does not work exactly that way. Indeed, eating less than what your body is asking for leads to a decrease in your metabolism : your body turns on the starving mode and you will burn less calories than you could. This will result in a slower weight loss.
In order to function at its best, your body needs a particular amount of macronutrients that can be found in food : proteins, carbohydrates and lipids.
What is the point of exercising if 80% of the results come from nutrition ?
Practicing crossfit does not only lead to muscles gain. It also accelerates the metabolism. Indeed, 1kg of muscle mass burns more calories in a day than 1kg of fat does.
Exercising does not mean losing weight however, it means losing fat for gaining muscles. That is why you can weigh exactly the same or even more than you did before exercising but you will see the difference in the mirror!
For men, the normal percentage of fat mass on the body weight is between 10 and 20%. For a women it is between 20 and 30%. This fat enables the protection of vital organs and assures their proper functioning.
To give you an idea, you shall burn up to 7,000 calories to lose 1kg of fat mass. You need to be patient, you won’t see the results within a day. Keep in mind that each body is made differently and that you will not gain weight, lose weight or gain muscles exactly as your neighbor does. Just stick to a healthy routine and you will have visible and durable results.