Toning Up: Top 3 Nutrition Tips

Are you stuck in a cycle of trying to lose fat or build muscle, but never really getting there?

You’re not alone.

It seems like everyone has this goal, but are either unaware of the habits that are keeping them stuck or are struggling with consistency. This is the second half of a two-part blog for HMI that will also be paired with a virtual workshop to help you understand the process of “toning-up”, also known as “recomposition.”

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#1. A periodic and sustainable caloric deficit is key for fat loss.

All weight loss diets are based on the fact that an overconsumption of calories leads to fat storage. The success of any diet relies more on its ability to create a caloric deficit than the specific rules of the diet like “eat this, not that”. Our body must be using more “calories” than it is consuming in order to reduce fat.

A calorie deficit can be reached in one of three ways. The first is caloric restriction, which is a reduction in total calories consumed during the day. The second strategy is time restriction, often referred to as “intermittent fasting”. If we restrict the time we eat to a smaller time period, we often eat less than if we have a full 16 hours of the day to be eating. The third is a diet restriction, which involves the removal of certain foods from your diet like added sugar, trans fats, or refined flours. 

These three strategies are tools for long-term fat loss when done correctly. To “lose fat” means to free up more fatty acids into circulation as fuel. However, access to that fat storage is based on a variety of factors that include metabolism, hormonal states, and nutrition.

#3. Our body relies on whole food sources of nutrients to encourage fat loss and muscle retention!

Based on the two points above we not only need to eat less, but also to eat enough. The amount is variable depending on individual lifestyle, genetic factors, age, muscle mass, etc. The unifying principle here is that our fuel should come in the form of real, whole foods with all the nutrients we require to create a sense of nourishment and support for our bodies. 

This means indulging in a variety of colorful produce, nuts and seeds, animal proteins from fish to eggs to dairy and meat.

These foods provide all our essential nutrition in the form of fiber, carbohydrates, fats, and protein while also supplying a spectrum of necessary micronutrients like vitamin C, lutein, omega 3’s, and magnesium. When endeavoring on a fat loss journey, remember that quantity AND quality matters.