Firstly, if you see a heading like that, you really shouldn’t click in as its most likely BS, but you are here now, so lets keep going. Headings like this are most likely some company or blogger or “Influencer” trying to sell you some thing or themselves. The same goes for headings like “3 must eat foods” or “3 foods you have to avoid”. Its all click bait to try and get you enticed.
First lump of BS, the exercises you have to be doing….nonsense. For the majority of people the goal is to look and feel better through changing body composition .. i.e lose some weight/body fat and perhaps add a bit of muscle. In order to do that, you need to train consistently in order to run a calorie deficit and to fatigue muscle so it grows back bigger and stronger. If you have any hope of training consistently it has to be performing exercise you don’t dread every day or an exercise you struggle with massively that just kills your confidence. So no matter how much someone is pitching a certain exercise or the latest fad, if it is something you will not do consistently long term, then its not exactly the perfect exercise for you. Find an exercise form that challenges you and that you enjoy at least on some level.
Second pile of BS….. The perfect volume/amount of training to do. Training 6 days a week is better than 2 days a week for the majority of people looking to alter body composition, fairly logical thinking. This will mean more calorie burn and more muscle growth (depending on type of training etc). However, just like the scenario above, it has to work for you. If training 6 days a week is a massive stress for you and impacts negatively on work life, home life etc etc, it will be too much of a negative force. If you don’t train at all right now, then 2 or 3 days is great, its a massive improvement. Too often people go nuts and over do it on training and burn out. They then pack on the weight because they stop exercising and have to start the process all over again. Have a look at your weekly timetable and figure out, realistically, how many slots you can allocate to exercise and stick to that, if you have free time to do more, then consider it. The key to good results is sustained consistency.
Finally, the perfect foods and foods to avoid….. More click bait. Good foods and bad foods can lead to a lot of confusion. Focus on eating unprocessed whole foods, with a mix of protein, carbs and fats. In very simplistic terms when it comes to volume of food…. If you eat less and reduce calories in, you reduce body fat. If you are over eating too much i.e consuming more calories than you burn, you will add weight – we all know this. The best option for weight and fat loss is a combination of a training and nutrition plan based on your habits and routines. That said, eating healthier food sources and just exercising more than you are now, is a solid step in the right direction.