For as long as I can remember, Luke Nichols has been someone I look up to and admire. Not only does he have an incredible work ethic, but he also set the bar high for the rest of us when it comes to nutrition and health. The inspiration for this blog post came as I was reading Luke’s latest book, The Ultramarathon Nutritionist. In it, Luke shares the weight loss regimen that got him there, as well as the foods he enjoyed eating and the foods he avoided. While I have tried multiple fad diets in the past, I have always been able to stick with what works for me. When I saw that Luke had lost over 100 lbs on a plant-based diet, I was curious as to how he did it, and if there were any tips or tricks that I could use to get there myself. What follows is an overview of Luke’s weight loss journey and some tips and tricks that you might find helpful along the way.
The Key To Weight Loss Is In The Planning
When you are planning on losing weight, it’s important to do so effectively and deliberately. It’s not enough to simply decide that you’re going to get thin, and then stop eating, drinking, and sleeping. Rather, you need to set a concrete plan, and then work hard to stick to it. According to John Berardi, Ph.D, a professor of nutritional science at the College of New Jersey and Director of the Berardi Center for Nutrition and Education, “the best thing you can do for yourself is to make a list of all the reasons you want to lose weight,” and then pick one or two main areas to focus on first. In Luke’s case, he wanted to lose weight to be able to play sports again, so he set out to do exactly that. He started by making a list of all the reasons he could think of that would make him play better, and then he focused on one or two areas at a time. For instance, he started by cutting out foods high in carbs, and then added more vegetables and protein-rich foods as his body recouped from the workouts, gradually increasing his activity level. Another critical step was tracking his calories, a task that was made easier thanks to the rise of calorie tracking apps and websites. Having this information at hand enabled Luke to stay on course, and give him the boost of knowing exactly what was helping and what was hindering his progress. Finally, it’s important to note that while a plant-based diet may be the fastest way to shed weight, it’s not necessarily the healthiest. Make sure you are aware of the potential downsides to a vegan diet, and weigh those against the benefits. In the end, it’s all about finding what works best for you and your personal health goals.
Find The Perfect Workout Routine
While the weight loss journey is undoubtedly easier said than done, it’s important to find the right workout routine for you. In Luke’s case, he started with yoga and weight lifting, then gradually added more cardio. He found that weight lifting helped his muscles grow and strengthened, creating the perfect base from which to add more aerobic workouts. His routine also helped him to stay relaxed and calm, further enhancing his game and productivity. In addition to this, yoga not only taught him to relax and de-stress, but it also helped him to clear his mind, focus, and prepare for his workouts. What’s important is that you find something that works for you, as nobody else can do your workouts for you. That being said, the key takeaway from this is that a regular exercise routine is critical for getting and keeping off weight.
Follow Experts’ Advice
Once you’ve determined that exercise is going to be a part of your weight loss plan, it’s important to follow experts’ advice on the subject. One of the biggest mistakes that people make when trying to lose weight is trying to do so on their own. While it is certainly possible to lose weight successfully without professional help, it’s not advisable. The best thing you can do for yourself is to follow the advice of those who have been there and done that, whether experienced weight loss coaches or medical doctors. When it comes to nutrition and diet, no one is an expert in all respects, and this is certainly something to be wary of. In Luke’s case, he followed the advice of mainstream medical experts as well as experts in the ketogenic diet, which placed a heavy emphasis on eating vegetables, fruits, and protein to get his body into a fat-burning state. This enabled him to shed off the weight and enjoy his time playing sports again.
Avoid Certain Foods
Certain foods are going to hinder your weight loss more than others. Some foods are going to speed up your weight loss process, while others are going to hinder it. The perfect diet for you will be one that avoids the former and encourages the latter. In Luke’s case, he started by cutting out refined carbohydrates, as these have been linked to increased weight gain. He then started eating more veggies and fruits, as well as legumes such as lentils and beans. These foods are high in fiber and provide his body with nutrients that help it to function properly. Finally, Luke cut back on the alcohol and avoided taking supplements, as he felt they didn’t offer any additional benefits to his plan and could even do the opposite. The bottom line is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to weight loss, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another. It’s important to find the foods that work best for you and your personal goals.
Have A Game Plan
Once you’ve gotten rid of the extra weight, it’s important to keep it off and maintain the healthy lifestyle you’ve worked so hard to achieve. To do this, it’s important to look at the long term and have a game plan. It’s great that you’ve decided to lose weight in the hopes of playing sports again, but the reality is that you’re going to have to maintain a healthy lifestyle even when you’re not playing. This is where a good plan comes in. In Luke’s case, he knew that he would eventually have to give up playing sports, but when those days came, he was ready for them. He made sure to prepare for this eventuality by taking his time and losing the weight gradually, so that he would not suffer any repercussions from his decision. While there is certainly no set rule when it comes to losing weight, what works for one person may not necessarily work for another. Make sure you are aware of this and prepare for it. Having a game plan and sticking to it is the key to successful long term weight loss. In Luke’s case, he knew that once he had played his last game, it was going to be a while before he could get back out on the field again. During this time, it was important to keep the weight off, so that when he did get back, he would not suffer any health problems as a result of his strenuous exercise. This took a little planning, but it was definitely worth it.
Don’t Go Cold Turkey
When it comes to losing weight, most people think that the best way to do so is to go “cold turkey.” The problem with this approach is that it often leads to binge eating, as people try to make up for lost calories. This is something that Luke experienced, as he cut out all the foods that were high in carbs and opted for a plant-based diet. While this may be the “fad” diet that you’ve heard of, it is certainly not the healthiest. What’s important is that you find what works best for you and your personal goals. In the end, it’s all about having the self-awareness to know when you are sabotaging your own health, and changing your behavior accordingly.