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Home » Lose Weight » Lauren Cahn for Reader’s Digest – Reader’s Digest

Everyone must find his or her own best path to lasting weight losswhich is why scanning through at least 40 different ways to shed pounds can be helpful. For Alice Fields, age 25, from Melbourne, Australia, it took getting off the treadmill and getting into powerlifting, along with following a nutritional plan that didnt focus on restricting foods and pushing salad. Now,Fields wants everyone to know that theres more than one way to lose weight and get in shape.

Ive always struggled with my weight, says the 25-year-old Melbourne, Australia resident. By age 22, I weighed 92 kilos [203 pounds] despite running at least 5 kilometers every single morning, intense circuit training, and restricting what I was eating. Sure, she saw results here and there, but those results never stuck. Shed lose a few kilos, and then put on more. I was killing myself with 5 a.m. sprints, she says, but its just not sustainable, not physically or mentally. You dont just run your body into the ground, you exhaust your mind. All of that changed, however when a friend introduced Fields to power lifting, and she discovered an eating plan called If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM).

Courtesy Alice FieldsThe IIFYM plan looks looks at all foods in the three main (i.e., macro) categories: protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Depending on an individuals activity levels and goals, a numerical goal is set for the individual to consume each day. This is not only ensuring a consistent amount of calories are being consumed daily, but more specifically that youre getting enough macronutrients to maintain energy and reach your desired physique.

Fields says, The best part is, if you want to eat ice cream and watch chick flicks, you can! As long as you read the label and make it work with your macros. Diets arent sustainable, she says. They arent fun, and the foods are flavorless and boring, she told Readers Digest. IIFYM enables you to eat the foods you love, and have a happy mind, while ensuring you are still sticking to a consistent amount of calories.

Fields isnt dissing cardio. In fact, she knows its great for heart health. A lot of articles written about me have made it seem like Im saying STOP DOING CARDIO, Fields told Readers Digest. What Fields has been trying to say is that there isnt just one way to lose weight and get in shape. For her, running for hours on end and restricting herself with a clean diet wasnt the answer. Look for the combination of exercise and proper eating to sustain you, she advises. Just move, and be aware of what food youre putting in your body. How much you move and how you move is entirely up to you.

I went from doing 90 percent cardio to mainly power lifting and cardio for funlike taking my dog on 30-minute walks or just running around with her at the park. And it worked for her. Within a month of changing things up, she noticed a difference in the way her clothes fit and how strong she felt. And although her 37-pound weight loss is great, its not the most important aspect, says Fields. The real gauge of her success is how she felt about herself and how her body was functioning. With more muscle, her body was more efficient at burning fat. She had more energy. She liked the way her clothes fit when her muscles filled out in places, and fat disappeared from other places.

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Lifting weights actually burns a lot of calories, perhaps even more than cardio, say Fields, and its something I thoroughly enjoy so, for me, this is what works, because I can stick to it without it feeling like a chore.

Courtesy Alice FieldsI get so many messages asking if I took prescription pills, Fields says sadly. At the end of the day, there are no magic tricks, pills, or potions. Find something you love and enjoy your journey! People write to Fields and ask them to tell prescribe some exact combination of what to eat and how to move, but her answer is always to just keep moving and eat to support it. Moving is good for your mind, body, and soul, she says, so move. Sweat. Play. Push yourself. But at the end of the day, look at what youre eating.

She wants to make absolutely clear that she does not advocate the idea that being slim or skinny equals being beautiful What she advocates is taking your life into your own hands and doing what makes you feel good. Keep trying, and youll figure out what works. Find a way to burn calories that you enjoy and you can continue to do as part of your life and eat the damn chocolate as long as it fits.

Havent quite figured out what works yet? Here are the signs its time to change up your fitness routine.

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Lauren Cahn for Reader's Digest - Reader's Digest

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Home » Lose Weight » Lauren Cahn for Reader’s Digest – Reader’s Digest