Weekly column by fitness expert Cashel Hayden for the Waterford News & Star, in association with Kingfisher Fitness Club

AN all too common topic of discussion when it comes to losing weight and striving for a better quality of life. It is all too common for some people to understandably feel bewildered and overwhelmed by the vast array of training methods they are bombarded by on a daily basis, whether that be on social media or within their social circles.

‘The saying “abs are made in the kitchen” springs to mind here’

The beautiful thing about weight loss, however, is its simplicity: While there are a million ways to skin a cat, one principle should be prioritised when it comes to losing weight. The principle I am referring to here is the calorie deficit. To those of you who have been keeping up with my weekly articles, you will likely understand what I am referring to here! (At least I hope so!) In order to lose weight we must be in a calorie deficit; i.e. We must be burning more calories than we consume. Without this principle, our training will be slightly in vain when it comes to losing weight.

The saying “abs are made in the kitchen” springs to mind here. When looking to lose weight we must continuously remind ourselves that training is only one aspect of our training. In actual fact, if we were to break down how many calories we burn in a day – the majority would be the calories we burn at rest (60%), i.e. the calories we would burn if we were to sit down and do nothing all day. Next on the list would be the amount of calories we burn while completing daily tasks and activities i.e. washing the dishes or even preparing your dinner! This is also known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).

So how many calories will we actually burn as a result of exercise? When we work in the figures above it is likely only going to be around 10 percent of our overall calories burned in one day!

So what does this mean? This means we must begin to make ourselves that little bit more aware of how much calories we are consuming, as opposed to the amount of calories we are actually burning. There are many calculators online that can give you a rough estimate of how many calories you burn on a daily basis. This will usually take factors into consideration, such as age, gender, activity level, etc.

I must also be clear that I do not mean to undermine the positive effects of resistance and cardiovascular training here. Resistance training will still be a key driver in how we progress towards our goals, helping us to build muscle, get leaner and improve our strength. Cardiovascular training and step targets should also remain integral to your approach as cardiovascular health is at the core of our quality of life, helping to improve mood, cardiac function and improve our insulin sensitivity!

While I feel this article may appear to have strayed slightly away from the title, the message is still the same. It really doesn’t matter which training methods we choose, it is most important in my experience for us to choose a method in which we enjoy and can keep consistent within our lifestyle. This combined with an appropriate approach to our nutrition will be most beneficial here. Once we have a training method in place that we enjoy, it really is rinse and repeat.

A quote I will finish with here:

“The price is in the process” – Baron Baptiste

Lastly, I would also like to clarify that I am not a registered dietician. All advice disclosed here is simply advisory based on my qualifications as a fitness professional and personal experience and knowledge gained working with individuals and helping them reach their goals. The advice given is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

I hope someone out there found some of this information useful here, just some food for thought.

For any questions in relation to this topic or training, nutrition, etc. or for coaching inquiries simply message me on my business page on instagram @coachedbycashel_ or by email – [email protected]