There is a lot of information floating around the internet advising you on how to transform healthily. A lot of it is fantastic. However, only a few are genuinely accurate and comprehensive, describing how to work out, eat, and supplement.
Let’s get right to it to help you cut through the Nonsense. Here’s a step-by-step guide to transform healthily, whether you want to compete as a figure athlete or just look and feel good.
A Complete Guide to Transform healthily
1. Step Up, Check-Up
If you can’t remember the last time you went to your doctor for a full physical and blood work-up, now is the time. Why?
Simply knowing where you stand may help your efforts greatly. You’ll get health benchmarks on things like cholesterol and triglycerides, blood pressure, fasting glucose, and maybe bone density for older women in return for a few dollars and a little pain. These are concrete, quantifiable areas where you can measure your development and see your hard work pay off.
The scale and mirror have a lot to say, but they don’t tell the full story. Fitness is about more than just looking nice; it is also about feeling well and living well!
2. Buy The Fundamentals
Let’s be honest: the world is not a fit place. You’ll have an uphill fight if you rely on the circumstance, gyms, and restaurants to keep you on track. So, before you begin, ready your home base with the necessary food and workout equipment.
Pantry Items:
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Sweet potatoes
- Whole-grain cereals
- Nuts
- Natural nut butter
- Sesame seeds
- Olive oil
- Canned tuna
- Salmon
- Spices
Fridge Items:
- Fresh fruits
- Greek yogurt
- Egg whites
- Low-fat milk
- Turkey
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Salsa
- Mustard
- Chicken or beef broth
- Bottled water
Freezer Items:
- Chicken breasts
- Lean beef
- Turkey
- Fish
- Vegetables
- Berries
These items may be combined to form a healthy eating plan and give you a well-balanced mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
You should also have everything you need for basic workouts on hand. It’s a good idea to have some equipment on hand for those rainy days when leaving the house isn’t an option, especially if you plan to go to the gym nearly every day.
Training Items:
- Running shoes that are properly fitted
- Comfortable workout attire (bottoms/top/sports bra)
- Music/streaming device
- Water bottle
- Towel
- Heart rate monitor (if desired)
- Jump rope
- Resistance bands
- Dumbbells
3. Calculate Nutritional Targets
After you’ve planned to transform healthily, you’ll need to calculate the nutrition targets you’ll need to create your food plan.
We break this down into three steps:
Step 1: Estimate Maintenance
The quantity of calories you need to consume to maintain your current bodyweight is your maintenance calorie intake.
To calculate your daily calorie consumption:
- Calculate your RMR (resting metabolic rate) (how many calories your body burns at rest). However, a quick trick is to increase your body weight (in pounds) by ten.
- Multiply your RMR estimate by ‘x 1.5’ to account for the energy you expend each day while engaging in various physical activities.
Step 2: Set Calorie Target
To make things easy, deduct 500kcal from your maintenance estimate, e.g. 3,000kcal – 500kcal = 2,500kcal.
Step 3: Establish Macronutrient Targets
Macronutrients are essential nutrients, which your body need in big amounts. And you’re probably aware of the three main types: protein, fat, and carbohydrate.
Protein Targets:
We start with protein, as it is arguably the essential macronutrient for body composition due to its capacity to suppress hunger and build muscle.
A good beginning point is one gram of protein per pound of body weight. So if you weigh 150 pounds, aim for 150 grams of protein.
Fat and carbohydrate targets:
Because fat and carbohydrates are mainly used to provide energy, it makes sense to scale them to your overall calorie (energy) consumption.
Set your fat target to 25-45 percent of your total calories, and the rest of your calories should go-to carbs.
4. Create a Meal Plan
Here’s a summary of how to make a meal plan:
- Purchase a digital food scale (for measuring portion sizes) and download MyFitnessPal (to keep a detailed record of your food intake).
- Decide on a meal frequency (3-4 is best for most people) and set regular meal times.
- Aim for 20-50g of protein every meal.
- Since there are no set time requirements for dietary fats, add them into your meal plan as you see fit.
- At each meal, fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables and include 1-2 servings of fruit.
- Add starchy vegetables and grains to your diet to help you meet the rest of your carbohydrate target.
- Aim for at least 2 litres of fluids each day (this includes black coffee and green/fruit teas)
- Adjust your food plan at the start of each week to account for any social or work meals out.
5. Light Workouts for Beginners
Light at-home workouts, especially if you haven’t exercised in a long time, will prepare your body and mind for the upcoming challenge. They will also help you feel more at ease when you stroll into the gym. Begin these workouts as soon as possible and use them for 1-2 weeks as you prepare to transform healthily.
Moreover, according to a study, exercise can reduce the symptoms of depression and stress.
Cardio Exercise
Exercises to include in your circuit:
- Push-up
- Push-ups on the decline
- Pull-ups with assistance (or bodyweight if possible)
- Chair dips
- Bodyweight squats
- Walking lunges
- Stationary lunges
- Step-ups
- Glute bridges
- Lying leg lift
- Crunches
- Oblique crunch
- Reverse crunch
- Supermans
Select your preferred cardio exercise method—even brisk walking would work nicely, and aim to do it for 15-30 minutes each day, 3-5 days per week.
6. Track Your Progress and Make Changes (If Needed)
In the early stages of your diet, you may need to adjust your goals to see progress or improve the rate of progress.
We recommend setting aside time at the end of each week to evaluate your progress and make any necessary changes.
We use bodyweight changes as the primary indicator of progress, intending to lose 0.5-1 percent of your total bodyweight per week on average.
- If you are below target (average bodyweight reduces by less than 0.5 percent ) but were on or over goal the previous week, do not make any changes
- If you are below target for two consecutive weeks, reduce calorie consumption by 10 percent
- Continue to evaluate at the end of each week.
The Bottom Line
How long does it take to transform healthily completely? This answer varies from person to person. Some people may notice results as soon as a month into their routine, while others may need to wait until two months into their regimen.
Your diet and workout routine has a big impact on when and whether you see benefits. You will see results as long as you continue to eat healthily and exercise regularly (either at the gym or at home). However, before changing your diet or beginning an exercise routine, you should always consult with a doctor and a dietitian.
