3 Requirements for Getting Lean
(you don’t have to eat salads & do hours of cardio)
Getting lean, toned, defined, chiseled, rizzed-up (is that what Gen-Z calls it ?) … regardless of the name, we all have the same general description in mind — someone who looks like they workout.
But when it comes to achieving a leaner body, I see time and time again, clients making this one mistake… focusing too much on weight loss.
Weight loss actually isn’t the goal! This doesn’t mean that weight loss can’t happen but it does mean that we don’t want it to be the main focus. And for good reason!
You want to MAINTAIN your results right?
I sure as heck do! ✋
So if you’re tired of losing and gaining the same 10lbs over and over again, this is exactly why you have to stop focusing on weight loss.
You see, what “getting lean” really means is that you’re gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time. I want you to start thinking of your leaner body as your strongest body.
When you see a lean body with pretty muscles, you’re going start thinking, “damn, they are strong af and they worked hard for those muscles.” THAT is the mindset you have to have.
In this post, you will get the three essential requirements for achieving not only a leaner body you feel proud of, but a healthy body that supports your love for food too! (because what’s better than being fit AND a truffle fry connoisseur !?) Let's dive into the strategies that go beyond just shedding pounds to build a stronger, fitter version of yourself.
Progressive overload training is #1
Something really important you have to understand is that there is a difference between “working out” and “training.” Moving your body in ANY capacity is amazing! Whether that is doing random workouts, orange theory, F45, pilates, or HIIT classes. BUT, if you want to guarantee lean body results, you gotta train smart and with intention.
So what is progressive overload training?
The simplest definition is: increasing the intensity of your exercises over time. You can do this by modifying the tempo/speed of your exercises, lifting heavier weights, doing more reps, or making the exercises more challenging in any way.
Shaping your body doesn’t happen by accident. Think of your body as a diamond trying to form. It can only shape and cut into its design through extreme pressure and consistent effort. It doesn’t happen casually. This is the benefit of training with intention — you’re focused on building the intensity you need to shape and define your body.
What this can look like in real life is —
Let’s use 3x10-12 Dumbbell Squats as an example of how you can progress this.
3x10-12 means: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Week 1: let’s say you start with 20lb dumbbells and you do 10 reps for every set
Week 2: the next week you have the same exercise and want to think of how you can “beat” what you did the previous week, so let’s say start with 20lb dumbbells again but you do 10 reps for the first 2 sets and push out 12 reps for your last set
Week 3: this week you have the same mindset, so you do 20lbs again but this time you push out 12 reps across all 3 sets
Week 4: this is your last week of this exercise so you want to test your limits, you decide to try 25lbs this time and you only get 10 reps for 3 sets but you went up in weight!
This kind of progression lasts for 4-5 weeks and then you’ll usually be given a different set of exercises to focus on with the same mindset!
This is exactly how I design my training programs. Clients love it because they’re focused on building confidence through performance, instead of focusing only on their body changing (there’s nothing that kills consistency more than desperately waiting to see results every workout). Versus with performance, you CAN see results almost every workout!
Thinking about what your body can DO is key (especially when we’ve only ever been taught to obsess over its looks) #beyondyourbody. Can you push out ONE more rep? Can you BUMP up the weight and test your strength? Can you DIAL in your technique so you feel the right muscles working? Can you SLOW your tempo so that you feel the tension longer?
Ask yourself these questions every time you train and no doubt, you’ll feel and see changes in no time.
Lastly, progressive overload training is first on this list because it doesn’t matter if you’re absolutely crushing your nutrition goals and eating the healthiest of health, if you’re not lifting weights and increasing intensity, you won’t build the ✨muscles✨ you need to look leaner! That is a fact.
If you want training and personalized nutrition to build a strong, fit body you’re proud of and guilt-free relationship with food, apply for my coaching program here!
Enough daily protein is #2
Why is protein important?
You need the building blocks to stimulate and maintain muscle growth. All the work you put into your training is pointless unless you have enough of the building blocks to grow and shape your muscles!
Eating high protein is also going to encourage fat loss for three main reasons.
One, it is the most filling macronutrient. Drinking a protein packed smoothie in the morning that’s balanced with healthy fats and fiber-rich fruit is going to keep you full and satisfied for hours; versus, if you had a fruit smoothie that’s just carbs and fats. This means that you’re more likely to eat less overall calories, promoting the calorie deficit you need to see fat loss.
Second, protein balances your blood sugar which means you aren’t going to have energy crashes or huge sugar cravings. This is also why adding protein to your smoothie (and every meal) is important. A protein packed smoothie is going to keep your blood sugar steady; versus, a fruit-only smoothie is going to spike your blood sugar which can cause your energy to fall and crave more snack-y, sugar-y foods later on. This helps with fat loss because if you aren’t having intense cravings, it makes eating balanced a lot easier! The more you can limit mindless out-of-control snacking, the more likely you are to lose fat and maintain it.
Third, protein has the highest thermic effect of food. Did you know that you burn calories simply by eating and digesting food? It’s pretty cool! While, burning calories isn’t the reason why we should eat — the purpose of eating is to fuel your body and enjoy amazing food! BUT, the thermic effect of food is a cool benefit. Specifically, protein burns 20-30% of its calories. Meaning, if you eat 100 calories of chicken, it takes 20-30 calories to break down and digest that food, which means you’re really only consuming 70-80 calories. Compared to carbs which burn 5-10% and fats which burn 0-3%. Girl math… I know. It’s not something to obsess or think about at all. It’s simply another reason why protein is helpful for your lean body goals!
How much protein should I eat?
My most general recommendation is to aim for >100g/day. Most women think they’re eating high protein, but when they track it, they find out they’re only eating 60-80g. Tracking your food isn’t something to do forever, but it is absolutely helpful in learning how much food you need instead of guessing. Inside of my program you’ll learn how to do this without obsessing, so you can eat without the tracker confidently.
Once you’re comfortable hitting 100g of protein. You can aim for 0.8-1g/lb/bodyweight. The math is mathing again, I know. Bear with me. So if you weigh 150lb, you can aim for 120-150g of protein for optimal lean body gains.
I’ve been using Legion to help me hit my protein goal and they’re the only company I’ve partnered with because for ☝️ it tastes that good, and ✌️ they’re a science-back company using only effective doses, third party testing (so you can trust there are no sketchy substances), and overall they’re a transparent company which I value.
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Eating at maintenance calories or a slight deficit is #3
If you understand this basic nutrition principle, you’ll be able to call out 90% of the misinformed fuckery you see on the internet — in order to lose body fat you must burn more calories than you eat. This is what we call a calorie deficit. The same applies to gaining fat — you have to eat more calories than what you are burning per day.
Now there is a lot of nuance to this which is why you hear the internet zealots argue over whether calories or the types of foods you eat matter more.
As a Registered Dietitian, I’ll be the first one to tell you that yes, 100%, the types of foods you eat matter. Broccoli is more nutritious than a donut. No one is arguing that. HOWEVER, even if all you ate were donuts but you are in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. BUT, that is not going to be healthy for you, and that weight loss is not going to come from just fat, it’s going to come from muscle too (which is the LAST thing you ever want). Building and preserving muscle is how you will maintain your fat loss, and this is why protein is so important (as well as fiber-rich carbs and healthy fats). So while all foods can absolutely fit within your body’s calorie range, eating balanced, nutritious calories most of the time is going to make you feel your best and give you better results!
This is exactly what I help you do inside my program! You’ll get the personalized nutrition you need to reach your fit girl goals as well as training programs designed to make you progress. 🎉 Apply here.
If you’re not ready to invest, but you want to keep learning, watch this YouTube video: How You Can Eat MORE & Lose Fat 🤓
Want my FREE E-Book for the 5 BEST Strategies to Crush Cravings & Lose Fat for Good? 🔥 Click here.
