I Achieve My Ideal Body With These 16 Simple Steps Anyone Can Follow

Feeling overwhelmed by conflicting fitness advice? You're not alone. Sarah Mackay, a fitness coach and psychology student from Edinburgh, understands the struggle. Once a gym-avoider battling an eating disorder, Sarah transformed her life through fitness. Now, she's here to share her journey and help you achieve your dream body without confusion. Ready to cut through the noise and get real results? Let's dive into Sarah's no-nonsense guide, supplemented with expert insights from Mark Edwards, Precision Nutrition Certified Level 1 Coach and CrossFit Level 2 Trainer.

Redefine Your "Dream Body"

In her post, Sarah says that a dream body isn't just about aesthetics. "Having a dream body shouldn't just be about achieving a certain physical look," she says. "What's even better is having a body that feels good and improves your overall quality of life." Focus on health, strength, and personal goals rather than conforming to beauty standards. This mindset shift will help you make sustainable changes and avoid restrictive fad diets.

Set SMART Goals

Edwards underlines the importance of setting clear, achievable goals: "In my coaching practice, SMART Nutrition is simply this: whatever we do must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Nothing is random. Nothing is left to chance." By applying these principles to your fitness journey, you'll create a structured and effective plan for achieving your dream body.

Ditch the Treadmill, Embrace Strength Training

If you want to shape your body, cardio alone won't cut it. Sarah learned this the hard way: "It wasn't until I started hitting the gym consistently and following a structured workout routine that I was actually starting to see some sort of results." Don't fear weights – they won't make you bulky overnight. Instead, they'll help you build the muscle foundation needed for that toned look.

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Apply Progressive Overload

To see real changes, challenge your muscles consistently. Sarah explains, "Each and every single time you enter that gym, you need to increase the reps that you're doing on each exercise or increase the weight you're doing." This progressive overload principle is key to muscle growth and overall body transformation.

Choose a Sustainable Workout Split

There's no one-size-fits-all workout plan. Sarah advises, "Don't overcomplicate it. There is no perfect split. Just workout splits that align more with your goals and ones that you can sustainably stick to consistently over time." Whether you prefer a lower-body focus, upper-body emphasis, or full-body workouts, consistency is key. Aim to hit each muscle group twice per week.

Practice Mindful Eating

Before diving into specific dietary changes, Edwards underlines the importance of how we eat: "Commit to mindful eating practices like chewing food slowly and eating without distractions. No smartphone at lunch or dinner. No TV while you're eating." This simple practice can lead to better digestion, increased satiety, and, ultimately, weight loss.

Fix Your Diet

Exercise alone won't transform your body if your diet isn't on point. Sarah stresses the importance of aligning your eating habits with your goals: "If you have a higher body fat percentage and you want to lean down, you need to be eating at maintenance or in a slight deficit. And if you are the opposite, if you are starting out leaner and want to build muscle, you need to be eating at maintenance or in a slight surplus."

Prioritize Whole Foods

While calorie counting has its place, food quality matters, too. Sarah learned this through experience: "Prioritizing whole foods is the key to reaching your fitness goals." Focus on ingredients like fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. These nutrient-dense foods will fuel your workouts, aid recovery, and improve your overall health.

Increase Vegetable Intake

Edwards recommends gradually increasing your vegetable intake: "Try to gradually increase your vegetable intake to around five servings per day (about two servings per meal). This practice will increase your fiber intake, which is important not only for gut health but also to decrease post-meal hunger signals." This simple change can support fat loss and improve overall health.

Get Enough Protein

To build and maintain muscle, adequate protein intake is crucial. Sarah recommends "1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight." For simplicity, aim for 30-40 grams of protein per meal, spread across 3-5 meals daily.

Edwards adds: "Set a specific goal for daily protein intake. Depending on your body weight and activity level, around 1.6 grams per kg of body weight per day is a reasonable starting point (about 0.8 grams per pound of body weight). That's your minimum."

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Balance Your Macronutrients

Edwards underlines the importance of macronutrient balance: "We need to design your daily meals to hit specific macronutrient ratios depending on your physique goals and dietary preferences." He suggests starting with a balanced approach of 30% protein, 35% carbs, and 35% fats, adjusting as needed based on your goals and progress.

Stay Hydrated

Proper hydration is often overlooked but crucial for body transformation. Edwards advises: "Set a hydration GOAL to make this measurable. Set your measurable goal conservatively and track it." He suggests drinking a full glass of water upon waking and before each meal and snack to increase your water intake naturally.

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Incorporate Smart Cardio

While not the main focus, cardio still has its place. Sarah suggests aiming for "8,000 to 10,000 steps a day" to burn extra calories and improve overall health. This low-impact approach complements your strength training without risking burnout.

Reduce Added Sugars

Edwards highlights the importance of limiting added sugars: "Aim to limit added sugar consumption to less than 25 grams per day (about 6 teaspoons)." He suggests gradually reducing intake and replacing sugary beverages with sugar-free alternatives or water.

Prioritize Rest and Recovery

Don't fall into the trap of overtraining. Sarah warns, "If you don't give your body enough time to rest, you're setting yourself up for burnout, injury, and exhaustion." Schedule 1-2 rest days weekly, and aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Proper recovery is essential for both physical progress and mental well-being.

Edwards adds: "Better sleep not only supports hormone balance and muscle recovery but also reduces hunger the following day."

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Monitor Progress and Adjust

Edwards underlines the importance of tracking your progress: "Set regular check-ins (e.g., every 2 weeks) that include measuring weight, body fat, and girth measurements (basic ones: waist, chest, thighs) to assess your progress towards your physique goals and adjust your nutrition plan accordingly."

In conclusion, Sarah reminds us that "getting a body that not only looks good, but feels good, takes time, consistency and a lot of effort, but that's what makes the journey so rewarding." By following these principles and staying committed, you're well on your way to building your dream body – one that's strong, healthy, and uniquely yours.

Edwards adds a final word of wisdom: "By applying the SMART framework to these nutrition strategies, you can gradually create a structured and effective plan for achieving that Dream Body. Every one of these strategies might seem to be utterly simple, but as both Steve Jobs and Leonardo DaVinci said so well, 'Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.'" And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 31 Fitness Tips Every Beginner Needs to Look Sexy, According to Coaches.