This Woman Lost 13 Pounds at 40 By Completely Changing 3 Exercise Habits
Erica Lynn is a weight loss coach and social media influencer whose mission is "helping women 40+ shed body fat." In a recent Instagram post, she reveals that making five changes to her diet and exercise approach were pivotal in her weight loss journey. In fact, she went on to lose 13 pounds and cut her body fat in half after she made them.
She Started Doing Less Cardio
Doing "less cardio" helped Erica lose weight. "I spent my decades doing cardio for the calorie burn. I would be so proud of the 400+ calories I burned. Does that sound familiar? What I didn't realize is that calories burned are a bunch of BS. The more cardio I did, the more my body adapted/got conditioned, the less I burned," she says in the post.
She Amped Up Her Strength Training
She also did more strength training. "Calories burned during lifting are typically lower than cardio sessions. This is what confused me: why the hell would I spend 30 min lifting when I can burn 2x doing cardio in the same amount of time? Here's why: cardio only burns calories at the moment, while lifting heavy shit burns calories for hours afterward. Plus, the difference between adapting to cardio (see above) & adapting to lifting is that you grow in strength and muscle size with strength training," she writes.
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She Ate More Protein
Amping up her protein intake was also pivotal. "When I started making protein the star of my plate, I started losing inches and not just weight. This is when the definition of my muscle began to show back in 2017 when I started this current fitness journey," she writes.
Walking
She also started getting her steps in. "I used to think walking was a waste of time. I would rather do cardio to burn more calories. I was so focused on how many calories I burned vs. making sure I was moving throughout the day. Then I learned that Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) actually accounts for DOUBLE the calories burned/day compared to Exercise Activity! All those 2x/day training & hours spent in the gym weren't adding up like I thought," she writes.
80/20 Rule
Erica claims that following an 80/20 lifestyle is key. "I'm going to admit to you – I am a Type-A perfectionist. Why do you think I have the Level Up nickname?? I am extra with everything and can't just do anything half-measured. However, after decades of fad diets, I've learned that I will NEVER be successful at SUSTAINING any results if I have to restrict foods forever. I eat 80% wholesome, clean, minimally processed, lean foods. The other 20%? Whatever the hell I want because life is too short! Through tracking macros, I've learned how to fit these "fun" foods into my day & developed habits to keep them under control so I don't eat the whole bag of Doritos," she writes.
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Steps She Took to Lose Weight: Ignited Her Metabolism
In another post, she reveals the three steps she took to help her lose weight. The first was igniting her metabolism. "Learning you can't lose weight by chronic under-eating was the most valuable lesson," she says. Restoring my metabolism to burn more calories & maintain my weight set me up for success when I eventually dieted."
Enjoyed Food Freedom
She also enjoyed food freedom. "Restricting food didn't get me anywhere except binging on the foods I restricted," she writes. "Learning to eat a balanced diet in the right macro portions while staying within my daily targets was key to breaking free from restricting & binging."
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Maximizing Workouts
It's about quality, not quantity, when it comes to exercise, says Erica. "Boy, oh boy, was I wrong here! Too much cardio & just way too much exercise in general didn't get me results and put me under extreme stress," she says. "These days, my priority is strength training with a sprinkle of cardio every week. Oh… and I made getting my steps in a priority over both the above!" And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.
