A personal trainer has answered the questions clients often ask her about weight loss and fat burning – and explains why resistance training is the key to fast results.
Queensland sports nutritionist and scientist Rachael Attard is famous for her leg-slimming workouts and has been responsible for countless body transformations across all three body types.
The mum posted questions and answers on her Instagram page, in which she covers the benefits of walking, why monitoring your hormones is important and why running isn’t always the key to weight loss success.
A personal trainer has answered the questions clients often ask her about weight loss and fat burning – and explains why resistance training is the key to fast results
Do you need to exercise intensely to lose a lot of weight?
“Not at all, you can lose weight without exercising and just focusing on your diet,” Rachael said.
“You can’t lose weight if you just exercise and don’t eat well – diet is the most important part of losing weight.
“Exercise will help you get results faster, and of course it has so many other benefits. You can really do any exercise you want with a good diet and lose weight.”
Caterina (pictured) is an endomorph who struggled to find an exercise program that didn’t build her arms and legs and transformed with Rachael’s Lean Legs Program
HOW DO I GET MY METABOLISM NOT THROUGH IN A CALORIE DEFICIT?
“To lose weight, you have to eat healthily, but also be in a calorie deficit (meaning you’re consuming fewer calories than you’re burning),” Rachael said.
“Eating in a calorie deficit will lower your metabolism over time, so the best way to avoid a damaged metabolism is not to go to extremes — a 500-calorie deficit is the max. Don’t starve yourself.
“After eight weeks, take a break — take a week off and eat whatever you want — and do carb cycling two days during the week.”
“Don’t skip any foods, a balance will help you in the long run.”
“To lose weight, you have to eat healthily, but also be in a calorie deficit (meaning you’re consuming fewer calories than you’re burning),” Rachael said
WILL RUNNING EVERY DAY + A CALORIE DEFICIT HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT?
“Yes, but there are better exercises than running every day,” Rachael said.
“Everyday running can cause more problems (overtraining, injuries and high cortisol levels leading to weight gain.
“I would recommend running no more than three times a week and making sure to always include resistance training. A 300 calorie deficit.”
I CAN’T LOSE WEIGHT, IS THIS HORMONE RELATED?
“If you’re eating the right amount and eating a healthy diet, then yes, there’s a 99 percent chance it’s hormones,” Rachael said.
“All hormones affect weight loss, and if you have one hormone imbalance, chances are the others are out too.
“I would strongly recommend seeing an integrative doctor for some testing.”
What are the most common hormonal imbalances that affect weight loss?
– High or low cortisol
– Thyroid problems
– Estrogen dominance
– PCOS
– Gut health issues (can cause weight gain and high cortisol)
Glennon, Rachael’s client, transformed in just six weeks with Rachael’s program
SHOULD I DO CARDIO TO LOSE WEIGHT?
“Cardio can definitely help with weight loss. High-intensity cardio burns the most calories,” Rachael said, reminding her client to run no more than three times a week.
“I would also include resistance training, this will make a huge difference in your weight loss.”
What does your body type say about how you should train?
ECTOMORPH
Ectomorphs are usually naturally slim (like Victoria’s Secret models) and have a hard time building muscle.
If you’re an ectomorph body type, chances are you already have naturally skinny legs. So your goal here is to maintain (or maybe lose a little) stubborn lower body fat while building lean muscle mass.
This way your legs get tone and definition and you avoid the skinny fat look.
MESOMORPH
Mesomorphs can be quite athletic and quick to respond to exercise, meaning they pack on muscle easily.
You can lose weight very quickly, but you can also gain weight quickly. They are usually of average size.
If you’re a mesomorph, overtraining like squats and lunges can easily lead to bulky legs. So your goal here is to reduce body fat and avoid exercises that massage your legs in the process.
ENDOMORPH
Endomorphs are naturally strong physiques and larger frames. They can build muscle very quickly and it’s a little harder for them to lose weight. But it’s not impossible!
If you’re an endomorph body type, your goal is to really focus on reducing total body fat and completely avoiding any workouts that can cause you to bulk up.
Rachael’s workouts have helped thousands of women sculpt their dream bodies fast
Do you have to count calories to lose weight?
“You don’t have to count calories – you can intuitively eat and eat when you’re hungry and eat when you’re full,” Rachael said.
“But that’s hard for a lot of people, and most of us don’t realize how much (or how little) we’re eating until we actually count it.”
“I recommend entering your calorie intake into the My Fitness Pal app for just a day or two to get an idea of how much you’re eating. Then you can decide if you need to eat more or less and eat intuitively from there.’
HOW MUCH WALKING IS GOOD FOR RAPID WEIGHT LOSS?
“Walking is great for slimming your legs, but it’s not the best exercise for losing weight,” Rachael said.
“Resistance training is, and then high-intensity cardio. You can definitely still run (and I recommend it), but I would add other types of workouts as well.
“Walking is great for slimming your legs, but it’s not the best exercise for losing weight,” Rachael said
