If you’re ready to start your weight loss journey, BUT don’t really know where to start, or just want some easy to digest tips to help you get faster results… then this post has been written solely for you.

I’ll be sharing 10 Key Weight Loss Tips For Beginners so that you can start losing weight immediately.

I can guarantee that if you apply these tips… you will start to lose weight. I know this… because I’ve successfully applied these tips with hundreds of my one to one personal training clients at LEP Fitness. 

Let’s dive in…

10 Key Weight Loss Tips For Beginners

#1 Calorie Deficit (Absolutely Essential!) 

This is the most important part of weight loss…so listen up. 

In order to lose weight… you MUST create a calorie deficit. This means you’ve got to consume less and move more. You can do this through dieting and exercise. 

It doesn’t really matter what diet you follow, as long as you are creating a deficit. For example you could follow a Keto diet, juice diet, Atkins, 5:2, Weight Watchers, Slimming World, etc, etc…as long as you are in a calorie deficit…you will lose weight. 

With most of my clients, I still allow them to eat foods of their choice: chocolate, cake, fast foods, restaurants foods, etc – I just make-sure that overall they are in a calorie deficit. It really works, and is also sustainable, unlike some of these bland diets!

#2 Protein (Stay Fuller For Longer) 

Protein is key, because it will fill you up for longer, meaning you’ll snack less, and therefore eat less calories (hello weight loss!). It will also help you develop lean muscle, which then speeds up your metabolism (even more weight loss!).

Whether you’re a man or woman, eating plenty of protein is KEY.

Protein rich foods include: eggs, chicken, turkey, steak, salmon, cod, mince, lamb, bacon, sausages, protein shakes, protein bars, and nuts. Basically any meat and fish, and certain supplements (shakes and bars). 

Aim to consume protein with as many meals as possible throughout the day. For example, you could have eggs on toast for breakfast, a chicken sandwich at lunch, snack on a protein bar in the afternoon (for some extra energy!), and then eat something like steak and home made chips for your dinner. Sounds yummy right?

#3 Sleep (Recharge Your Batteries) 

Aiming for 8 hours sleep per night is EXTREMELY important and here’s why… 

Getting a good nights sleep allows your body to heal in all dimensions, mentally, physically, and emotionally. 

You need sleep, and without it you will suffer. People who don’t get enough sleep gain more weight, are more irritable, and far more likely to get sick, and develop diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimers, and in some cases cancer! Sleep is arguably the most important (BUT underrated) health aspect that we could all do with prioritising more. 

In order to improve sleep there’s an excellent website which I’d recommend checking out restfaq.com . This site answers lots of sleep related questions that are important for you to know. 

Some key tips to improve sleep are: 

Dark Bedroom – Make your bedroom as dark as possible (buy black out blinds, or wear a sleeping mask).

Switch Off Electronics – turn off your TV, phone, laptop, and anything electrical at least 1 hour before bed.

Comfy Environment – make your bedroom comfy, and relaxing, make the bed, use fresh sheets. Make your bedroom a place where you can switch off, and drift peacefully into a deep sleep.

Avoid A Full Stomach – try and eat at least 3 hours before going to bed. Going to bed on a full stomach, makes it harder for your body to go into a deep sleep.

Take A Bath – having a warm, relaxing bath will help relax tension in your muscles, especially the back, neck and shoulders (all which tense up after a stressful days work!). 

#4  Treats (There’s More To Life Than Dieting!) 

What, I can have treats? YES, ABSOLUTELY! 

You may be surprised to hear… that I actually allow my clients to eat whatever they like, as long as they are in a ‘calorie deficit’ and are losing weight, then I’m cool with it!

In fact, I actively encourage clients to go out with friends, have takeouts, and enjoy a treat or two. I do this whilst at the same time encouraging them to eat lots of healthy foods too, and moving more, by doing exercise they enjoy. 

When somebody works with me on a one to one personal training basis, I send them recipe guides with healthy breakfasts, lunch, dinners, snacks, and desserts (yes desserts!). I also send each client a bunch of restaurant guides. For example…

• McDonalds
• KFC
• Five Guys 
• Strada
• Costa Coffee
• Subway 
• Nandos

And many other popular restaurants!

In the restaurant guides I list out all of the foods you can get in these restaurants, and the calories in each food. For example I list all the foods under 500 cals, all the foods under 1,000 cals, etc – so clients can go out to these places with friends, family, work colleagues, etc – and still enjoy themselves, whilst losing weight! 

If you’d like me to send you a free recipe guide, and recipe book, then please drop me a message (nick@lepfitness.co.uk) , and I’ll send it straight to your inbox.

#5 Healthy Foods (For Energy Throughout The Day) 

As well as encouraging clients to eat treats, I also encourage them to eat healthy foods. Foods which make you feel good, improve your mind, body, and help give you vitality each and every day. 

I do this by supplying all LEP clients with healthy recipe guides. Once we start working together you get 180 recipes to choose from. 

There’s something for everybody! I give clients quick recipes for those who don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, and want easy to follow recipes. Whereas for those who do enjoy cooking, and like to try more complex/fancier recipes, I also have guides for you too. It’s whatever you prefer! In the recipe books there are lots of choices to choose from, to suit your needs!

The aim of this is to empower people, and let them make their own choices, based on what they like, and what suits their lifestyle. It works, I’ve done this with hundreds of people over the last 8 years! 

#6 Weight Training (Get Strong! Lose Fat) 

The stronger you get, the more fat you’ll lose. 

Whether you’re a man or women, lifting weights is super important for weight loss. 

Don’t worry lifting weights won’t make you bulky, not if you do them correctly. NO, instead, weight training will help you improve your body shape, burn fat, and give you a serious endorphin boost – all my clients leave their personal training sessions tired (of course!) BUT also ABSOLUTELY BUZZING as well, they feel empowered, inspired and ready to take on the rest of their day.

Weight training is great for the body, BUT equally good for the mind, it will make you feel a million dollars!  

I would recommend picking exercises that burn lots of calories, and use multiple muscle groups all at once. For example: squats, deadlifts, bench press, pull ups, lunges, rows, etc – P.S. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of some of these, you can easily find videos on Youtube to show you demonstrations.

You could also check out my Instagram page – I share lots of free exercises to help you burn fat, improve muscle definition, and build your body confidence.

There’s also my YouTube channel, here’s a video I uploaded yesterday, to help you firm up your butt and lose weight…

There are plenty more videos and tips like this on my YouTube channel/ Instagram page – so please check them out, especially if you want some free education, and knowledge that will help you along your weight loss journey. 

#7 Cardio (Live Longer and Slim Down Your Waist!) 

Having a strong heart is very important. Whether it’s running around the park with your kids, or hiking up the hills in your late 70s, you need a good cardiovascular system to lead a greater quality of life. It’s also a great tool to use for weight loss. 

There are two main types of cardio for weight loss, HIIT and LISS.

HIIT – stands for High Intensity Interval Training. This is where you push yourself as much as you can for a short period of time, but then take a break. For example you would run 50m as fast as possible, then rest 2 mins, and then repeat the sprint again. This type of training is great for fat loss and fitness.

LISS – this stands for Low Intensity Steady State Cardio – things like walking, or slow running, or cycling, swimming, etc. It’s basically…moderate and sustained activity, for example 30 mins+ where you are working at approximately 40-50% of your maximum effort. LISS cardio is also great for fat loss. 

I like to do a mixture of both HIIT and LISS with my LEP Fitness clients, it all depends on the clients current level of fitness and goals. 

Again, if in doubt with what to do, reach out, and hire an expert personal trainer to help guide you. 

Also, if you’d like to read more about the differences of HIIT and LISS, and the pros and cons of each, then check out this post I wrote – you’ll become a cardio expert once you’ve read it!

#8 Walk – 6,000-10,000 Steps Each Day (Burn Extra Calories, Improve General Fitness) 

Walking is amazing for weight loss, it helps you to burn calories, which therefore benefits your waist line! It’s also great for decluttering the mind, regathering your thoughts, and reducing stress. 

Aim to walk between 6,000-10,000 steps per day. You can track your steps using your phone, or pick up a Fitbit.

Tracking your steps each day, and moving more could see you lose an extra 1-2lbs per week – do this for 10 weeks, and you could lose 10-20lbs – that’s life changing weight! That will mean you’ll be able to drop a dress size or two! fit into smaller jeans, and wear clothes that make you feel more confident in your own skin. How good would that make you feel?

#9 Plan (Boring! I know! zzzz! BUT Crucial!) 

Planning is KEY, without a plan, you are destined to fail. Just like when you go to work, you have to get there at a certain time, if you don’t keep to your schedule, you’ll eventually get sacked! 

Prioritise your diet and exercise in the same way, have a plan of action each week. For example, buy a diary (if you don’t have one already!) And plan in the days you’ll workout each week. For example:  

• Monday – Train with my personal trainer
• Tuesday – go to spin class
• Wednesday – day off
• Thursday – Train with my personal trainer
• Friday – weights at the gym
• Saturday – legs, bums and tums class
• Sunday – family walk and rest from the gym 

Have a plan, and stick to it. 

Do the same with your food each week. Plan out your meals, write a shopping list, and then go to the supermarket (or purchase online!) and get all of your food in for the next 7 days. 

You can also plan for social occasions, say for example it’s your Uncle Bobs birthday next Sunday, and you are going to Bills restaurant, then plan ahead as to what you’re going to eat. You could use the restaurant guides I supply, or call up the restaurant and ask them what low carb options they have. Or… you could give yourself a meal of your choice, as a treat, providing you go to the gym 5x beforehand, and stick to your food plan. 

#10 Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help (We All Need Support) 

Whether you reach out and hire a coach, or whether you reach out to a friend, partner or family member, don’t be afraid of reaching out and asking for help. We all need it at times! Me included… 

I’ve spent over £80,000 on hiring people for help. I’ve hired personal trainers, business coaches, lifestyle coaches, etc, etc – all because I knew they could help me, and they have!

Thanks to their knowledge, guidance, and support, I’ve improved my own health, body shape, business, quality of life, and most importantly I’ve become so much happier because of the changes I’ve made. 

I wouldn’t have been able to get these life changing results, had I done this journey alone.

The best investment you can make is hiring an expert. Of course, it will cost you money, BUT it will be the best investment you make. It will totally change your life for the better.

Thanks so much for reading,

Nick 🙂 

About Nick 

Nick is an expert in helping the everyday person to transform their health, fitness, body shape and mindset.

To date, Nick has completed over 11,000 x 1-1 personal training sessions, and has developed an excellent reputation because of the results he produces.

Nick currently works in his private personal training studio, which is located in Sheffield. Here, he teaches people to get fit, and build up their confidence.

Nicks knowledge, passion and enthusiasm continues to grow each day, as he helps more and more people to transform their lives, both physically and mentally. If you’d like to hear more about how Nick can help you achieve your goals then please get in touch with him today.

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