Pre-Enrolment
What is the issue?
When most people decide to lose weight, their first instinct is to slash calories and ramp up exercise. Sound familiar?
This approach often leaves you exhausted and ravenous. Without understanding how your metabolism and appetite interact, you're left struggling to manage this discomfort. The result? Usually a rebound weight gain, kicking off a frustrating cycle of futility.
Because the diet worked temporarily, you fall prey to the next one because you’ve been led to believe that the problem with the diet was you and your lack of willpower.
But it was never you and I’m sure you’ve got lots of willpower. You regained the weight after a restrictive diet because that is what your brain is designed to do - protect you when it senses a threat to your safety.
Each time you lose weight this way, you're not just losing fat – you're losing precious muscle too. And here's the kicker: when you regain the weight (often with highly processed foods and less movement), that muscle doesn't fully bounce back. You end up with a lower metabolic rate at a higher weight.
Rinse and repeat, and with each cycle, you lose more muscle, your metabolism slows further, and it takes less food to cause weight gain.
This cycle isn't just frustrating – it's a physiological nightmare. Your body fights back with hormonal changes that increase hunger, making it even harder to stick to your restricted diet. It's no wonder so many people feel like they're fighting a losing battle.
What do you think? What do you already know?
Before we dive in, take a moment to reflect on your own weight loss journey:
Have you noticed that each attempt to lose weight seems harder than the last?
How has your energy level and hunger changed during past weight loss attempts?
What strategies have you used to try to maintain muscle mass while losing weight?
These reflections will help you connect with the program on a more personal level as we move forward.
What else would be good to know?
At The Shift, we approach weight loss differently. Instead of focusing on restriction and restraint, we look at regulating your appetite and metabolism. The goal is to help you create a calorie deficit (yes, that's still necessary for weight loss) without drastically cutting calories and remaining comfortable. This approach helps manage your appetite and preserve lean mass, protecting both your metabolism and your health.
It's a challenging balance, but it's doable.
Here's how we break it down:
Protein is Your Priority
We start by calculating your daily protein needs. This isn't about restricting other foods – it's about ensuring you get enough of this crucial nutrient. Protein helps preserve muscle mass as you lose weight, keeping your metabolism humming and helping you feel satisfied.
Read through this breakdown all the way from Protein is Your Priority to The Protein + Fibre Crowd Out Approach before doing any of the activities or calculations.
Later, we will walk you through each step.
First, you will use our Calculate Your Daily Protein Target tool below to determine your personal protein goal. Once you have your daily target, divide it into three meals.
Take 5g from lunch and dinner and add it to breakfast. This front-loading helps set you up for success throughout the day. You’re more able to make muscle from protein in your diet when consumed in the morning. You’re also more sensitive to insulin in the morning which means you’re less likely to store additional calories as fat.
The calculator will help you break down your daily protein target into three meals.
Fibre is Your Friend
After you've practiced hitting your protein targets for a week, it's time to focus on fibre.
Use our Calculate Your Daily Fibre Target activity to determine your personal goal. Fibre aids digestion, helps regulate blood sugar, and contributes to feeling full and satisfied.
Divide your daily fibre target into three and try to eat that many grams at each meal.
Build Your Meals
With your protein and fibre targets in hand, start building your meals around these nutrients. Don't stress about percentages of other macronutrients or total calories – when you focus on protein and fibre, the rest tends to fall into place naturally.
Understand Your Body Composition
Weight alone doesn't tell the whole story. Understanding your body composition – the ratio of fat to lean mass – is crucial. Let's explore this concept with the graphic below.
This infographic breaks down the key components of your body and metabolism. Notice how muscle mass, body fat (including the different types of fat), and other tissues make up your total body weight. Understanding these components helps you appreciate why preserving muscle mass is so crucial during weight loss.
Let's break down these body compartments and fat types in simple terms:
Skeletal Muscle Mass is the amount of muscle attached to your bones. It typically makes up about 45% of total body weight in men and 35% in women.
Body Fat includes all the fat in your body, usually around 20% for men and 28% for women. This is further divided into Subcutaneous Fat (just under the skin, about 17-19% in men and 25-27% in women) and Visceral Fat (around organs, about 1-3% for both).
The Other category includes bones, organs, and other tissues, accounting for about 35% in men and 37% in women.
Now, let's look at fat types:
White Fat, making up 90-95% of total body fat, stores energy and cushions organs.
Brown Fat, about 1-2% of total body fat, generates heat by burning calories.
Beige Fat, found within white fat deposits, can convert to brown fat and aid in calorie burning.
Understanding these components helps us appreciate why preserving muscle and managing different types of fat are crucial in our weight loss journey.
Understanding Your Metabolism
Now, let's demystify your metabolism. Think of it as your body's engine, constantly burning fuel (calories) to keep you alive and moving. Here's a simplified breakdown of how your body uses energy:
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): This is your body's energy baseline - the calories you burn just by being alive. It accounts for about 60-75% of your daily calorie burn. Breathing, circulating blood, maintaining body temperature - it all takes energy!
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): This fancy term simply means the energy you use for everyday activities that aren't exercise - things like typing, doing laundry, or fidgeting. It makes up about 15-30% of your daily calorie burn.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): Believe it or not, eating burns calories too! Your body uses energy to digest and process food, accounting for about 10% of your daily calorie burn. Interestingly, protein requires more energy to digest than carbs or fats, giving you a small metabolic boost.
Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT): This is the energy you burn through intentional exercise, typically about 5-10% of your daily calorie burn (more if you're very active).
All these components together make up your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) - the total number of calories you burn in a day.
Why does this matter for weight loss?
To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit - burning more calories than you consume. But here's the tricky part: if you cut calories too drastically, your body might think it's starving and slow down your metabolism to conserve energy. This is why crash diets often backfire. And this is why we have designed an approach that takes your mind off of calories as a total without totally throwing out the importance of a calorie deficit.
Our approach at The Shift is to create a moderate calorie deficit while preserving muscle mass. Remember, muscle is metabolically active tissue - the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even at rest. If you are at a higher weight, the chances are good that you’ve got lots of muscle. It’s important to protect it. This is why our protein-focused approach is so important.
By understanding these basics of metabolism, you can see why simply eating less and exercising more isn't always the answer. It's about working with your body, not against it. In The Shift, we'll help you find the right balance to lose weight sustainably while keeping your metabolism humming along.
How do I apply this right now? How do I explore this more?
Use the exercises in the order below to set yourself up for success when it comes to choosing food to lose weight the right way. There are four steps:
Calculate Your Protein Target: Use the Daily Protein Calculator tool to determine your personal goal. This is based on your lean body mass and we have built that calculation as a first step into the tool.
Determine Your Fiber Needs: Use the Calculate Your Daily Fiber Target tool to set your fibre goal.
Implement the Protein + Fibre Crowd Out Approach: Use the infographic as a guide to start structuring your meals around protein and fibre-rich foods.
Start Tracking: Begin using the Body Composition Tracker to monitor your progress. Don't worry if you can't fill in all fields – start with what you can measure consistently. We have a very advanced body composition analyzer in our clinic in Oakville, Ontario but you can probably find one in your community at a local gym or clinic.
You may stop reading the lesson and do these activities now or wait until the end of the lesson to do the activities in sequence.
Once you complete this lesson, the activities will appear on their own pages so you can find them and repeat them anytime.
Activity 1:
Daily Protein Calculator
Use the Daily Protein Calculator tool to determine your personal goal. This is based on your lean body mass and we have built that calculation as a first step into the tool.
Activity 2:
Daily Fibre Calculator
Use the Daily Fibre Calculator tool to set your fibre goal.
How do I bring it all together?
The Protein + Fiber Crowd Out Approach
This approach forms the cornerstone of our nutrition strategy.
By focusing on protein and fiber-rich foods, you naturally "crowd out" less nutritious options without feeling deprived. This infographic illustrates how this approach works in practice.
Activity 3:
The Protein + Fibre Crowd Out Approach
Use the slideshow below as a guide to start structuring your meals around protein and fibre-rich foods. By prioritizing protein and fibre in your meals, you can take your mind off of calories and carbohydrates because they will be naturally “crowded” by the higher protein and higher fibre foods.
Activity 4:
Body Composition Tracker
To monitor your progress effectively, we use more than just the scale.
Our Body Composition Tracker helps you keep tabs on various important metrics that help you see beyond weight and BMI into true health. It will also help you see the benefits of the Protein + Fibre Crowd Out Approach.
How will I know if this is making a difference? How do I start noticing the changes?
Remember, we're not demonizing any foods or implementing strict rules. We're simply prioritizing nutrients that support your weight loss goals and overall health. This approach allows for flexibility and enjoyment in your eating, which is crucial for long-term success.
As you start implementing these strategies, remember that we're aiming for progress, not perfection. The goal is to create sustainable habits that nourish your body and support your weight loss goals. This approach isn't about restriction – it's about abundance. We're focusing on getting more of the nutrients your body needs to thrive.
If you have questions about how to apply these principles to your specific situation, join the full Shift Program and bring them to our monthly group sessions. These are great opportunities to dive deeper and get personalized guidance.
As you implement this approach, you'll likely notice changes beyond just the number on the scale:
Energy levels: Many people find their energy improving as they balance their meals with protein and fiber.
Hunger and fullness: You may notice you feel satisfied with less food and stay full longer.
Body composition: While the scale might not change dramatically at first, you may notice changes in how your clothes fit or how you look in the mirror.
Strength: By preserving muscle mass, you may find that you maintain or even improve your strength as you lose weight.
Relationship with food: You may find yourself feeling less stressed about food choices and more in tune with your body's needs.
Remember, progress isn't always linear. Focus on consistency and how you feel, not just on numbers.
What is next?
In this lesson, we've explored the nutritional foundations of The Shift Program. We've introduced the Protein + Fiber Crowd Out Approach and discussed why it's effective for sustainable weight loss.
In our next lesson, "Where Do I Even Begin? Getting Your Numbers Together," we'll dive into the importance of understanding your current health status through various tests and measurements. This information will help us tailor The Shift Program to your unique needs and track your progress more effectively.
Before our next lesson, try implementing the Protein + Fiber Crowd Out Approach in at least one meal a day. Pay attention to how it makes you feel. Are you satisfied longer? Do you notice any changes in your energy levels?
Remember, you're not just changing your diet – you're changing your relationship with food and your body. Every small step towards better nutrition is a victory. Let's continue this journey towards a healthier, happier you.