Get Your Clients 'Beach Ready' With These Weight Loss Strategies
Around March and April, personal trainers are flooded with clients asking for the same thing…
Can you help me build a ‘beach body’?
While the archetypical ‘beach body’ looks a little different for everyone, it usually means shaping a tight waist, visible abs, and muscle that gets heads turning by the pool.
So, if you’re a personal trainer, what’s the quickest way to turn your clients’ dreams into reality?
And what can you do in the gym and with their diet so they feel great in swimwear when summer comes?
Below are five weight loss tips you need to know…
1. Keep on top of calories
Rule number one of any ‘beach-body’ transformation is controlling calories. You can't out-train a bad diet and no amount of burpees or bicep curls will compensate for a poor nutritional intake. The very best trainers realise that to get the best results, you need to support your client in the kitchen as much as you do on the gym floor.
Work together to find nutrient-dense foods that they enjoy and create a diet that places them in a deficit. That deficit will depend on the individual and the time in which they want to hit their goal. As a general guideline, a deficit of 500 calories a day is needed to drop 1lb a week.
Make sure to educate your clients on portion control and mindful eating too. Once they grasp the power of calorie restriction, that ‘beach body’ look becomes a tangible reality.
2. Prioritise compound movements
Compound moves are the cornerstone of any effective workout routine. These ‘powerhouse’ exercises recruit multiple muscle groups, providing maximum bang for your buck. Integrating squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and rows into your clients' program will ramp up the number of calories they can burn while helping build muscle mass. Compound moves allow your clients to ‘work smarter, not harder’ given the fact they target multiple areas at once.
Too many trainers think daily sweat-inducing cardio sessions are the best and only solution for shedding body fat. While cardio contributes towards general calorie burn and should never be excluded, heavy strength training signals to the body to preserve muscle tissue in a calorie deficit and should be included in any weight loss regimen for sustainable results.
3. Figure out a time scale (and stick to it)
You know that building a beach body isn't going to be an overnight miracle. Your clients might think it is, but it’s your job to set realistic goals and timelines. Whether it's getting in shape for a summer wedding or prepping for a holiday getaway with family, having a clear timeframe is a great motivator more than anything.
If you create a bespoke training plan tailored to your client’s unique goal, they’re far more likely to stick to the plan. Find your client’s ‘why’ and keep reminding them why started.
4. Make hydration a priority
Make sure your clients stay hydrated throughout the day. Thirst often masquerades as hunger, which leads to unnecessary snacking and overeating… not to mention even a little dehydration can dent your performance, strength, and power output in the gym. Your clients can curb cravings and stay on track just by drinking water whenever they feel hungry.
As simple as it sounds, it’s something plenty of personal trainers neglect while trying to get their clients lean for summer. Drinking a good amount of water (with electrolytes if necessary) also helps avoid muscle cramps and fatigue, while slashing the risk of injury too.
5. Increase non-exercise activity thermogenesis
While maintaining a disciplined diet and sticking to a rigorous training program are essential for achieving that beach-ready physique, don't overlook the importance of non-exercise physical activity. Even if that’s just doing DIY jobs around the house or playing with the kids in the garden, any movement that isn’t ‘deliberate exercise’ adds up towards an overall weight loss goal and should be increased where possible.
Remember, what your client does outside the gym and kitchen directly impacts their results. Incorporating more non-exercise physical activity into their daily routine can amplify the effects of workouts and dietary efforts. Simple lifestyle changes, such as opting for the stairs instead of the lift or choosing to walk for leisure rather than watching Netflix once you’ve got home from work can contribute significantly to overall calorie expenditure.
Become a go-to expert in Nutrition for your clients.
Interesting in becoming a certified nutrition expert? Enrol in our Level 4 Nutrition Transformation Coaching course, from as little as £41 a month. Click the link or enquire below.
https://www.thfi.com/products/level-4-nutrition-transformation-coach
