Losing 8,5% bodyfat while traveling!
My goal last summer was to shred down to a low body fat percentage, while trying to keep as much muscle as possible. It was actually also a challenge to see how difficult/easy it could be. How did that work in combination with the Long Haul flying?
I starting to eat at around 3300 calories (which was losing weight for me back then) worked out 4 times a week. I was aiming to lose at around 0,5kg/1lbs a week. The key thing is to try and track as much as possible. If I was losing too much weight, I would increase the calories and vice versa. I also was tracking my food as best as I could.Eating rice with chicken on board and just eyeballing the weight worked out fine. Entering it in myfitnesspal (food tracking application on Ios and android, which is free). It worked out great! Every hotel I stay at has a gym, so an hour a day wouldn’t be a problem for me.
Eventually I had to lower my caloric intake to below 2500 calories (due to the metabolism slowing down). I implemented “intermittent fasting” to postpone my meals to later on the day(eating 8 hours a day, fasting 16 hours a day). My lowest caloric intake was at around 2150 calories! But it paid off. my lowest weigh in was 84 kg with a fat percentage of 7,5%! Ive never been that ripped in my life, and doing this all while also having this job. Was it tough? yes. Did I feel like shit? definitely! But seeing the great results motivated me so much more and the end result was the best!
Training wise I wanted to stay as strong as possible in the gym. The stronger you remain, the bigger your muscles have to stay. I weight lifted 4 times a week and did cardio 2 times a week. Starting my training with heavy compound movements like the squats, the bench press, the deadlift etc. I remained in the 4-6 rep range with the first heavy exercise and then went up to the higher reps on the assistance movements.
Food wise, I kept my Proteins and fats moderate and my carbohydrates quite high. I believed this method would keep my energy levels high in and outside of the gym. And it definitely did, I stayed strong and by keeping your strength, your muscles have a reason to stay big. Did I find it more difficult because of the long haul flying? In one way yes. But at the end of the day the principle stays the same. Eat less than your body needs. Just by staying consistent and motivated will bring you to the goal you want.
If you have questions or want to lose some weight while traveling and need help? Please contact us through info@flyinshape.com. You can also try some sample meal/training plans in the coaching section!
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