Advantages of being lean

Lean doesn’t just mean having a low body fat percentage. Having a lean physique signifies having a healthy composition of lean muscle and low body fat. This article will dive into some of the physical and mental benefits of having a lean physique and give you 5 key insights on the easiest ways to achieve it.

Here is a list of just some of the benefits of being lean:

• Exercise becomes less challenging and more enjoyable

• Longer life expectancy and a lower risk of disease

• Higher levels of self-confidence and body positivity

• Improved cognitive function

• Positive impact on mental health

• Joint health and mobility - Daily activities become easier

5 Tips on becoming and staying lean

1. Protein

Increase your protein consumption, if you are looking to gain muscle and lose body weight, aim for 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. (Ensure to incorporate resistance training alongside this to gain muscles)

Studies have shown protein keeps you fuller for longer as participants who consumed a high protein diet consumed fewer total calories.

Protein has a higher thermic effect than other macronutrients. When you consume food your body uses some of the macronutrients to digest and metabolize the food. Protein has a thermic effect of around 20%, meaning for every 100 calories of protein consumed around 20 of the calories will be used in this process. In comparison, carbohydrates have a thermic effect of 5 -10% and fats have a thermic effect of 0 -3%

2. Sleep

When you are sleep deprived your cortisol levels spike. Cortisol is a stress hormone which when spikes signals to your body to conserve your energy as fuel while you are awake. If you are burning fewer calories your body will hang on to this, as fat. A research study found that over 2 weeks, dieters who remained on the same calories but with reduced sleep saw only 55% of their weight loss being from fat. Therefore losing a large portion of lean muscle, which is not ideal when trying to obtain a lean physique.

Tips for getting a better night’s sleep:

• No Caffeine 8 hours before you go to sleep

• No bright lights in your room before you are about to go to sleep. Light suppresses melatonin which is a natural sleep hormone. Dim your lights or look at purchasing a night light

• Have a sleep schedule. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time, including the weekends

• No screen time an hour before bed. Avoid blue light in the evening.

• Avoid lying in bed when not going to sleep.

3. Food Volume

This is where you eat large amounts of low-calorie foods resulting in you feeling fuller while limiting the calories you consume. This means consuming foods with high satiety levels. Look at consuming more vegetables, eggs, fish and non-processed meats. Vegetables have a lot of volume while packaging very few calories making them ideal for bulking the volume in your meals.

4. Water

The majority of the population is not consuming enough water. Sometimes when you feel hungry, you are just dehydrated. Try having a glass of water before searching for a snack. Drinking water before a meal has been shown in studies to reduce appetite and therefore make the individual eat less overall.

Swapping out high-calorie drinks with water will drastically decrease your total daily calorie intake. If you are going to treat yourself to a fizzy drink opt for a zero-calorie option as a way of avoiding drinking your calories.

5. Movement

10,000 steps a day is the goal you should aim for. This may seem daunting to begin with but is easily achievable with a few daily changes. Aim to go for a short walk after each meal which has several other benefits such as improved digestion and regulating blood sugar levels.

Depending on your weight and muscle composition your body can burn around 400-600 extra calories on top of your total daily energy expenditure for every 10,000 steps walked per day.

Quote of the week

Finishing Up

Remember looking after your health and well-being is a lifelong journey so it’s important to create a healthy lifestyle you can stick to long term. Find healthy foods you find tasty and find physical exercise you enjoy. Small changes are what lead to the big changes. Continue building positive habits and you will achieve your goals

Offering simple, practical ways to enhance your life

Thanks for Reading,

- Oli