The actress Rebel Wilson has spent the last year transforming her health and body.
The 40-year-old star of Pitch Perfect has shed over 40lbs on her Rebel Wilson 2020 'year of health'.
Having read lots of the articles about her amazing transformation, here's how she did it.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and emotional eating
PCOS triggers issues with hormonal imbalances and your metabolism, and Rebel says that her condition combined with 'comfort and emotional eating' meant she added 25kg throughout her college years.
Rebel explains: 'I'd eat with any emotion. If I was stressed or had exams coming up.
'But then I'd also eat if I was really happy, like I went out on an awesome night and had a great time.
'Other people would just go home and go to bed but I'll be like "what am I going to do? I'll just eat these chips and then go to bed".'
Many of my personal training clients can relate to this.
Emotional eating is very common and finding comfort in food can lead to a cycle of excess eating and associated issues, like weight gain.
Interestingly, her lifestyle overhaul has received some negative comments.
She explains: 'People go "you're not the same, you're not funny anymore", and I'm like, "screw you guys".
It really just goes to show, people will have something to say about you, no matter what.
You have to learn to let it go, and remind yourself that when a person goes around making any negative comments like that, most of the time, it's really about their own problems and insecurities, and not about you.
Rebel learnt that calorific meals were not 'treats'.
'What I realise is that, it wasn't treating myself eating 2,000 calories for dessert, that's not treating myself, that is putting toxins in my body that I don't need. Is it momentary comfort? Yes. But the next hour it's fat and it's not healthy for you.'
Calories count when you set out to lose weight.
One review found that weight loss programs that include calorie counting led to average 7lbs more weight loss than those diets that didn't include it.
Goal setting
Rebel set a target goal weight and focussed on changing her behaviour and adding habits that would help her to reach it.
Even though it's not about a weight number, it's about being healthy, having a tangible measurement as a goal gives you something visible to aim for.
She set a goal weight of 165lbs by the end of 2020 and created the right environment to do it in, even going so far to call 2020 her 'year of health'.
Associating 2020 with anything other than 'pandemic' and 'lockdown' seems ridiculous but it just goes to show 'where your attention goes, your energy flows and results show'.
Rebel spent 2020 focused on the areas she was responsible for and could positively impact, and look at her results!
How often does Rebel Wilson exercise?
Her personal commented on Instagram that Rebel is "putting in the yards seven days a week".
Which means that she's active every day of the week.
If she's not doing HIIT workouts or lifting weights, she makes sure she does at least 10,000 steps every day.
Here's her seven-day training plan:
Day 1 - HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and mobility
Day 2 - Weights and resistance work
Day 3 - HIIT
Day 4 - HIIT
Day 5 - HIIT and weights
Day 6 - Recovery but still gets her 10,000 steps in
Day 7 - HIIT
It might seem a lot in terms of the number of days she trains, especially when you're just starting out.
Remember though, each workout doesn't need to be a soul-destroying sweat-fest, done at 100% capacity.
Do something and get your heart rate up.
Those first few months are about showing up every day and building consistency and discipline.
Rebel Wilson's eating plan
Regardless of who you read about losing weight, they all have one simple thing in common.
It doesn't matter how they did and what diet they followed, they lost weight because they were in a sustained calorie deficit.
As for Rebel's eating plan, “Before I was probably eating 3,000 calories most days, and because they were normally carbs, I would still be hungry,”
“So, I've really changed to eating a high-protein diet, which is challenging because I didn't used to eat a lot of meat,” she revealed. “[Now], I eat fish, salmon, and chicken breast.”
Protein has been shown to help satiety and keep you feeling fuller for longer. It also preserves lean body mass when dieting and it takes more energy (calories) to break it down and digest.
It's important to mention that Rebel had a 'nothing is forbidden' rule so she didn't restrict any type of food.
'Should we get In-N-Out burger?' And I'm like, 'Nothing is forbidden.' I can go there, I just might eat half of what I used to eat before. You know? And I'll have a burger, and a few fries, and then you feel fine."
Dieting is all about balance. Too restrictive and you're setting yourself up to binge whereas too relaxed and chances are you won't be in a calorie deficit.
It's not been easy
"Even if you have to crawl towards your goals, keep going x it will be worth it."
No matter how difficult things get and how frustrated you become at the speed in which you progress, show up and give a little every day.
You'll be amazed at how quickly the little things add up to big changes.
To sum up
1 - What's your reason for losing weight?
2 - Set a goal
3 - 10,000 steps
4 - A calorie deficit
5 - Lift weights
And a big well done to Rebel Wilson for her 'year of health'.
Ben Yates is a personal trainer based at Places Gym Hinckley and Hinckley Leisure Centre in Leicestershire.
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