- A renowned personal trainer told Insider there are five key things to nail if you want to transform your physique and health for life.
- Transformation coach Jono Castano, who is currently training Rebel Wilson, also said that the most important element is having a strong purpose behind your goal.
- He instructs his clients wishing to lose fat not to overeat and to ensure they’re not cutting any food groups out of their diets.
- Training to change your body typically involves a mixture of HIIT (high-intensity interval training), weights, mobility work, and recovery time.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
While transforming your body is commendable, far more impressive is maintaining a fit physique and healthy lifestyle that allows you to enjoy your life in a balanced way.
Fad diets may result in weight loss, but they very rarely result in someone keeping the weight off as you seldom learn any healthy habits for life or make any improvements to your mindset around food, fitness, and health.
If you really want to get in shape for good though, a renowned personal trainer has said there are five key steps to follow.
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Sydney-based certified trainer Jono Castano, who specializes in body transformations, shared the five essential things you need to nail to reduce body fat for life:
- Have a solid workout routine
- Focus on all macronutrients - protein, carbohydrates, and fats
- Get enough sleep
- Don't overeat
- Stay hydrated throughout the day.
But all this is pointless if you don't have a strong "why."
"The most important thing with a transformation is you need to have a purpose behind it," Castano, who is currently training Rebel Wilson, told Insider.
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"Really understand why you're doing it because that is what is going to get you through the tough times. A transformation is never-ending, it becomes a journey and a lifestyle."
There are no short-cuts
Where most people go wrong is wanting quick-fixes and being impatient, when the reality is that sustainable change that you'll be able to maintain takes time.
"My training philosophy is there are no short-cuts, exercise should be enjoyable and feeling good should be the main outcome, always," Castano said.
"Adding healthy eating habits and training to your lifestyle has only positive benefits. Trust the process."
Castano tailors his training programs to each client and their goals, and for those looking to lose fat, there's a lot of emphasis on nutrition.
His approach is one of balance rather than restriction.
"With all my clients I focus on incorporating all macronutrients throughout their meals," Castano said. By that, he means not cutting out carbs or fat (or protein for that matter).
While many people swear by eating low-carb, low-fat, high-carb, or high-fat, many experts advocate not drastically cutting down on any one macro to ensure you're eating a balanced diet, including plenty of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
"[By cutting out a food group] you're veering into faddy eating," dietitian Helen Bond of the British Dietetic Association told Glamour.
"The food groups - starchy carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables, protein, dairy and unsaturated fats - each contain macro and micronutrients essential to health. They exist for a reason."
There's also the fact that depriving yourself of something you love (hello, carbs) isn't sustainable, so any weight you may lose is unlikely to stay off.
"A massive problem is we tend to overeat and confuse hunger with being dehydrated," Castano added. "A big thing for me is it needs to fit your lifestyle and you must enjoy the food you're eating."
Balance HIIT, weights, mobility, and recovery
But working out is, of course, a big part of transforming your body.
"HIIT [high-intensity interval training] definitely helps to burn those calories as well as weights/resistance," Castano said, adding that he also includes mobility training "to focus on posture."
A typical week of training to transform your body might look something like this:
- Day 1: HIIT
- Day 2: Weights/resistance
- Day 3: Mobility/recovery
- Day 4: HIIT
- Day 5: HIIT/weights
- Day 6: Recovery
- Day 7: HIIT
"All you need is 45 minutes a day," Castano said.
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