Remember, these are our objectives while cutting:
1) Resistance train 3-5 per week (on average)
2) Achieve a net calorie deficit each day/week (on average)
3) Nail your macros each day/week
4) Sleep 7-8+ hours per night
5) Minimize life stress to the greatest extent you can
6) Stay hydrated
7) Log your workouts
8) Track your calories & macros every day and take the average at the end of the week
9) Track your bodyweight every day and take the average at the end of the week
10) Track your steps every day and take the average at the end of the week
The first six objectives are the "action steps." These are the things you need to be doing each day/week to attempt to move the needle in the right direction.
The last four objectives are the "data compilation." These are the pieces of data you need to compile each day/week to give you feedback on your attempt at moving the needle in the right direction.
SO MANY PEOPLE SKIP THE DATA COMPILATION AND SO MANY PEOPLE FAIL TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL(S) AS A RESULT!
Do NOT allow yourself to be one of these people unless you want to diminish your odds of success.
Why Data Compilation Is So Important (Examples)
Worked Example # 1
Name: Joe Smith
Goal: Lose bodyweight/body-fat while maximizing muscle retention
Objectives:
Resistance Training = Currently resistance training 4x per week ✅
Net Calorie Deficit = Achieved ✅
Macros = Nailed ✅
Sleep = 5 hours a night most nights, 6 max ❌
Life Stress = In check ✅
Hydration = Nailed ✅
Workout Log = Workouts not going great especially after nights that result in 5 hours of sleep ❌
Calories/Macros Log = Looks great ✅
Bodyweight Log = Looks decent but weight is not coming off as fast as it should 🤔
Steps Log = Steps are quite low especially after nights that result in 5 hours of sleep ❌
The Problem:
Joe's poor sleep is affecting his workouts and his step count (because he's not well rested and he doesn't have much energy throughout the day)
The Solution:
Now that Joe is cognizant of his sleep issues and the negative impact it's having on his workouts and his weight loss, he can begin to strategize on ways he can improve his sleep!
Worked Example # 2
Name: Mike Jansen
Goal: Lose bodyweight/body-fat while maximizing muscle retention
Objectives:
Resistance Training = Currently resistance training 4x per week ✅
Net Calorie Deficit = Achieved ✅
Macros = Protein hit but Carbs/Fats high❌
Sleep = 8 hours a night ✅
Life Stress = In check ✅
Hydration = Nailed ✅
Workout Log = Workouts are going great ✅
Calories/Macros Log = His calories are pretty high due to Carbs/Fats being elevated ❌
Bodyweight Log = Looks decent but weight is not coming off as fast as it should 🤔
Steps Log = Steps are quite low ❌
The Problem:
Mike is losing weight but his rate of loss is far lower than it should be. This is because he's consuming too many calories & he's moving too little.
The Solution:
Now that Mike is aware he's eating too much and moving too little, he can begin to strategize on ways to eat less & move more!
Name: Michelle Jones
Goal: Lose bodyweight/body-fat while maximizing muscle retention
Objectives:
Resistance Training = Currently resistance training 6x per week ❌
Net Calorie Deficit = Achieved ✅
Macros = Low ❌
Sleep = 6 hours a night ❌
Life Stress = In check ✅
Hydration = Nailed ✅
Workout Log = Workouts aren't going that well ❌
Calories/Macros Log = Her calories are too low ❌
Bodyweight Log = Looks decent but weight is coming off too fast 🤔
Steps Log = Steps are in a good range ✅
The Problem:
Michelle is losing weight but she's losing it too fast. In addition, her workouts are suffering. If you look at her data, she's resistance training too much, her macros (and as a result her calories) are too low, and she's only sleeping 6 hours a night. This is a recipe for disaster. Yes, she's achieving the main goal of bodyweight/body-fat loss but she's very likely risking skeletal muscle loss.
The Solution:
Now that Michelle knows she's resistance training too much, her calories/macros are too low, and she's not getting enough sleep, she can begin to strategize on ways to improve her approach step by step!
Conclusion
I could keep giving examples until the cows come home but I think you get the point...
Each action step is absolutely critical to your success as is each piece of data you compile.
To reiterate:
The action steps are your attempt at moving the needle in the right direction while the data you compile is your feedback mechanism to tell you whether you've actually done so or not.
If you're nailing something...just keep nailing it.
If you're messing something up...figure out what it is and strategize to find the fix. Then, follow through on implementing the fix. The data you compile will arm you with all the information necessary to do exactly this.
1) Resistance train 3-5 per week (on average)
2) Achieve a net calorie deficit each day/week (on average)
3) Nail your macros each day/week
4) Sleep 7-8+ hours per night
5) Minimize life stress to the greatest extent you can
6) Stay hydrated
7) Log your workouts
8) Track your calories & macros every day and take the average at the end of the week
9) Track your bodyweight every day and take the average at the end of the week
10) Track your steps every day and take the average at the end of the week
The first six objectives are the "action steps." These are the things you need to be doing each day/week to attempt to move the needle in the right direction.
The last four objectives are the "data compilation." These are the pieces of data you need to compile each day/week to give you feedback on your attempt at moving the needle in the right direction.
SO MANY PEOPLE SKIP THE DATA COMPILATION AND SO MANY PEOPLE FAIL TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL(S) AS A RESULT!
Do NOT allow yourself to be one of these people unless you want to diminish your odds of success.
Why Data Compilation Is So Important (Examples)
Worked Example # 1
Name: Joe Smith
Goal: Lose bodyweight/body-fat while maximizing muscle retention
Objectives:
Resistance Training = Currently resistance training 4x per week ✅
Net Calorie Deficit = Achieved ✅
Macros = Nailed ✅
Sleep = 5 hours a night most nights, 6 max ❌
Life Stress = In check ✅
Hydration = Nailed ✅
Workout Log = Workouts not going great especially after nights that result in 5 hours of sleep ❌
Calories/Macros Log = Looks great ✅
Bodyweight Log = Looks decent but weight is not coming off as fast as it should 🤔
Steps Log = Steps are quite low especially after nights that result in 5 hours of sleep ❌
The Problem:
Joe's poor sleep is affecting his workouts and his step count (because he's not well rested and he doesn't have much energy throughout the day)
The Solution:
Now that Joe is cognizant of his sleep issues and the negative impact it's having on his workouts and his weight loss, he can begin to strategize on ways he can improve his sleep!
Worked Example # 2
Name: Mike Jansen
Goal: Lose bodyweight/body-fat while maximizing muscle retention
Objectives:
Resistance Training = Currently resistance training 4x per week ✅
Net Calorie Deficit = Achieved ✅
Macros = Protein hit but Carbs/Fats high❌
Sleep = 8 hours a night ✅
Life Stress = In check ✅
Hydration = Nailed ✅
Workout Log = Workouts are going great ✅
Calories/Macros Log = His calories are pretty high due to Carbs/Fats being elevated ❌
Bodyweight Log = Looks decent but weight is not coming off as fast as it should 🤔
Steps Log = Steps are quite low ❌
The Problem:
Mike is losing weight but his rate of loss is far lower than it should be. This is because he's consuming too many calories & he's moving too little.
The Solution:
Now that Mike is aware he's eating too much and moving too little, he can begin to strategize on ways to eat less & move more!
Name: Michelle Jones
Goal: Lose bodyweight/body-fat while maximizing muscle retention
Objectives:
Resistance Training = Currently resistance training 6x per week ❌
Net Calorie Deficit = Achieved ✅
Macros = Low ❌
Sleep = 6 hours a night ❌
Life Stress = In check ✅
Hydration = Nailed ✅
Workout Log = Workouts aren't going that well ❌
Calories/Macros Log = Her calories are too low ❌
Bodyweight Log = Looks decent but weight is coming off too fast 🤔
Steps Log = Steps are in a good range ✅
The Problem:
Michelle is losing weight but she's losing it too fast. In addition, her workouts are suffering. If you look at her data, she's resistance training too much, her macros (and as a result her calories) are too low, and she's only sleeping 6 hours a night. This is a recipe for disaster. Yes, she's achieving the main goal of bodyweight/body-fat loss but she's very likely risking skeletal muscle loss.
The Solution:
Now that Michelle knows she's resistance training too much, her calories/macros are too low, and she's not getting enough sleep, she can begin to strategize on ways to improve her approach step by step!
Conclusion
I could keep giving examples until the cows come home but I think you get the point...
Each action step is absolutely critical to your success as is each piece of data you compile.
To reiterate:
The action steps are your attempt at moving the needle in the right direction while the data you compile is your feedback mechanism to tell you whether you've actually done so or not.
If you're nailing something...just keep nailing it.
If you're messing something up...figure out what it is and strategize to find the fix. Then, follow through on implementing the fix. The data you compile will arm you with all the information necessary to do exactly this.
