My Weight-Loss Client Lost 23 Pounds In 12 Weeks And She Never Went To The Gym—Here's How

I've been a weight-loss coach for many years and I've had a variety of different clients. Some women are brand new to strength training and are still uncomfortable in the gym, while others are dealing with injuries that prevent them from exercising regularly. Whatever the case may be, we always find different ways to work around their situation in order to reach their weight-loss goals.

One of my clients last year was in a unique situation when the gyms were still closed due to the coronavirus pandemic; she was also in the middle of moving into a new home and starting a demanding new job. Time was not on her side (and neither were the gyms). However, she came to me with the willingness to lose weight and she was keen to make it work. We embarked on a 12-week program together and she simply ran the play—that is, she did everything I assigned on her to-do list. She ended up losing 23 pounds in 12 weeks and completely transforming both her health and her physique. Today she has lost 35 pounds in total. Here are the three things you need to know about weight loss.

Nutrition Is the Most Important Component of Weight Loss

Working out has many benefits and I recommend it to everyone. However, you can technically lose weight easily if you simply change your diet. I tell my clients that diet makes up about 80% of your weight loss efforts. You can't outwork a bad diet no matter how many hours you have to spare at the gym. It really all comes down to your diet. Working out is the cherry on top of your weight-loss efforts that helps you build muscle (which helps you burn fat faster and burn more calories at a resting rate), strengthen your bones, boost your immune system, improve your sleep, etc. But you can technically lose weight without it.

The diet I lay out for all my weight-loss clients is a high-protein, nutrient-dense diet that eliminates processed and packaged foods and focuses heavily on cooking at home rather than eating out. I recommend that all my clients count their macros (grams of protein, carbs, and fats). I provide the macro breakdown for them, which is calculated using their height, weight, and age. They then track their food in an app and make sure they hit their macro goals every day. This ensures they remain in a calorie deficit (when your body is burning more calories than it's consuming) while feeding their body nourishing, nutrient-dense food.

My clients followed her macros to a T every single day. She didn't "cheat" but she did enjoy dessert as long as it fit in her macros and she didn't feel deprived at all during the 12 weeks. Because she followed the macros diligently, she had incredible results and the weight just started to fly off within the first several weeks. Every single week she took a progress picture, it was clear to see that she was making amazing progress—and even more importantly, she gained more energy every day and was in a better mood than ever.

Strength Training Is Important but Not Necessarily Mandatory

Strength training has so many benefits and I recommend it to all women. However, I know there are unique situations where women aren't able to strength train regularly, whether it's due to an injury or chronic pain or not having equipment. This client in particular was in that boat, so I told her not to stress about it. I gave her some bodyweight workouts to do at home and she did them occasionally, but she honestly didn't do them that frequently. Instead, she focused primarily on cooking, following her macros every day, and walking every day (more on that below).

I don't necessarily recommend the strategy this particular client followed because strength training has a whole list of benefits that will positively affect every part of your life, from your sleep to your libido to your immune system. However, strength training is not necessarily mandatory in order to lose weight. You could technically reach your goals without it.

Aim for 10,000 Steps a Day

The second thing my client focused on was at least 10,000 steps a day. She tracked all her movement with her Apple Watch and ensured that she was taking multiple walks a day in order to avoid living a sedentary lifestyle. This also helped her burn some extra calories throughout the day. She lived in a beautiful area where she could walk to the beach so even though it was winter, she walked as much as she could and would often hit 15,000 or more steps a day. She was also able to walk to work, which helped her reach her daily step count.

This absolutely helped her speed up the weight-loss process and certainly helped her maintain a good mood and high energy levels. For my weight-loss clients, following your macros and hitting 10,000 steps a day are the two non-negotiables throughout our program. I also highly recommend strength training at least 2-3 times a week, but I also tell them honestly that they can hit their weight-loss goals without strength training if needed.

Closing Thoughts

Again, I do not recommend refraining from strength training. It helps you build lean muscle, which in turn burns fat faster and boosts your metabolism. But you don't necessarily need it to lose weight, which is why my client was so successful in her program. She has now lost 35 pounds to date and she is feeling better than ever. Nutrition is the most important component of weight loss, so make sure you have your diet dialed in and you're eliminating seed oils, processed and packaged foods, and refined sugar. If you're not sure how to calculate your macros, you can find a macro calculator online which will help you figure out how many grams of protein, carb, and fat you should be eating every day. Finally, make sure you're moving regularly and hitting at least 10,000 steps a day. Those steps aren't only achieved through walking. You can accumulate steps by running errands, cooking and cleaning, and general daily activity. Ultimately, your weight loss will never look exactly like someone else's, but as long as you're following the right steps and staying consistent, you will certainly reach your goals.