How Cico, Walking, Weightlifting, and Sleep Can Help You Shed Pounds

Introduction

One Reddit user, Genki_Oni, shared his year-long weight loss journey from 217 to 162 pounds with the help of CICO, weightlifting, walking, and more sleep. Here, we explore the science behind the success and what you can do to shed unwanted pounds.

What Is CICO?

CICO stands for Calories In, Calories Out. It's a shorthand for an understanding that one must be in a caloric deficit to lose weight. Fat loss is 80% diet, 10% training, and 10% sleep/recovery. Therefore, focus on learning and fixing your diet primarily.

Why Walking Helps

Walking is an excellent way to maintain physical and mental health while losing weight. It boosts metabolism, lowers blood sugar, and prevents depression. Genki_Oni made it a habit to take daily walks for mental and physical health, at least 2x/day, 20-25 minutes each, and walking more during the day. Remember, losing weight is 80% about diet, so walking should supplement your diet plan.

How Weightlifting Helps

Weightlifting helps retain muscle mass and keeps your metabolism high. Muscles burn more calories than fat, meaning maintaining muscle strength and mass helps burn more calories. As someone loses weight, they risk losing muscle with fat, which can slow their progress. So Genki_Oni lifted weights to preserve muscle strength and mass while losing fat. But remember, it is only 10% of weight loss, so don't make it your primary focus.

Why Sleep Matters

A good night's sleep benefits weight loss too. People who sleep less tend to have a slower metabolism, higher cortisol hormone levels, and increased hunger. Lack of sleep can negatively impact weight loss progress, so prioritize getting adequate sleep for optimal health and weight loss.