“Will boxing help me lose weight?” That's a question I get very often from potential clients. The short answer is yes, but the more complete answer is a bit more nuanced. Cardio boxing can be intense; you’ll burn a lot of calories in a session. That being said, when it comes to weight loss or any intentional body transformation, there are some variables to consider. Some things we can control, like diet and activity level. However, other factors such as genetics or injuries which prevent us from being active are beyond our control and out of our hands. For a majority of people an increase in activity level can be an effective tool for shedding some unwanted pounds, but diet/nutrition is also a huge factor.

Being aware of your caloric intake to try to stay at a deficit is also key. I’m not a huge fan of fad or stringent/extreme diets, as I find most of them to be difficult to sustain long term. I generally encourage people to make better food choices and to eat in moderation. Many times, basic common sense approaches to food pay big dividends in one's weight loss and overall health journey. Limiting the consumption of sugar and junk food, plus eating an appropriate amount of fruits and vegetables per day is an easy sustainable adjustment most people can implement. Finally, I think that an often ignored aspect of weight loss is rest and recovery: getting a good night's rest (on a consistent basis) is a very important factor and absolutely plays a role in how much weight you will lose, muscle you grow, and how your body recovers after workouts. So losing weight and being healthier is a combination of adopting a consistent physical regimen, making healthier choices when eating, and also being balanced when it comes to sleep and rest.