The first thing you probably do when you’re looking to get in shape is jump on the internet and give it a Google.
Whatever your fitness goal, there’s probably thousands of other people in Britain striving for exactly the same thing.
MaxiNutrition research has discovered exactly this in some interesting data about the most popular fitness searches in Britain in 2016.
You won’t be surprised to find out that Brits want to lose weight, build muscle and get a six pack. But what you may find interesting is the order in which they want to do it.
We compiled a list of the top searches online with some answers to the questions at the fingertips of fitness fanatics from Newcastle to Newquay.
We’ve even looped in a few of our fitness guides to help you find some answers along the way.
How to lose weight fast – 486,000 searches a year
Quick weight loss is a huge query online. Unfortunately, the best way to lose weight is to healthily change your diet and your exercise habits.
Sadly, there’s no quick fix to losing weight. BUT you can lose lots of weight and build a better body by changing your lifestyle, making sure any weight you do trim, says off for good.
Best way to lose weight – 177,600 searches a year
The second most common question is also centred on weight loss. While there’s no easy answer, one of the best ways to lose weight is to work out your calorie intake and make sure you are eating at a deficit (so burning more calories than you’re eating). Combined with good exercise, the weight will fly off.
We looked in depth at how to nail your calories to lose weight and fat right here.
How to get a six pack – 145,200 searches a year
There’s nothing that shows you’re fit and healthy like a rock solid six pack, and it seems lots of people want to know how to get one.
Everyone has ab muscles – but getting them to show is the tricky part. Doing a load of sit-ups isn’t going to do the trick on its own – abs are made in the kitchen.
You’ll need to slim down to around 10-12% body fat if you’re male or around 16-18% if you’re female if you want your abs to show.
We’ve complied some great six pack advice here.
How to gain weight – 79,200 searches a year
Gaining weight is a less common search, compared to those wanting to lose it, but if you’re trying to pack on the weight you’ll need to eat at a calorie surplus.
Consuming lots of protein will help aid muscle growth.
Best exercise to lose weight – 64,800 searches a year
The problem with this question is that it can depend on the person.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is often considered the best way to put your body into fat-burning mode – and it takes less time than steady state cardio.
If you want to start shredding fat with HIIT you need to read this in depth feature about four-minute Japanese Tabata training.
How to build muscle – 52,800 searches a year
To build muscle you need two things: training and nutrition. Putting your muscles under tension with resistance training will promote the process of muscle breakdown and subsequent repair.
Then it’s important to take in enough protein, which contain essential amino acids that helps this process of muscle repair and rebuilding.
Here’s the best time to get your protein shakes in.
Best foods for weight loss – 34,800 searches a year
What the best foods for weight loss are is a subject to debate, because if you’re eating at a caloric deficit you’ll lose weight.
However, there are lots of foods to avoid such as sugary, saturated fat-filled junk food. Good examples of food to help aid weight loss are low-GI carbs such as brown rice, quinoa and wholegrains, lean protein such as chicken or tofu and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Research shows that this is the one ingredient you need in your diet to successfully lose weight.
How much protein do I need – 28,800 searches a year
The answer to this question largely depends on your fitness goals. Most fitness websites recommend around 1.5g per kg of bodyweight. You can get this from dietary sources and supplements like protein shakes.
How to get bigger arms – 22,800 searches a year
Evidently people in the UK want good abs and good arms. Growing your arms is the same as growing any other muscle – focus on heavy lifts for fewer reps to add mass. You can then use a higher rep range to cause hypertrophy and build definition. Lift heavy weights and eat plenty of calories to see your biceps grow.
How to get toned – 7,080 searches a year
‘Toning’ is a term that doesn’t technically mean anything – but is searched more than 500 times a month by UK users.
Essentially, the process of getting toned means losing weight and then building lean muscle on top of it. By combining a good diet with weightlifting, ‘toning’ will occur naturally.
