How To Set Up Your Diet When You Don’t Know Where To Start

Caitlyn Davey • July 8, 2025

Starting the journey towards better health is something we tend to put off until tomorrow – a day that never arrives. And just like everything else, “starting” is probably the hardest step to take. But there are ways to make things easier for you to embark on your health or fitness journey. Getting a coachMany people choose to start their journey alone, without any assistance. While that is understandable, some people could be nervous about working with a coach or a nutritionist, or maybe they can’t afford it. But relying on Dr Google to help can be detrimental. Sean says, “asking Dr. Google ‘how to lose weight,’ or ‘how to lose fat,’ we always stumble across the weirdest possible methods, and we tend to lean towards something that we think would give us the quickest, easiest results. And that often leads to the circle of perpetual diet.”James cites the pyramid of importance for fat loss - “good coaches are really important for the bottom of the pyramid. For the lifestyle, and behaviour, and habit change that is going to keep you successful long-term.”Coaches act as a guide, especially at the beginning of the whole journey. They can help set up everything that might be important and effective in the long run.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Rebuild Health and Fitness (@rebuildhealthandfitness)Build your foundationThe foundation is simply working on the most basic things such as lifestyle and behaviours and habits. And that is exactly what coaches and nutritionists can help out with.“If you’ve tried to diet multiple times before, it may not be a good time to diet,' says James. 'You should always, through this next stage, be trying to improve your lifestyle, your habits, your behaviours, so, you can stick to it longer.”Tracking – the beginning of dietingThe first thing to do is to take some measurements, weigh yourself, and take some photos of yourself. James says that there is no need to measure every single bit of your body. He suggests four main measurements, “one of them is your waist – the thinnest part of your stomach. The other is your belly button because that doesn’t move. The other one is your nipple line for your chest. And [lastly] the biggest part of your bum – your hips.”  Sean adds, “don’t squeeze too hard, just pull [the measuring tape] around firmly. Keep it there for a few seconds where you take a few breaths.”If you choose to weigh yourself, you should weigh yourself every day. Maybe in the morning, after using the washroom, or at night before bed, so that it’s exactly the same routine every day. At this time, you should also be tracking your food.  The ideal thing to do is to track your daily calorie intake and ensure that you’re weighing yourself every day. After a week or two weeks, you will start noticing your food averages and energy balances.James states: “Say if I’m eating an average of 2000 calories every day and am maintaining my weight, that shows to me that 2000 calories are probably around my ‘maintenance’. If I am eating 2000 calories per day and am gaining some weight, I am probably in the ‘surplus.’ And obviously, if I’m losing some weight, I’m in the ‘deficit.’”  And that means that if you notice that you’re in the maintenance category, you would take off some calories from your everyday intake and move towards a deficit, which would put you on the right track. And then you repeat the process. Calculating ideal calorie intakeOne of the ways to calculate how much you should be eating per day is the Harris-Benedict equation. It’s quite easy. You can just look it up on google, put all their information in, and it will calculate and give them their Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), commonly known as metabolism.  Another way to go about finding the BMR is the Mac method by Martin Macdonald. For females, it is the bodyweight multiplied by 22, and for males, it is bodyweight times 24.  Once you have this value, you just multiply it by your physical activity level. If you are sedentary, your physical activity level is about 1.1 to 1.3. In lightly active jobs, such as coaching, the level is about 1.4 to 1.5. And for tradies and heavily physical workers, it’s 1.6. Therefore, you find your BMR, multiplied by your physical activity level, and that will give you an estimation of your total daily energy expenditure. James says, “in a perfect world, I’d have everyone spend a month finding their true maintenance. Because then it makes dieting a lot easier.”It is also extremely important to have at least some level of physical activity. This also becomes easier once you find something you enjoy doing. Keeping a track of daily steps can also be useful. About 7,000 steps per day should be a minimum from a health perspective.Protein intake“For those who are looking to lose weight, we want to make sure that we are able to maintain as much lean muscle mass as we can. We don’t want you to get to this skinny, weak little creature,” says Sean.Australia in general has pretty low protein. It is important to have a high protein diet for not just muscle mass, but also for ensuring that you feel happier, feel full for longer, have better immunity, and for other general health. This even includes things such as your skin and hair. “[Protein] is the key macronutrient for health,” emphasises James.  The minimum protein amount to be on for a base level of health is 1.2 grams per kilo of bodyweight. James recommends that people try for about 1.5 to 1.6 grams per kilo of bodyweight. Ideally, you should be looking to go more, if you're looking to maintain muscle mass while dieting, try to aim for 1.8g. But of course, it will depend on the total number of calories you’re eating too. The higher the calorie count, the easier it is to eat more protein.  Fats and carbohydratesRoughly 25% of your diet should be made up of fat. Fat is important to help balance hormones, vitamins, and minerals in your body. The majority of people will get 25% without thinking too much about it. The carbs can fill in the rest.  Fats and carbs can variate in quantity in the total diet; however, it is extremely important to have protein as a constant.  As James puts it: “Calories are king, and protein is next in line to the throne. And then there’s fats and carbs.”If you need assistance on your health journey, contact us to learn how we can help with a free consultation.

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Why Strength Training Might Be the Missing Piece in Your Health Routine

February 16, 2026
If you live in Wynnum or Capalaba, you’re not short of fitness options. There are 24-hour gyms. Bootcamps. HIIT studios. Yoga classes. Running clubs along the waterfront. But despite more access than ever, many people still feel stuck. Tired. Plateaued. Unsure whether what they’re doing is actually working. For many adults across Brisbane’s bayside suburbs, the missing piece isn’t more cardio or more intensity. It’s structured strength training. What Strength Training Actually Does (Beyond “Toning”) Strength training isn’t just about lifting heavy weights or looking muscular. It is one of the most well-supported interventions in exercise science for improving: • Lean muscle mass • Bone density • Insulin sensitivity • Resting metabolic rate • Functional capacity • Injury resilience When you lift weights progressively, your body adapts. Muscle fibres increase in size. Neural drive improves. Connective tissue strengthens. Bone responds to load. This isn’t aesthetic. It’s physiological. For adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s — especially busy professionals and parents — maintaining and building muscle becomes increasingly important. From around age 30 onwards, we gradually lose muscle mass if we don’t train against resistance. Strength training slows — and can even reverse — that decline. Why Many People Plateau in Traditional Gyms Joining a gym in Wynnum or Capalaba is easy. Progress is harder. Many people follow random workouts. They jump between machines. They try classes without a long-term plan. They train hard, but without structure. The body adapts quickly to repeated stimulus. If load, volume or intensity don’t increase over time, adaptation stalls. This principle is called progressive overload — and it is fundamental to strength development. Without it, workouts feel hard but don’t necessarily lead to measurable progress. That’s why tracking lifts, planning training blocks, and adjusting volume matter. Effort is important. Structure is essential. Strength vs “Burning Calories” A common goal across the Wynnum and Capalaba community is fat loss. Many people default to high-intensity cardio to “burn more calories”. While cardiovascular training improves heart health and work capacity, resistance training changes body composition in a different way. Muscle tissue is metabolically active. The more lean mass you maintain, the more energy your body requires at rest. Strength training also improves glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity, which influences how your body uses carbohydrates. In simple terms: Cardio burns calories during the session. Strength training improves how your body uses energy long term. The most effective approach often combines both — but strength should not be overlooked. The Importance of Coaching in Strength Training Not all training environments are equal. There is a difference between access to equipment and access to coaching. Research in motor learning consistently shows that technique improves faster and more safely when feedback is specific and timely. Good coaching reduces injury risk, improves force production and builds confidence under load. For beginners, this means learning correct movement patterns. For experienced lifters, this means refining efficiency and progressing safely. In both Wynnum and Capalaba, more people are moving away from “do it yourself” gym models and towards coached environments that prioritise progression and accountability. Because consistency — not intensity — predicts long-term success. Strength Training for Real Life The real benefit of strength training isn’t what happens in the gym. It’s what happens outside it. Carrying children. Lifting groceries. Walking the stairs without fatigue. Reducing back pain. Improving posture after long desk hours. Strength improves quality of life. For people living and working in Brisbane’s bayside suburbs — balancing work, school runs and community commitments — training needs to support life, not compete with it. Two to four well-programmed sessions per week is enough to create significant improvements in strength and body composition when done consistently. You do not need to train every day. You need to train intelligently. What To Look For in a Strength Training Gym in Wynnum or Capalaba If you’re considering starting strength training locally, look for: • Structured programming rather than random workouts • Progressive overload built into sessions • Coaches who adjust for injury, mobility and experience • A community that supports consistency • A clear pathway for beginners Strength training should feel challenging — but sustainable. It should build confidence, not intimidation. A Quiet Shift in Fitness Across Wynnum and Capalaba, there is a noticeable shift. People are moving away from extreme short-term “transformations” and towards long-term strength development. They want: Energy that lasts. Bodies that feel capable. Training that fits into real life. Strength training isn’t a trend. It is one of the most researched, effective and sustainable forms of exercise available. If you’ve tried everything else and still feel stuck, it might not be motivation you’re missing. It might be structure. And structure changes everything.

Join Rebuild Capalaba's Free Week Feb 2-8

January 19, 2026
If you’ve been thinking about getting back into training — or starting properly — this is your chance. From February 2–8 , you can train free for a full week at Rebuild Capalaba with unlimited access to our group sessions. No pressure. No judgement. No gimmicks. Just well-coached training, intelligent programming, and a community built around progress — not perfection. What Free Week Includes • Unlimited group training for 7 days • Coaching-led strength, conditioning, and cardio sessions • Scaled options to suit all experience levels • A supportive, ego-free training environment Whether you’re returning after a break, testing something new, or simply curious about what training should feel like — Free Week lets you experience it properly, without committing upfront. Free Week runs Feb 2–8. Spots are limited. Book your week and see how it fits into your life.

Join Rebuild Wynnum's Taster Day

November 24, 2025
Try a Session. Meet the Coaches. See What You’re Capable Of If you’ve been thinking about starting, restarting, or finding a gym that actually supports you — Taster Day is your opportunity. This is a free, one-day event designed for real people. No pressure. No expectations. Just great coaching, a welcoming community, and a chance to see whether Rebuild is the right fit for you. December 6, 7:30am at Rebuild Health and Fitness - 10 North Road Wynnum West. This session is FREE for people to join.
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