Trim fat, not happiness: your 3-step blueprint
Introduction
Welcome! I’m excited to share the 3 essential steps that I use with my clients to create sustainable fat loss.
In this guide, I’ll outline 3 effective steps for losing body fat through evidence-based principles and consistent application.
Before delving into the steps, let me clarify what steps 1-3 are NOT about.
It is NOT hours of cardio exercise to burn calories.
it is NOT pushing yourself in the gym with 3-hour workouts every day.
it is NOT cutting out foods you enjoy.
The 3 Steps to Losing Body Fat
The 3 easy steps I highly recommend, because of how effective they are when executed properly and consistently with my clients, are the following:
1. Understand the 1st Law of Thermodynamics
The first step is learning the 1st law of thermodynamics, which states that energy is neither created nor destroyed but transferred from one system to another.¹ This principle applies to weight loss and is known as the famous calories-in calories-out approach. You’ll need to expend more energy (calories) than you take in if your goal is weight loss. Also, individual metabolic differences, behavioral factors, and food quality add nuance into calorie restriction strategies for sustainable weight loss. For now, I’ll keep it simple.
Let’s say the amount of calories someone requires to maintain their weight is 2,000, exceeding that caloric number will lead to weight gain, while consuming fewer calories than that number will result in weight loss when we apply the 1st law of thermodynamics. A great starting point is reducing your calories by 250-500 per day for a 0.5 to 1 pound loss per week if your goal is fat loss. Same can be said if your goal is weight gain, just add 250-500 calories per day per week. Fortunately, there are lots of strategies to make calorie deficits easier to adhere to based on lifestyle, activity level, preference, etc. All diets aimed at weight loss ultimately manipulate calorie intake in some way. For instance, when someone employs intermittent fasting to lose weight, they limit their eating window throughout the day, which may lead to lower caloric consumption.² With less time to eat, it becomes challenging to overeat. However, everything in life is a trade-off; narrower eating windows can make it difficult to meet daily protein goals since protein is so satiating.
Macronutrients like protein and carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram and fat is 9 calories per gram. To drive my claim home about weight loss diets manipulating calories in some way, I’ll mention one more example. A low carbohydrate diet will cause an individual to lose weight due to a decrease in calories below their maintenance level, not because the carbohydrates themselves make you suddenly gain fat like popular belief. It’s extremely easy to tell someone to cut something out of their diet completely in an all-or-none approach, “My coach said to cut out all carbs”, but long-term adherence to an approach like this varies compared to short term. You still may be confused, after all, there is evidence out there about how low carb groups are losing more weight than calorie restricted groups. Thanks to Dr. Layne Norton, we can shed some light on carb restricted eating versus calorie restricted eating from his commentary on a recent 2023 randomized control trial published by BMC. In short, this study looked at 302 free-living participants over 12 weeks that had either a calorie restricted diet, a low carb diet, or a low carb diet with calorie restriction.³ Layne sharply points out that although the calorie restricted diet saw the least amount of weight loss compared to the other groups, this study shows that the calorie restricted group only ate 25-30g of protein per day while the other groups ate about double the amount of protein. We’ll look at this more in step 3 for more details on why this is so important due to protein’s thermogenic effect and ability to retain lean mass. Fortunately, we can rest easy with a strong piece of evidence from Hall et al., that shows between low carb and low fat, there is no difference in weight loss when protein and calories are equated.⁴
This brings us back to the common misconception that cardio exercise is the most effective way to lose weight. According to the constrained total energy model explained by Ponzter et al., your body will downregulate behaviors known as NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) to keep calorie burning similar which could manifest in changes such as sitting rather than standing, fidgeting less, etc.⁵
While cardio does burn calories, the calorie deficit created by extensive cardio sessions can be easily undone from eating because of the increase in appetite. For example, a slice of Costco cheese pizza is 750 calories and can be consumed in a couple of minutes. I would need to do about 1 hour of running at a moderate pace to break even (check out the calorie calculator I linked at the bottom of this page). Martin et al., in a randomized control trial in 2019, explains how individuals may experience heightened cravings after intense exercise.⁶ Additionally, hundreds of controlled human studies found a small 3 to 7.5 pound loss of weight after months and months of regular structured exercise in overweight or obese individuals.⁷ However, it’s worth mentioning that regular exercise has shown to aid in the maintenance of weight that is already lost.⁸ This is why we should still incorporate exercise! A more balanced approach, as advocated by certified strength and conditioning specialist, Danny Matranga, is to sprinkle cardio exercises throughout your workout regimen. It's vital to maintain a robust cardiopulmonary system for effective gas exchange, proper tissue perfusion, and optimal cognitive function—the heart is arguably the most important muscle in your body!
People can lose a ton of weight relatively fast (look at The Biggest Loser) especially if it’s mostly water and lean healthy tissue. However, it’s hard for many Americans to keep the weight off as reported by Kevin D. Hall, who states in his 2018 manuscript, that half of the weight lost from patients in a meta-analysis of 29 long-term weight loss studies, was regained by 80% over 5 years.⁹ I subscribe to what Hall is saying here and apply it to my approach to flexible dieting with clients (which is really a lifestyle/behavior change), by stating that we should develop cognitive flexibility and that, “...learning to accept rigid expectations and perfect adherence to behavioral goals is unrealistic and building cognitive flexibility to take in stride when one’s plans do not go according to plan is a core competency for long term sustainable behavioral changes and weight management.”⁹
2. Add in Weight Training
The second step emphasizes the importance of adding weight training A.K.A resistance training to your fitness routine. For older adults, a lack of muscular function and compromised bone health significantly impact their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) making these tasks markedly more challenging and increases their risk for falls.¹⁰ I regularly used the 30 second sit-to-stand functional outcome measure with my patients when I worked at Brighton Place Spring Valley (skilled nursing facility) as a student physical therapist. I scored how many bodyweight squats a patient could or could not perform from a chair in 30 seconds without the use of their hands or back support. Certain scores put someone in a fall risk category based on their age which helps us objectively keep track of their progress. Imagine how your life would change if you couldn’t stand up from a chair without any help!
You should start resistance training today because gaining some muscle and strength is like having a superpower. To piggyback nicely from step 1 of this guide, more calories are burned at rest if you increase how much muscle mass you have which can help in long term weight loss. Muscle tissue is highly involved in metabolism as it aids in glucose uptake and glycogen storage. On average, 500g of carbs can be stored in skeletal muscle and about 80g in the liver which is the body’s primary source of energy during training.¹¹
Some major benefits of resistance training include:
- Increased caloric expenditure at rest
- Enhanced insulin sensitivity
- Improved aesthetic shape
- Boosted energy levels
- Elevated mood
- Better carbohydrate storage
- Reduced risk of injury
- Preserves lean body mass while losing fat
- Improved functional mobility and much more
One of the most common misconceptions from new clients is that they think they need to be in the gym 7 days a week for results…so they won’t go at all. Most people only need to incorporate weight lifting 2-3 days per week to get most of the benefits of resistance training. Check out my beginner full-body training programs that allow for sufficient muscle frequency without necessitating daily gym trips. The beauty of resistance training programming lies in its flexibility; while there are many effective strategies, it’s crucial to avoid common pitfalls like overtraining, excessive delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), injury, etc. The man, the myth, and the legend himself, Brad Shoenfeld states in a 2016 meta-analysis on resistance training frequency, that 2-3 days of resistance training per week saw more gains in muscle mass compared to training 1 day per week with all exercise volume equated.¹² Additionally, a 2024 human randomized control from the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that lifters who performed the bench press and barbell back squat 6-9 sets weekly saw greater strength gains in lifters who only completed 3 sets.¹³
Now if you CAN weight lift more than 2-3 days a week, I’m advising you not to when starting out. More strength training in a caloric deficit is not going to get you to your fat loss goal faster, and may make you stall out your goals. This may reduce your body’s ability to recover and result in a loss of lean body mass. This is consistent with what the National Strength and Conditioning Association states, “It should be noted that while recovery is an important part of the training process, it is not always necessary to reach a state of complete recovery before engaging in a new bout or session of training”.¹⁴ A solid training program needs to address recovery and the umbrella of progressive overload (more over time) applies here as well. Meaning, keep the 2-3 days of lifting for now as a general starting place for enough recovery, and focus on increasing the amount of volume (weights, reps, sets) you do per week for specific muscle groups when you notice a plateau.
If this all seems daunting, pick up one of my workout programs and get to work.
Soreness and how much you sweat are NOT your indicators for a good workout. If you sweat a lot, it just means you’re great at regulating your body temperature. Being too sore is going to impede the following training session. I want you to pick a weight where you can complete your desired repetitions with and finish those sets with 1-2 reps in reserve (RIR), 0 reps left means you took the set to failure, which has value for intermediate-advanced trainees. Don’t focus on it if you’re a beginner, but hey, if you end up taking a set to failure (safely) on an exercise, then at least you know what it feels like which may help you estimate the weight you use for next time. To finish this point off, we need to address how common it is for people to pick a weight that’s too easy for themselves. A 2021 study published from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, looked at 160 men who were asked how much they usually bench press for 10 reps. Only 22% of the subjects were accurate in their weight selection and got 10-12 reps, while the other 78% ended up doing somewhere between a minimum of 13 reps to maximum of 20 reps.¹⁵
I’ll leave this section off with the idea of sleep hygiene. We need to recover after our resistance training, which is a state of catabolism (remember cats break stuff), and helps our bodies get into a state of anabolism (building), which sends a muscle protein synthetic response (MPS) to our muscles which help them grow (same with eating sufficient protein). Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, stop eating a few hours before bed, get off electronics, make sure the room is dark, and do this consistently. If you want to maximize your results, recovery and proper nutrition is equally if not more important than the actual exercise stimulus you get from training hard. Whenever you’re not training, you’re recovering. Fatigue from your day starts as soon as you wake up.
3. Add More Protein, Don’t Eliminate Favorite Foods
The final step is focusing on ADDING in quality protein foods and eating them first in a meal instead of cutting out foods you enjoy. To increase your chances of long term success, take this approach. Why? People don’t like being told they can’t do something- which poses a real challenge for inexperienced coaches. I told my clients to consistently hit their protein goal for most days out of the week, and they unknowingly began adding in higher quality foods to their diet as well. A wonderful by-product of this approach is a significant decrease in the cravings for hyperpalatable foods. There are many lifestyle factors that can still make this approach hard at times. Sign up for online coaching with me if you’d like a more tailored plan to achieve your nutrition and fitness goals!
Let’s talk numbers and hash out a few questions you might have. The World Health Organization recommends a daily allowance of 0.8g of protein per kg (or 0.36g of protein per pound) of bodyweight per day for general health for the adult sedentary average Joe.¹⁶ However, the evidence shows there are benefits to increasing daily protein intake such as promoting healthy aging, appetite regulation, weight management, preventing the loss of muscle mass, preventing the loss of strength which predisposes older adults to disability, improves satiety, may also lead to greater losses of body fat compared to lower protein diets, and serves as an effective strategy for preventing or treating obesity.¹⁷ After that knowledge bomb, the average Joe now decides he wants to start weight training… today. The literature supports Joe eating somewhere between 1.6 to 2.7g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day (0.7-1.2g per pound of bodyweight per day) depending on his goal to lose, maintain, or gain weight.¹⁸˒¹⁹
Alright, are you ready to make this all easier? Just remember 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight. So, for the 180 lb individual, eat 180g of protein per day and be okay with being a little under or a little over. If you wanna get a little more fancy, make sure to eat more protein while trying to lose fat. Also, realize it's not as important to eat as much protein while trying to gain weight due to the increase in calories from carbs and fat, which helps prevent using muscle as a source of energy. As I mentioned earlier, protein is very satiating,²⁰ which makes it a vital component of losing weight while prioritizing the weight that is lost as body fat and not muscle. So give your muscles the resources they need to build after getting a muscle protein synthetic response from eating adequate protein and lifting weights.²¹ Think of quality protein that you eat as the lumber, steel, nails, and tools your construction workers (amino acids) need to build solid structures (muscles). Foods high in branched chain amino acids (BCCAs) and essential amino acids (EAAs), will do the trick. Whey protein, casein protein, and pea-protein powders are helpful tools in the toolbox to help you hit your daily protein goal. Remember, active individuals need more protein compared to sedentary ones. A great starting place is to emphasize unprocessed nutrient dense foods 80-90% of the time and leave some room for 10-20% for foods you enjoy to increase compliance with this new nonrestrictive lifestyle (not diet) as a whole.
Are there any side effects to a higher protein intake? There are no legitimate safety concerns for a high protein diet for healthy individuals.²⁰˒²¹ Regardless, I have to recommend that you talk to your doctor to find out if a higher protein intake is safe for you before starting one. Feel free to use my list of references for anything you may have questions about during your trip to the doc.
Conclusion
I hope you found this blueprint to be valuable. Remember, the goal is to develop habits that lead to a healthier lifestyle. If you're ready to take the plunge and get rid of the guesswork in your fitness journey, don’t hesitate to reach out to me for coaching. I’m here to serve you and help you achieve your fitness goals with an effective, enjoyable, and sustainable approach!
Let’s get started on transforming your body and restoring your confidence!
Calorie calculator
https://www.calculator.net/calories-burned-calculator.html
References
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15.Barbosa-Netto S, d'Acelino-e-Porto O, Almeida M. Self-Selected Resistance Exercise Load: Implications for Research and Prescription. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2021; 35 S166-S172. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002287.
16.WHO Technical Report Series 935 PROTEIN and AMINO ACID REQUIREMENTS in HUMAN NUTRITION Report of a Joint WHO/FAO/UNU Expert Consultation WHO Technical Report Series 935 PROTEIN and AMINO ACID REQUIREMENTS in HUMAN NUTRITION Report of a Joint WHO/FAO/UNU Expert Consultation WHO Technical Report Series 935 PROTEIN and AMINO ACID REQUIREMENTS in HUMAN NUTRITION Report of a Joint WHO/FAO/UNU Expert Consultation. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/43411/WHO_TRS_935_eng.pdf
17.Phillips SM, Chevalier S, Leidy HJ. Protein "requirements" beyond the RDA: implications for optimizing health [published correction appears in Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2022 May;47(5):615. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2022-0131]. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2016;41(5):565-572. doi:10.1139/apnm-2015-0550
18.Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults [published correction appears in Br J Sports Med. 2020 Oct;54(19):e7. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608corr1]. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
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20.Phillips SM, Chevalier S, Leidy HJ. Protein "requirements" beyond the RDA: implications for optimizing health [published correction appears in Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2022 May;47(5):615. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2022-0131]. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2016;41(5):565-572. doi:10.1139/apnm-2015-0550
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