This plan is going to get you ripped, but it won't teach you how to have a healthy relationship with food. This is not for the beginner, instead this post will outline exactly what I do when I want to lose fat in a hurry!
Fasting for Fat Loss
Fasting is simple and convenient. When you're fasting you don't have to worry about food, and you have more time to focus on other areas of life.
When cutting, I generally push the first meal of the day as far back as possible. In the morning I'll work with just water and black coffee. Then I'll workout around 12 or 1pm, and after my workout is when I'll have my first meal.
In the evening I try to eat the last meal as early as possible, but if it's too early then I'll be hungry, so for me this means around 6 or 7pm is my last meal until the next day.
Fasting provides time for your body to use the food you've already eaten and remove damaged or unwanted cells. You can go a very long time without eating, especially if you have extra fat. One man (below) went more than one year without eating any food. He lost 275lb!
Eating Protein for Fat Loss
With a high protein intake your hunger will be much lower. Protein is the least likely food to be stored as fat, and it preserves your muscle. When I'm cutting in a hurry, each meal is close to 100% protein. Seriously. Obviously if you're eating meat, eggs, and dairy there's going to be fat and that's fine.
Fiber for Fat Loss
Fiber cleans your insides. Eating more fiber will speed up digestion and keep you full, so I have fiber at every meal, not including protein shakes. Fruit and vegetables are my favorite sources, and I'll also throw in a few servings of beans to make sure I'm hitting my fiber goal (~30grams daily).
Cycling Calories for Fat Loss
The most common mistake motivated people make during a cut is eating too little!
If you're exercising a lot, you need a lot of food. It doesn't matter if you're trying to lose fat.
There are 3 ways to lose weight: fat, water, and muscle. We only want to lose fat, not the other two! It's a fine balancing act that takes experience to master, but under-eating is when you lose muscle!!!
After you've been eating at a significant calorie deficit for about a week or two, you'll start to feel a bit more tired and sluggish. At this point is when I'll spend one day refueling with maintenance calories or even a bit more.
Fat loss is not a straight line process, there are natural waves, and if you go too hard and starve your muscles, then you'll lose muscle and end up looking even more skinny-fat! Instead, include refuel windows at the right time to avoid losing excess muscle. I can't tell you when to refuel, but generally once every 1-2 weeks is a good rule.
Eating Carbohydrates for Fat Loss
Generally I'll eat very few foods that are mostly carbs or fats during an intense cut. The exception to this rule is that post workout I'll always eat a regular meal with a good amount of carbohydrates to recover from my workout. Or if I'm particularly tired then I'll eat a meal with carbohydrates like rice, potatoes, or fruit about 2 hours before my workout so I have energy.
Notice I'm saying "around my workout" and this is because I want to eat food according to my body's needs. If I'm taking a nap, I don't need carbs for fuel. However, if I'm going to go lift weights for an hour you better bet some carbs are going to help me perform and recover.
Even on the most extreme fat loss cut, I'm still going to eat carbs after my workout because I want to recover and preserve the muscle I have.
Cardio for Fat Loss
Cardio is not just 30-60 minutes a few times per week. It's also NEAT - non-exercise activity thermogenesis - which means all activity you do that isn't exercise. This includes going for walks or taking the stairs, calories you burn at your job or while hanging out with friends. Try to move as much as possible all the time and your body will be burning fat constantly.
Personally, if I'm in a rush to lose fat I'm going to do multiple daily walks, either to clients or after each meal. Zone 1 cardio (50-60% of hr max) is my favorite for fat loss because it's the most enjoyable. 10-15 minute walks in the morning and after each meal is fantastic for fat loss.
Don't get me wrong, Zone 2 cardio (60-70% of hr max) technically burns more fat and makes your body better at using fat for energy. However, it's not as enjoyable for me, and the most important cardio is the one you do!
It's true you don't have to do cardio to burn fat, but it makes it so much faster. The way I put it is cardio burns the fat and muscle keeps it off.
I'll also perform 30-60 minute zone 2 cardio sessions 2-3 times per week. This is typically light jogging or the stairmaster. On top of this I'll do my Muay Thai training about 2 times per week, which is more like zone 3 or 4 training.
Cardio is going to help you lose fat, but make sure you're not doing too much! The more cardio you do, the more you need to eat. It's counterintuitive, but if you're highly active then eating MORE food will help you lose MORE fat and starving yourself will make you lose LESS fat and more muscle! The horror!
Planning Ahead for Fat Loss
The world is designed to make you fat and lazy. The food choices that are most easily available are garbage and most Americans are obese. You could say there's an evil cabal of satanic pedophiles who want to destroy the world... but let's just say the market gives people what they want. Sugar and fried foods are addictive so they sell better!
The most important skill for losing fat is having a plan. This means to lose fat you need to plan what good sources of protein you're going to have throughout the day. If you know you won't have access to any good sources of protein, consider fasting until you do.
Absolutely everyone can lose fat, and if you have a good routine it happens relatively quickly. If you feel like you're still unsure of what to do, schedule a consultation to work with me directly and we can create a plan for you together.
Hope this helps! -Tom
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