The Very First Thing You Need to do to Drop Fat
So many people are confused about what they need to do: lift weights? Cardio? Intervals? Eat more fat? Less fat? More carbs? More frequently? Sleep? Stress?
The simple answer is: nutrition first. Stick to the basics. Find changes you can be consistent with.
It's absolutely possible to lose lots of fat and feel great by only addressing nutrition. I've seen this countless times. It's not possible, on the other hand, to get the same results if you only rely on a fitness program.
Unless you're a teenager with a high metabolism (in which case you probably don't have any extra fat to lose), exercise alone won't deliver the results that most people are looking for. Sure, you'll get fitter, and you'll probably feel more energetic, but when it comes to reduced body fat, the average 30, 40 and 50 year old shouldn't expect a lot unless their nutrition is decent.
Step 1: Eat better foods.
When you eat less processed, more nutrient dense foods, you'll naturally tend to feel more satiated, have fewer cravings, and find it easier to utilize stored fat for energy (it's not like you have conscious control over this, but your body will be able to tap into fat stores more effectively). You'll also be nurturing your body, giving it what it needs to feel excellent, instead of starving it from vital nutrients and putting it on a roller coaster ride of sugar highs and energy crashes.
Not sure what constitutes "better food"? Download the Quantum Nutrition Guide (which I put together for members of my gym) here.
And stay tuned, because in the coming months I'm going to be announcing a big release of a non-glamorous but super effective system for learning how to eat better for the long-run. I'm very proud of it, and I hope it helps a lot of people! More on this in a month or two.
Step 2: Get A Clue About Portion Control
You don't need to weigh and measure everything that goes into your face like some kind of forensic food-auditor, but having a rough idea of how much to eat, and what should be on your plate (protein? vegetables? carbs? fats? how much?) is absolutely necessary. This information is also in the Quantum Nutrition Guide, so refer there for now.
The Coles Notes version is this: for fat loss, load up on veggies (go straight up buck wild on these suckers), include some protein dominant food at each meal (perhaps about a fist-sized chunk of meat, fish, eggs, tofu), include some healthy fats (a few table spoons worth of nuts, seeds, olive oil, butter, avocado, coconut), and have a small amount of carbs/starchy foods (about what would fit into the palm of your hand).
Adjust slightly based on body-size (more on this in the guide)
bonus content upgrade:
Step 3: The Special Sauce That Makes it All Work!
To be successful, you'll also need some implementation strategies. This is a massive separator, and unfortunately something that most diets don't address at all. Most people know that they should eat more spinach and less Pizza Hut. The problem is they're busy and don't have the systems in place to make eating healthier just as easy as it is to grab unhealthy (but uber- convenient) snack foods.
Read this blog post (How to Make Any Nutrition Plan Easier to Follow Part 1) and this blog post (Part 2) for more ideas on how to do that, or drop me a line to set up a coaching call. There are many effective methods to do this, so it's just a matter of finding the right ones that will work for you.
That, my friends, is pretty much it.
