If you’ve ever tried losing fat before, you know it’s not the easiest thing to do in the world.
But does it have to be as complicated as most people make it out to be?
I say the answer is a clear “no.”
That’s because there are 11 proven principles that will help you lose fat and keep it off.
And if you can use all 11 principles, your long term success will almost be guaranteed.
Principle 1) Set Realistic Fat Loss Goals
Do you know why only 8% of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions every year?
That’s because most people set “wishes” instead of goals.
We may have the best intentions, but trying to lose 10 kilos in 4 weeks will only set us up for disappointment and frustration.
Setting realistic goals will allow us the time we need to learn, experiment, and grow.
And in the end, we’re more likely to achieve our fat loss goals.
So what is a realistic fat loss goal?
- Aim to lose between 0.5 to 1.0% of your body weight per week.
- This works out to between 0.25 to 1 kilos (0.5 to 2 pounds) a week for most people.
- If you have a weight loss target in mind, work backwards to get a realistic time frame.
But remember, while numbers are important for keeping track of your progress, your success shouldn’t be solely defined by the scale alone.
As long as you’re building good habits and learning from your experiences, you’re heading in the right direction.
Keep moving forward and your body will be leaner before you know it.
Principe 2) Don’t “Wing It” With Your Diet – Plan Ahead
You don’t have to track every calorie of food that enters your mouth.
But you do need some idea of what foods you should and shouldn’t eat.
Having a little structure in your diet will go a long way to helping you lose fat.
For example:
- Preparing meals in advance will help you stay on track when you’re too tired or busy to cook.
- Stocking your house with healthy foods (and getting rid of bad foods) will stop you from ruining your hard work when you get the urge to snack.
- Knowing what foods you shouldn’t eat will help stop you from buying junk and “trigger” foods on impulse.
- Having a consistent eating structure allows you to focus your energy on other tasks (and worry less about food).
You’re much more likely to fail if your diet choices are random and spontaneous … What will you do if you’re surrounded by bad foods when hunger hits?
The exact same idea applies to your training program.
So plan ahead to stay on track.
Principle 3) Find What Works Best for You
Decades of research have confirmed that the most important factor for weight loss success is adherence.
Low fat, low carb, high protein, Paleo, Mediterranean … Every way of eating has its pros and cons.
And you can have success and failure with each of them.
The real secret is finding a way of eating that fits best with your lifestyle, preferences, and goals.
If you need to train 10 hours a week and love eating potatoes, beans, and oatmeal, then low-carb diets are not for you.
But if you’re less active and feel terrible eating starches, then a low-card diet might be perfect.
Personal preference matters.
So don’t be afraid to experiment with your food choices.
The key is to understand that there’s no one way of eating that’s perfect for everyone.
But there will be one that’s perfect for you.
Principle 4) Understand That Calories Matter For Fat Loss
“Diet gurus” with books to sell might tell you different.
But the truth is that calories do matter for fat loss.
All fat loss diets work by helping you to eat less calories than you burn (known as a calorie deficit).
- Low-carbohydrate diets help you eat less calories by restricting carbohydrate foods.
- Low-fat diets help you eat less calories by restricting high fat foods.
- High protein diets help you eat less calories by keeping you fuller with the same calories.
- High vegetable diets help you eat less calories by keeping you fuller on less calories.
- Diets that cut out all refined foods (and sugar) help you eat less calories by avoiding foods that are easy to overeat.
Now I’m not saying that calories from all nutrients or foods are the same.
And I’m not saying you should only focus on calories and nothing else.
But what I am saying is that you need to understand you must eat less calories than you burn if you want to lose fat.
This is the one fact that all tips, methods, and diets are based on.
So if you’re not seeing the fat loss results you want, ask yourself if what you’re doing is helping you create a calorie deficit.
Principle 5) Eat More Protein to Boost Your Metabolism, Fight Off Hunger, and Lose More Fat
Protein is one of the key nutrients your body needs, and every diet must have enough protein.
That’s because eating more protein is the easiest and simplest way to help you lose more fat.
Studies continue to find that higher protein diets are better for health and fat loss.
That’s not surprising when you consider that:
- Protein is at better at keeping hunger under control than any other nutrient.
- Protein is least likely to be stored as body fat.
- Protein is hard to digest, and you burn more calories by eating protein than any other food.
- Protein helps you hold on to your muscle when you’re dieting.
- Diets higher in protein also cause more weight loss to be from fat (and less from lean body mass).
The ideal fat loss diet should contain a serving of protein-rich food at every single meal.
The best sources are lean meats, seafood, and low-fat dairy.
A serving of protein-rich food is roughly the size of a deck of cards (or your palm).
Principle 6) Make Smarter Carbohydrate Choices
If there’s one nutrients you need to pay extra attention to, it’s carbohydrate.
That’s because your carbohydrate choices can make or break your fat loss plan.
Complex carbohydrates such as dietary fibre are fantastic for fat loss and maintenance.
- Fibre keeps food in your stomach for longer and helps you stay full.
- Fibre slows down nutrient absorption in your intestines. This also helps keep you fuller for longer.
- Fibre keeps your gut healthy and regular. It’s also great for general health and reduce your risk of most chronic diseases.
- Most high-fibre foods are lower in calories and harder to overeat than low-fibre foods.
Dietary fibre is found in vegetables, fresh fruits, and unrefined grains.
Vegetables are easily your best choices for weight loss and health.
Most have so few calories that they can be eaten without limit, so load up your plate.
Examples include broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, leafy greens, cabbage, cucumber, and celery. Flavour them with herbs, spices, vinegar, and other low calorie dressings.
Simple carbohydrates (such as sugar) from processed and refined foods are the opposite.
These foods are easy to overeat and dense in calories.
In fact, most people eat way too much than they need.
Examples include white bread, rice, pasta, snack bars, sugary cereals, dried fruits, and confectionery.
These foods can also cause rapid spikes in your blood sugar and make you more hungry after you eat them.
Replacing these foods with fibrous carbohydrates will always result in better fat loss.
Now this doesn’t mean you should never eat simple carbohydrates.
It’s just they cause a lot more problems than they solve.
Principle 7) STOP Drinking Your Calories
The fastest and easiest way to consume calories is by drinking them.
Add the fact that drinks aren’t very filling and you’ve got a recipe for fat loss disaster.
So avoid liquid calories when you can.
Especially if it’s also high in sugar.
Sugar is bad news in solid foods, but in liquid form it’s even worse.
Examples include soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit juices, and alcohol.
These are some of the most fattening things you can put into your body.
Drink water, green tea, and black coffee instead.
Both your health and waist will thank you for it.
Principle 8) Don’t Over Complicate – Focus On Key Principles, Not Minor Details
There are a few key principles essential for achieving every goal.
For fat loss, these include your total calorie intake, eating enough protein, and matching your diet to your lifestyle.
Everything other than the key principles are minor details.
The difference these details make in the long run is small.
But we tend to over-think the minor details when it comes to our diet and health.
And all this does is distract us from what really matters.
For example:
- We want to know what supplements to take before fixing our diet first.
- Some people focus on when and how often to eat instead of how much they’re eating.
- Others worry about how much carbs they’re eating before even thinking about calories.
- People stress about how much calories they can burn while running versus biking … before they’ve even developed a good exercise routine.
- And the list goes on.
So focus on the principles that get you results first.
You will be more successful and far less stressed out.
Principle 9) Track Your Progress and Learn to Make Changes When What You’re Doing Isn’t Working
Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.
But that’s exactly what most people do when it comes to their health and fitness.
They stick to the same diet or workout plan for months or years even if they’re not getting any results.
That’s why you should always track and monitor your fat loss progress.
Every once in a while, take a step back and look at if your actions are moving you in the right direction.
If yes, great, keep at it.
But if your diet and workout plan has not helped you lose any fat for 3 or 4 weeks, it’s time to make some changes.
Principle 10) Real Success Requires Consistency and Time
True success is the accumulation of months and years of consistent work.
You can’t just eat healthy every second week and expect to make amazing progress.
Sure, you will see improvements in your body after a few good weeks.
But you have to be consistent if you want eye-opening results that last a lifetime.
What this means is that the changes you make to your diet and lifestyle must be sustainable in the long run.
And while you shouldn’t expect to be perfect all the time, you do need to do the right things most of the time.
Will it be easy? No. But let’s be real for a minute.
One of the biggest rewards of achieving your goals is knowing you put in the hard work required.
If everyone could get their dream body after 30 days, would you really want it as bad?
So try to stick to your diet and exercise plans 90% of the time.
And if you can do that consistently, you will be amazed at how much you can accomplish.
Principle 11) Find Accountability From Yourself and Your Peers
Fat loss is not only about what you eat or how much you exercise.
Your mindset plays a key part too.
Because you will face challenges, temptations, and plateaus on your journey.
And sometimes, you will want to give up.
How you respond during those times make all the difference.
Demand accountability from yourself.
You can do this by writing down all the important reasons why you’re trying to lose fat:
- Maybe you’re sick of feeling like you’re missing out on life.
- Maybe your weight is stopping you from being who you really are.
- Or maybe you just want to look and feel like a million dollars, every day.
When things get hard, remember your “why.” It’s what will give you the drive to stay resilient.
And while you must take responsibility for your own fat loss, it helps to have peer support too.
One key to long term success is surrounding yourself with people who understand exactly what you are striving for.
Because sometimes, having a person to talk to at the right moment can make all the difference.
Start Taking Action Today
Knowing what to do is not enough to change your life alone.
If you aren’t already taking actions toward your goals, you need to begin right now.
Start by setting a realistic weight loss goal.
Then, create a plan of how you will get there.
Don’t be afraid to try new things and find what works best for you.
Make dieting easier by eating more protein and choosing the right carbohydrates. And remember that calories do matter for weight loss.
Don’t forget to track your progress and make changes when needed.
And when things get hard, remind yourself why losing fat is important to you.
Surround yourself with supportive peers, keep moving forward, and you will have your dream body before you know it.
