The question a lot of people want the answer to. How do I lose body fat? Which diet is the best diet? Do I need to go low carb or low fat? Cut out breakfast or try fasting? Does keto work? Should I do a juice cleanse to kick start my metabolism?
I am going to explain to you how your body loses body fat and the approach that I take with my coaching clients. It is important to say that there is no ‘best’ diet but there is only one way that fat loss occurs and that is through a calorie deficit!
So, what is a calorie?
When we consume food our body turns that into energy and this energy is called calories. Calories are needed by the body for it to function, from blinking and brain function through to lifting weights in the gym. Your energy to do these things comes from your food!
What is a calorie deficit?
In order to lose body fat, the body requires less energy from food than it needs to function on a daily basis. This creates a deficit between what you are eating and what you are burning (energy in vs energy out). When your body is in this deficit it starts to use its own energy stores to help the body to function, therefore you lose body fat. Decrease your calories and increase your output = calorie deficit!
Does it matter what I eat?
In terms of fat loss, as long as you are in a deficit you will lose body fat slowly over time BUT (and that’s a big but) your nutrition matters for your health, functioning, performance, sleep, recovery.. I could go on and on! Tracking your calories rather than following a structured diet is not an excuse to eat less nutrient dense foods all of the time.
What approach would I suggest?
My clients use a flexible dieting approach. This means that they track their calories (and protein) using a tracking app – I favour My Fitness Pal. We focus on consuming mostly nutrient dense, whole foods.. trying to limit the level of processed, convenience foods MOST of the time. By following an 80/20 approach, the girls have the freedom to enjoy the foods they love in moderation and still get the results they want without feeling restricted. The 80/20 approach means 80% whole, nutritious foods that fuel your goals and 20% of your soul foods.. things that you don’t want to, and shouldn’t have to, live without!
I don’t need a diet?
The term ‘diet’ actually refers to “the foods a person, animal, or community habitually eat”. So our ‘diet’ is what we eat everyday whether the aim is to lose body fat or not. That means everyday for the rest of your life you have a ‘diet’, it’s just not the way we often think of it because of the constant diet culture we are surrounded by.
Any ‘diet’ that you have ever done that has led you to lose body fat has put you in a calorie deficit, whether you realised it or not. They all place protocols around what you can and cannot do that help you to move towards this calorie deficit and therefore elicit results.
The most important thing you can do is find a protocol that works for you long term, and that is healthy and sustainable. If you cannot imagine yourself eating in the way that you are on your ‘diet’ in a years time then it might be a good idea to look for a different approach. Finding something that works for you long term is the key to keeping your results and not yo-yoing back and forth.
The most important thing to me as a coach is that my clients understand why I am asking them to do certain things. This way they learn what is required and know what they need to do in the future to keep living a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
You can enjoy all of your favourite foods and still get results. Everything in moderation!
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