Let’s keep this simple.
Summer’s coming. You didn’t lose your holiday weight yet. What should you do? Well I could melt your brain with details about what’s optimal. And of course individual context (body type, lifestyle, exercise preferences) needs to play a part. But generally speaking, here are your big rocks:
1) Eat less calories than you need to survive. We call this a caloric deficit. If you fail to eat less than your body needs to maintain its current weight… you can’t lose fat. Science always wins.
2) Focus on protein, moderate amounts of fat, and fruits and veggies. Longtime readers know I don’t think there’s any magic to low carb diets. And I’ve been openly critical of those who believe that carbs are inherently fattening. BUT. The reality is, it’s an easy way to cut calories without getting all OCD. Focus on foods that are high in protein, and get some healthy fats, and eat tons of veggies and some fruit.
3) Workout. Duh. Weight training time and again shows better fat loss results than traditional “cardio,” so it’s my recommendation you spend your first two to three hours of exercise having fun with weights (or bands or bodyweight exercise or whatever). Not only is it better for fat loss, it’ll help you maintain your lean muscle tissue. If you have more time, then do more traditional forms of cardio.
4) Sleep. Yep. Get in your sleep. It’s crucial for fat loss for several reasons. At least 7 hours, preferably 8 to 9.
5) Drink a lot of water. Get 96 oz.
BOOM. I just made you hot. You’re welcome.
As I always tell my clients, for most people, fat loss is simple. And while simple is not the same as easy, it’s better than being hard AND complicated. And if you want more details or would like some help in applying these principles to your specific situation, you know where to find me!