There’s a million reasons why people fail to lose fat, but somewhere at the top of that list is just a fundamental lack of understanding of the scientifically proven principals of how to lose fat.
To show you exactly what I mean, let’s start this off with a list of things that DON’T cause fat loss.
Things That DO NOT Cause Fat Loss:
- Eating healthy.
- Eating “clean.”
- Eating less carbs.
- Eating less fat.
- Eating less junk food.
- Eating less sugar.
- Eating 6 smaller meals per day/every 3 hours.
- Eating “good” foods instead of “bad” foods.
- Not eating after 7pm.
- Cardio.
- Weight training.
- Building muscle and/or getting stronger.
- And MUCH more.
These are all things that can definitely HELP a person lose fat and can definitely assist in the overall fat loss process. But, in and of themselves, not a single thing on that list actually causes fat to be lost.
They never have, and they never will. In fact, not a single one of these things actually needs to be done. You can do the complete opposite of every item on that list and still lose fat just fine so long as one specific thing IS being done.
So, what is this “thing?” What actually causes fat loss? Let’s find out…
How To Lose Fat: The One Absolute Requirement
Simply put… a caloric deficit. That is the scientifically proven “secret” to losing fat. It literally can’t happen any other way.
So just what is a caloric deficit? It’s what happens when you burn more calories than you consume (or consume less calories than you burn… just another way of saying the same thing).
Basically, every single person has a unique calorie maintenance level. This is the amount of calories that your body requires each day to burn for energy to perform all of the tasks it needs to perform. From intense exercise like cardio and weight training, to simple daily tasks like brushing your teeth and getting dressed, to the various physiological functions needed to keep you alive (like digesting and breathing).
Calories are what our bodies use for energy to do all of these things, and we provide these calories via the foods we eat. As a result, 3 things can happen…
The 3 Calorie Intake Scenarios
- If we consume the SAME number of calories that our bodies need to burn each day, we will be at our maintenance level. Our weight will be maintained because all of the calories we needed were provided. No more, no less.
- If we exceed this amount and therefore consume MORE calories than our bodies need, all of the left over calories that weren’t burned will then be stored on our body in some form for later use. And guess what form it’s most often stored in? Yup… body fat! This is known as a caloric surplus, and it is the one and only cause of fat gain.
- But what we’re interested in is the opposite of this… a caloric deficit. This is what happens when we consume LESS than our maintenance level amount. What happens then is that our bodies are forced to find some other source of energy to burn instead. And guess what that source most often is? Yup… your own stored body fat! And this is the one and only cause of fat loss.
So if you maintain your current weight eating 2500 calories per day (just an example), you will gain weight (mostly in the form of body fat) if you consumed 3000 calories per day. However, you would lose weight (mostly in the form of body fat) if you consumed 2000 calories per day.
This all remains true regardless of what the source of those calories are (carbs, fat, protein, healthy, unhealthy, clean, dirty, processed, unprocessed… whatever) or when/how they were consumed (after 7pm, in 3 large meals, in 6 small meals, every 2 hours, every 5 hours, whatever).
Exercise Can Play A Role, Too
See how it works? These are the proven fundamentals of how to lose fat, and that was a simple example of how to create the required caloric deficit via your diet alone (by eating less calories). I mention this because that same deficit could have also been created via exercise (by burning more calories).
Meaning, you could have still eaten 2500 calories for the day in the previous example, but then burned an additional 500 through exercise thus creating the same caloric deficit. Both scenarios would effectively cause fat loss, as would a third scenario where you did a combination of both (diet AND exercise).
But no matter which way you choose to do it, one absolute requirement ALWAYS stands. In order to lose fat, you MUST create a caloric deficit. Nothing else works.
But Then How Do Other Fat Loss Diets Work?
This is the point when various stubborn, misinformed or just annoyingly stupid people like to mention that other diets cause people to lose fat all the time, and those diets have nothing to do with creating a caloric deficit.
I mean, people lose fat on low carb diets, low fat diets, paleo diets, vegan diets, raw food diets, diets that involve eating “clean” instead of “dirty” or not eating after a certain time at night, and countless other types of diets that involve every gimmick, fad and method you can think of except the specific task of creating a caloric deficit. But yet, they have all caused people to successfully lose fat.
What the hell? How can that be? If the only requirement for fat loss is a caloric deficit, and all of these diets have nothing to do with a caloric deficit, then how do they work? Obviously I must be wrong about all this calorie stuff, right?
Wrong.
You see, all of these diets and methods just indirectly cause you to create that caloric deficit.
What I mean is, any diet that actually causes you to lose fat did so because it caused you to create a caloric deficit. That’s a fact. There is literally NOTHING else that could possibly make it happen. This is the most basic proven science of the human body. Calories in vs calories out (aka the law of thermodynamics) is ALWAYS the basis for fat loss (or gain).
These diets and methods might never come right out and admit that or say you just need to eat less calories (partly because it doesn’t fit with their gimmick, partly because people don’t want to hear that they have to [GASP!] count calories or [GASP!] eat less of them, and partly because it’s hard to make money off of something that is simple, obvious and free.)
BUT every successful fat loss diet makes you do it anyway. How? By getting you to do things that just so happen to restrict or reduce your calorie intake. For example…
- Eating less carbs means you’re eating less calories.
- Eating less fat means you’re eating less calories.
- Eating less “dirty” junk food means you’re eating less calories.
- Eating less processed foods means you’re eating less calories.
- Eating less grains means you’re eating less calories.
- Not eating after 7pm causes you to eat less calories.
- A raw food diet, vegan diet, paleo diet or any remotely similar diet eliminates many of the foods you were regularly eating, which means you’re now eating less calories.
Noticing a trend? In every single case, less calories end up being eaten. And like magic, it causes you to lose fat. But what some people incorrectly think is that it was the reduction in carbs, or fat, or grains, or sugar, or junk food, or processed food, or not eating after 7pm or whatever else that made it happen.
It wasn’t.
It was the reduction in calories that indirectly came as a result of all of these other things. Sure, these “things” are what caused the deficit to be created, but the deficit itself is what actually caused you to lose fat.
And that’s how various fat loss diets/methods work despite not directly making you eat less calories. They just get you to do things that make you eat less calories anyway.
There’s A Ton Of Ways To Create Your Deficit… Pick Your Favorite
Now, if you want to create your caloric deficit by using any of these diets and methods, that is perfectly fine by me. If any of these or other manners of eating appeal to you for whatever reason, then I’m all for you using it to reach your fat loss goals.
But if you’d rather just directly create your ideal caloric deficit and then get the calories you do consume from a nice balance of protein, fat and carbs comprised solely of foods you actually enjoy eating in a format that is actually convenient and preferable for you, then that’s fine by me too.
In fact, it’s what I personally do and most often recommend. I explain exactly how to do it (for FREE) right here: The Best Diet Plan
The point I’m making however is that in every single case with every other diet or method, the reason it works is simply because a caloric deficit was present. And if it didn’t work, then it’s simply because a caloric deficit wasn’t present.
There is no other magic or voodoo involved in the actual cause (or lack thereof) of fat loss. It always comes down to calories in vs calories out.
But wait, what’s that? You think I’m lying? You think I’m making this all up? You think this is just my opinion or gimmick?
If for whatever reason you still aren’t convinced that what I’m saying is true and accurate (likely as a result of years of nutritional brainwashing), then allow me to present some additional proof.
Still Don’t Believe Me? Here’s Some Proof…
There is such an overwhelming (and seemingly infinite) amount of legitimate evidence showing that everything I’ve explained thus far is 100% true and accurate that I honestly don’t even know where to begin.
So, here now is just a SUPER TINY sample of some of the MANY examples that come to mind…
- Metabolic and behavioral effects of a high-sucrose diet during weight loss.
This study took 2 groups of women and put them on similar hypocaloric diets (meaning below maintenance level so that a caloric deficit was present). The only difference between the diets of the two groups is that 43% of one group’s daily calorie intake came from sucrose (aka table sugar), while just 4% of the other group’s daily calorie intake came from sucrose. Guess what happened? Despite one group eating a VERY high sugar diet and the other group eating a VERY low sugar diet, they both lost equal amounts of weight and body fat. Why? Because it’s NOT the source of your calories that causes fat loss, it’s the presence of a caloric deficit. - Increased meal frequency does not promote greater weight loss [...]
This study took 16 overweight men and women and split them into 2 groups. They then had each person in each group create the same sized caloric deficit and then consume that same calorie intake every day for 8 weeks. HOWEVER, they had one group eat 3 meals a day, and the other group eat 6 meals a day. Guess what happened? They all lost the same amount of weight. In fact, the study showed that there was no difference at all in fat loss, appetite control, or anything similar. Why? Because meal frequency doesn’t affect your ability to lose fat or gain fat. Calories do. - Comparison of isocaloric very low carbohydrate/high saturated fat and high carbohydrate [...]
This study took 83 subjects, estimated the daily calorie requirements of each person (aka their maintenance levels), and then created a caloric deficit of 30%. They then divided them up into 3 groups. The first had only 4% of their total daily calorie intake coming from carbs. The second had 50% of their total calorie intake coming from carbs. The third had 70% of their total calorie intake coming from carbs. Guess what happened? Even though some people were eating a VERY LOW carb diet and others were eating a VERY HIGH carb diet… they all lost the same amount of weight and body fat. Why? Because low carb or high carb isn’t what makes us gain or lose fat. Calories are, regardless of how many of them come from carbs. - Similar weight loss with low-energy food combining or balanced diets.
This study divided 54 obese patients up into 2 groups, both of which were put on low calorie diets (meaning a caloric deficit was present) and fed similar percentages of protein, fat and carbs. HOWEVER, one group was given a more balanced diet comprised of meals that contained protein, fat and carbs, while the second group had their carb and fat calories separated so they were not eaten together in the same meal. Guess what happened? They all lost the same amount of weight and body fat. Why? Because the manner in which you combine foods, organize your meals and consume your daily calories isn’t what causes fat loss. A caloric deficit is. - Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss.
This study divided its subjects up into 2 groups, and had them both create the same sized caloric deficit. HOWEVER, the difference between them was the manner in which this deficit was created. One group did it by eating less total calories (diet alone), but the other group did it by eating less total calories AND burning more calories by doing cardio (a combination of diet AND exercise). But again, the total weekly caloric deficit was the same for both groups. Guess what happened? They all lost the same amount of weight and body fat. Why? Because a deficit of X calories is a deficit of X calories regardless of whether you burned those calories off via cardio or just didn’t eat them in the first place. Fat loss isn’t about how you create the deficit, it’s just about the deficit itself. - The Twinkie Diet
You know what? This one is so F-ing fantastic that a quick bullet point just doesn’t do it justice. So…
The Twinkie Diet
And finally, here’s the holy grail of proof for anyone that’s still even remotely skeptical that this whole calorie thing (and by “thing” I mean scientifically proven fact) truly is the singular answer to the almighty “how to lose fat” question.
In 2010, Mark Haub (who is a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University) wanted to prove the very same thing I’ve been explaining: that fat loss and fat gain always happen as a result of calories in vs calories out, and that a caloric deficit will ALWAYS cause a person to lose fat no matter what food sources those calories come from.
To do this, Mark took things to a very extreme point-making level that I would never actually recommend, but absolutely love for the purpose of proving that calories are what matter most.
Specifically, Mark went on a 10-week diet comprised primarily of snack foods. Twinkies, Little Debbie cakes, Doritos, Oreos, sugary cereals like Corn Pops and other equally crappy foods that are all highly processed, lacking in nutritional value, loaded with sugar and “bad” carbs, high in “bad” fat, contain trans fat, and possess other similar traits that are common among typical “junk food.”
But, he also created a caloric deficit.
He went from eating 2600 calories per day (his estimated maintenance level) to eating about 1800 calories per day instead. He just so happened to get the majority of those 1800 daily calories from the most junky foods you can think of.
The purpose? To prove that despite his daily diet being loaded with sugar-filled garbage and junk food, he’d still lose fat just fine because a caloric deficit was present.
The result? He lost 27lbs in 2 months and reduced his body fat percentage from 33.4% to 24.9%.
The conclusion? A caloric deficit is the sole cause of fat loss. Even if those calories come from the shittiest sources known to mankind, fat will STILL be lost. It’s not the source or the quality of those foods and the calories they provide… it’s the total quantity of it all.
The Opposite Is True, Too
And even though Mark didn’t do a reverse version of this “experiment,” the opposite would be true, too. Meaning, creating a caloric surplus, regardless of the content of those calories, will ALWAYS cause those excess calories to be stored on your body in some form (most often as body fat).
This is equally true whether those calories come from only the healthiest, “cleanest,” most natural and nutritious foods on the planet, or the same type of junky garbage eaten in Mark’s experiment. What matters is the caloric surplus itself, not the form or manner in which that surplus was provided.
Or, to put it another way, eating too many “healthy” and “clean” foods will make you fat just the same as eating too many “unhealthy” and “dirty” foods will. It’s always the “eating too much” part that causes this to happen, not the specific foods that were or were not eaten.
The Example Is Extreme, But Understand Its Point
Yes, what Mark did is a CRAZY extreme example, and NO, I’d never recommend anyone try to actually eat like that. I’m all about getting a sufficient amount of protein, fat and carbs primarily from higher quality, natural, nutrient-dense foods you enjoy, and keeping the typical junkier foods to a sane yet enjoyable and sustainable minimum.
What I want you to do however is look at this example for what it is… clear undeniable proof that fat loss occurs strictly as a result of eating less total calories.
It doesn’t happen as a result of what you eat, when you eat or how you eat. It happens solely as a result of HOW MUCH you eat. And if a dude losing fat while practically eating nothing but Twinkies and Oreos still doesn’t prove this to you… then you are a lost cause.
Feel free to get together with the others who are just like you (of which there are unfortunately and pathetically plenty), and continue to dispense your horrendously bad diet and exercise advice together while quoting various inaccurate sources of information.
Summing Up Fat Loss
So, for anyone who wanted to know how to lose fat… here’s how. Create a caloric deficit. That is ALL that EVER works.
Yes, there are a million other factors and components of your diet and workout that play important roles in successfully, permanently and efficiently getting you to lose fat (while also maintaining lean muscle mass and being healthy), and a million ways to go about creating that deficit in a way that is as easy, enjoyable and sustainable for you as possible.
Once again, I fully explain how to do all of that right here: The Best Diet Plan
However, the big point I’m getting at is that ALL OF IT is completely irrelevant and useless to your goal of losing fat in the absence of that required caloric deficit.
Anyone who disagrees or claims otherwise is often either wrong or just trying to sell you something that is definitely NOT worth buying. In other words, they should be ignored completely 100% of the time.
Oh… and mocked, too.
Awesome notes!
Thanks.
Perfect! You have no idea how many times I’m going to link people to this post instead of wasting time arguing and explaining the importance of calories.
I hear ya. I kinda wrote this post for that exact purpose.
What’s your take on Gary Taubes’ work (if you’ve read it)? He hates the calorie in/out concept but from reading it that’s mainly because it doesn’t address causality (and he doesn’t believe everybody that’s obese/overweight is just lazy/stupid). As I understand it he specifically he says insulin levels regulate how easily fat is stored and available to be burned off and affects how hungry we get. Is that wrong?
Honestly, I think most of what Taubes says (especially regarding the supposed importance of carbs rather than calories in terms of weight/fat loss and gain) is wrong.
I’d explain why, but so many really smart people have already done a way better job of it than I probably ever will. Off the top of my head…
http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2011/08/carbohydrate-hypothesis-of-obesity.html
and
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/why-we-get-fat/
and
http://www.weightymatters.ca/2011/01/book-review-gary-taubes-why-we-get-fat.html
I also feel like Anthony Colpo (http://anthonycolpo.com) has written a ton on Taubes as well, but can’t think of a specific post. Look around, you’ll probably find something.
I think you are my new favorite person. I’m in my first week of working out and have found your site INVALUABLE! Thanks! Wondering about cardio, though. I’m doing the 3 day split right now, and want to do as much cardio as possible (6 days) but am having trouble working it all into my schedule. Also, I don’t want to burn myself out at the gym. Ideas?
You are quite welcome… awesome to hear it.
Now about your question, the main idea that comes to mind is the fact that I SOOOO need to write some cardio articles or a full cardio guide or something, because it has easily become the subject I’m being asked about the most lately.
But the combination of the fact that I hate actually doing cardio (and hardly ever do anymore despite closing in on single digit body fat levels as we speak), rarely ever recommend it by default for fat loss or muscle growth, and think it’s by far the most overrated component of improving body composition in general… I’ve been finding it hard to actually start writing about it.
But I swear, some point in the (hopefully near) future, I will write enough about cardio to answer every question most people will have about it.
Until then, *assuming* your goal is fat loss, you only need whatever amount of cardio that’s needed to ensure the optimal deficit is created. So if you’re not making it happen through you’re diet (by eating less calories), you’ll need more cardio. But if you ARE making it happen through (or at least partially through) your diet, you’ll need less cardio, or even none whatsoever.
It’s mostly about your own preferences and which way you want to create that deficit. As mentioned in one of the examples in this post, whether it’s via cardio, diet or both really doesn’t matter at all in terms of fat loss. It just comes down to how you prefer to do it.
Wonderful! I hate cardio. I have created a caloric deficit of about 500 calories, so I think I’m just going to do about 30 min of cardio on the days I don’t weight train. I think being at the gym once a day (5 or 6 days a week) helps my motivation. I have a treadmill at home but I don’t feel the same on it as I do in the gym surrounded by other fitness minded people. Looking forward to the cardio articles! BTW, an article on correct form for some basic exercises would be great for us beginners as well!
Even if that much cardio isn’t needed from a fat loss standpoint, the fact that you feel it’s needed from a motivational standpoint makes it just as important.
And about proper form, that’s certainly on my to-do list along with shooting some video demonstrating a bunch of exercises. Although, something tells me the video portion of that idea is one of those huge projects that will take me forever to get done.
i guess for some people its not a question of if calorie in calorie out is the only valid route to losing weight, its a matter of how to reduce those damn calories. For some eating mostly protein keeps them fuller and reducing cravings, thereby reducing amount of calories inhaled!!! for others loading up on veggies and avoiding the usual nosh helps reduce the amount eaten. Sometimes its really difficult to depend on willpower to stop us from having that extra loaf!!!!
This is indeed a great site, keep it up my friend
Oh, for sure dude.
I am in COMPLETE agreement with the fact that the source of your calories, the foods you eat, the quality of those foods, your full macronutrient breakdown, meal frequency, diet organization and so on are all definitely important factors of your diet in terms of adherence and sustainability (and obviously overall health, too).
They are the things that will allow you to consistently eat the amount of calories you need to eat to make your body do what you want it to do. No doubt about that at all.
The purpose of this post was to point out that despite the things being said/written/sold by some very stupid people on a fairly regular basis, it’s ALWAYS about calories first and foremost… not the other way around.
Let’s say that a person is required to do a good deal of cardio for conditioning reasons instead of using it for fat loss.
What would you suggest as the best way of retaining as much lean muscle as possible during the period of heavy cardio training?
Funny you ask this, as a post titled something along the lines of “How To Lose Fat Without Losing Muscle” will probably be coming in the next week or two. Even though you’re looking to maintain muscle while doing lots of cardio instead, the same muscle-preserving protocol still applies just the same.
In addition to everything that article will cover, the biggest difference is that in your case, since the goal is NOT fat loss, you should ensure that you’re eating enough to compensate for the calories being burned via cardio and make sure it’s not putting you into a deficit.
Combine that with a sufficient protein intake and a weight training program that is both adjusted to suit this conditioning goal (meaning lower in volume and/or frequency) and completely focused on maintaining intensity (meaning weight on the bar), and muscle will be maintained quite well.
That article will explain this in way more detail. Stay tuned.
As always, great info. Thanks, Jay.
Hi Jay,
I need to drop a lot of weight and after reading your article felt that I could ditch the stupid crap I have on my bookshelf. Unfortunately, I have a tremendous burden of laziness these days and was wondering if you have any witty, blunt or military-like motivation you can share with me. I need to move my fat a–, but have lost all desire to take this seriously.
Thanks much.
Ah, that’s a tough one. From my side of the internet, it’s pretty hard to do anything but provide you with the info and knowledge you need to lose fat. I can’t make you put it into action and actually use it.
If I could, I’d package up however I did it and sell it, because it would quickly become the most amazing fat loss product of all time… one that actually gets people to do what needs to be done. If only.
But the thing is, motivation/dedication has to (at least partially) come from within you, and only you can make that happen.
I’d suggest sitting down with a pen and paper (yes, actual pen and paper) and making a list of everything you hate about being in the shape you’re currently in. From how you look, to how you feel, to what it prevents you from doing, to how it prevents you from acting, to what it prevents you from wearing, and so on.
Really think about everything that physically and mentally bothers, annoys, depresses, scares, embarrasses and generally pisses you off about the extra fat you currently have on your body.
Then make a similar list about how you’ll feel once you’ve lost that fat. Think of everything you’ll love about successfully reaching your goal.
Put those lists some place where you’ll see them daily so you can re-feel it all on a regular basis, and then make it your goal to slowly but surely eliminate everything on that first list and start making everything on that second list a reality.
Let me know if it helps.
I definitely will. Thank you.
As usual, you hit the nail on the head. Ouch, not my head! Careful, Jay…Just kidding…LOL…I love how you inspire me. –Thanks.
Any time I can inspire and hit the nail on the head without actually hitting you in the head, it’s a success.
Hello,
I just found your website and I have to say that it’s AWESOME; thank you very much for putting all this information together and sharing it with us.
I have a question: What do you think about fat loss plateau? Is that a myth? Does that mean that the body will need a bigger calorie deficit?
Thanks!
Awesome to hear you liked the site. Regarding plateaus, I touch on the subject here: http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/weight-loss-plateau-myth-muscle-weighs-more-than-fat/
But to really cover all of the potential causes for why a person stops losing fat, it would take a full article. Until I get around to writing it, the short answer is this: a fat loss plateau simply means the deficit no longer exists.
Thanks for answering my question. I think I get it now, if the deficit is maintained, then fat loss plateau should never happen. How often do you think is good to re-calculate the calorie intake needed (and also, recalculate the deficit)?
Only when fat loss stops. So if you go 2-3 weeks with no progress, that’s when it’s time to reduce calories a little, burn more, or a bit of both.
I have just found this site and it makes so m
much sense…I have done all the fads , And spent heaps. Wish I would of seen this sooner..anyway so a question. To create a deficit, I’m just wondering If it’s done by working out ALL calories burned in a day( like resting) etc or only calories burned from some kind of exercise? So If I eat 1200 calories and only burn 400 in gym,does that still create a deficit from extra general movement etc in a day? Thanks heaps.
It depends on what your maintenance level is. If your body naturally burns 2000 calories per day on its own (making 2000 calories your maintenance level) AND you’re eating 2000 calories per day AND you’re burning 400 calories per day through exercise… those 400 burned calories would be your deficit.
Sticking with the same 2000 calorie maintenance example… if you ate 1600 calories per day instead, then no exercise would be required because the deficit was created through your diet alone. No need to burn any additional calories unless you wanted to create a bigger deficit.
Thanks for the info:)
Your site is amazing made alot of stupid crap i read everyday finally make sense u r the man dude…the way the magazine media get away with it is beyond me but awesome job
My question is i started at like 16-17% bf i am now down to 10% i was working out 6x a week with cardio 4-5x a week but all of a sudden my fat lost just stopped and my deflict is at like a1000 i havent lost strenght as of yet but im scared to go aother 250kcals lower in case of losing muscle id really like to get to 8% bf so i have a complete set of abs not just 4 lol what would you recomend i have been in a deflict for 9weeks iv took your advise and having a “diet break” and eating at maintence why following yor awesome fat loss and maintain muscle workout i brought would you say im doin the right thing to have a 2 weeks maintance break they do a slight defict to get to 8%???? Would this work???
Really would love some help on this please mate iv studied hard on this topic just cant seem to put a nail on it
Thanks for all this and keep up the amazing work
Ope you can help dude
Bryn
Yup, sounds like a good plan to me. A 2 week diet break at maintenance certainly can’t hurt (especially as you’re going lower in body fat), and then coming back to a small deficit is definitely the right idea. Getting into single digit body fat levels, you’re gonna want to lose slower now (0.5lb per week range), so a small deficit is the way to do it.
Omg u replied BEST SITE EVER!!!!awesome thank you soooooooo much and im kinda enjoying eating alot more food and taking a breaknmakes a change from eating nxt to nothing lol and love the lower volume training im following of yours
So 2 weeks maintance it is then a very small deflict it is
THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH M8
These websites 4 life lol
Thanks buddy
Bryn
Would a small deflict be 10% under maintenace instead of 20%
Thank you so much
Bryn
10% would be a good place to start.
Awesome
Thank you so much
Bryn
Hey me again lol
Sorry just wondering if u could sum a few things up for me lol
So i ate maintenace for a week (my 1st time) with you calculator i think it got it bang on..i weighed 144lb last sunday this sunday i weighed 143.6
So i lost 0.4lb would u say thats a deflict??. lost a little and iv cut back on intensity on my training and cardio.
So is that my maintenace?? or have i created a deflict??what would yo say that is lol thats at 2700kcal if thats a deflict would you say 3000kacl is my maintence???lil confused
And lol
If thats my maintence (2700kcal) when i start to deflict again do i eat up to my maintence of 2700kcal and let my training create the deflict or do i go 10% my maintance (2430kcal) and still train to create a big deflict???
Lil confused on that 2 lol once get my head round this i should have understanding were i am lol
What that 8% bofy fat lololol
Any help would b aprreicated dude and hope iv explained my situation enough
Cheers
Bryn
If you’re losing weight, you’re mostly likely in a deficit and not at maintenance (at maintenance you wouldn’t lose), although issues with water weight and so on can skew things a bit, which is why it takes some consistent weighing rather than a single weigh in to truly know for sure.
But if you were eating 2700 cals then and losing 0.4lb per week, 3000 calories is a pretty good guess for maintenance.
As for how to then create the 10% deficit after the diet break, you can either eat less calories, burn more calories, or a little of both. It mostly just depends on your own personal preferences for how you make it happen.
Thanks for the reply m8 much apriecated, i think like u say if im losing w8 still after my 2nd week and at 0.4( like u recomended) why not just carry on see what happens lol and eating alot more and im enjoying it and not low carb cycling and i dont wana go 2 mad and start losing to much weight and lose muscle as im already lean and trying get in single digits,i just goda b patient i guess and i reckon my maintance is 3000 and iv create a lil bit deflict by eating 300 under then my workouts are making it 500 or so hows that sound m8???
I was gona carb cyle after my “diet break” at 2x hi carb @150g,2x low carb @ 50g,and a reefed @ 250-300g day rest of my kcals from protein and healthy fats does this sound ok for 144lb man ??? I did ask a fitness model bt he totally ignored me lol im jst tryin 2 achieve a body iv alway wanted yet like u iv wasted £100s and 10000 hrs of my time on stupid magazines etc and i finally started doin stuff my way (well yours) and iv learned so much from this site its nailed everything on the head..before there was so much crap out there i kept folowing diffrent stufff and sending my head all over
Any way sorry for waffling on lol
Just trying get my head round things lol
Thanks a million m8
Bryn
Fantastic site – you write very well: very clear, understandable and makes sense. This is inspiring me to do something!
I have one question though. I think I’ve read most of your site at this stage and I think I can find most of the answer to my question but I can’t seem to find the complete answer and it would be nice to see it pulled together in one place. Now I understand the whole calorie deficit thing & I understand that you can create the deficit through diet & exercise. I also saw your article saying that, although weight training does have *some* effect on weight loss, its actually very small. I’ve also seen you virtually dismiss (:-)) cardio. The thing is, I haven’t seen all these things drawn together in one place. So: are you saying that changes to diet has BY FAR the greatest effect on fat loss? And that weight training and cardio have such a small effect on fat loss that, relative to diet, they are almost insignificant? Because that is the impression I’m getting. Actually – and I know this is not really possible – could you quantify their relative effects as you see them? e.g. diet 70%, cardio 20% weight training 10%. Again, I know, that’s not possible, but just to give a “feel” for their relative impacts. You can see what I’m getting at here: I’d like to get an idea for where to concentrate my efforts.
Thanks for all the work – you are changing people’s lives for the better…
“So: are you saying that changes to diet has BY FAR the greatest effect on fat loss?”
Yup, pretty much.
“And that weight training and cardio have such a small effect on fat loss that, relative to diet, they are almost insignificant?”
Well, weight training plays a huge (and required) role in maintaining muscle/strength while losing fat, but strictly in terms of causing fat loss, weight training doesn’t have much of an effect at all because it just doesn’t burn THAT many calories. Cardio generally burns more calories than weight training, but it’s still not THAT huge of an amount, especially for the amount of time it takes.
And what fat loss comes down to is simply a caloric deficit. Which means either burning more calories, eating less calories, or a combination of the two. And when you get down to it, it’s just a whole lot easier for most people to eat (for example) 500 less calories per day than it will be for them to try to burn those same 500 calories every single day. That’s why diet alone gets the job done just fine, and diet and exercise combined gets the job done too. But exercise alone? That’s the least effective of the group by far.
“could you quantify their relative effects as you see them? e.g. diet 70%, cardio 20% weight training 10%.”
This is easy. For fat loss alone, it’s 100% caloric deficit. I know that’s not the answer you were looking for, but it’s the true answer to your question. That is where you need to fully concentrate your efforts.
Then it’s really just a matter of deciding what method of creating that deficit will be easiest, most preferable and most sustainable for you. Regardless of exactly how you decide to do it though (just diet, diet and cardio, diet and weight training, diet and cardio and weight training), diet is always going to be the biggest part of the equation.
Think of it this way. The 1 requirement for the job you’re trying to do is a caloric deficit. Diet, cardio and weight training are just the tools you can use to do this job. However, of these tools, diet is by far the most useful and efficient of them and is the most likely to be able to do the job without the aid of any other tools.
Thanks very much for your helpful answer – it makes the lazy, non-hungry side of me very happy! So now I plan to focus mainly on diet with some weight training and a very small amount of light cardio. Once I lose the amount of weight I’m looking to lose, I’ll look again at the balance between the three.
Brilliant – thanks again!
Hey I have some questions: SO if i do this calorie deficit for lets say a month i will lose fat/weight?
I need like 1455 calories, a 200 deficit = about 1200 calories a day, 7 days a week? Right?
Or
i can do cardio + weight training to cut the calories?
How much weight will i lose if i do this for a month?
Will this slim down: thighs, stomach, hips, butt, calves, shoulders, and etc?
Any other advice? Can i do intervals? Ex. 60 sprint/jog and 1min and 10 sec walk?
Is doing squats, pushups, wall squats, lunges, bicep curl, bench dips, kickbacks,
shoulder lateral raises, front lateral raises, mountain climbers, crunch, planks,
side planks, obliquies crunch, alternate sit ups, jacknife V-ups, russian elevated
twist <- this full body workout good for gaining muscle and losing fat/weight and getting lean and tones (also muscle burns calories)
Plus good healthy diet: carbs, protein, fat
Apples, banannas, onions, eggs, chicken, turkey,water, sandwich(contains: lettuce, turkey, and bread), milk etc
If you create a consistent deficit, you’ll lose fat. You can create that deficit through diet, exercise or both. You’ll lose fat from your entire body in an order and pattern that is predetermined by your genetics and can’t be changed.
Look around the site for answers to your other questions.
thank you! Now i know what to do to lose fat:
1) Create a deficit
2) Weight Train/Cardio 3-5 days a week
3) Eat healthy/ Below maintenance calories
Keep posting them articles!
Can you do one on Cardio?
Plenty of cardio stuff will be written in the near future. Stay tuned.
k i will
Question: can u like tell me or make an article on “Slimming Thighs & Get a Flat Stomach”
See im trying to slimm my thighs (i know bout the spot reduction thing) but some info how to help thm slimm down ( the real truth not tht stuff ppl say just to get money)See i have a lot of fat in thighs n stomach (trying to get muscle in stomach, n lil to no fat in thighs , with lil muscle)
so any info???
No offence, but if you really “knew about spot reduction” you wouldn’t be asking about how to slim down your thighs.
Like I said a few comments ago, create a moderate deficit and fat will be lost from your body in a pattern that is predetermined by your genetics. At some point it will come off your stomach, or your thighs, or your back, or wherever else.
Read this, but replace the word “tone” with the word “slim”… http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/muscle-tone/
K i read the article on Muscle Tone.
what it taught me:
Tone means: Muscle showing with less fat on that
What to do to get toned:
Diet= create a deficit
Cardio= burns calroies
Weight Training= builds muscle
N Quote: “the human body is only capable of losing fat from the entire body as a whole. Exactly where on your body you lose fat from first, second, third, etc. is predetermined by your generics whether you like it or not.
No workout or exercise, no type of workout or exercise, no form of workout or exercise, and no amount of reps, sets, or anything else can change that and actually allow you to burn fat from the exact spot you want to burn it from.”
Your Formula: “Muscle + less fat = tone.”
I also read (this whole thing word for word):http://www.acaloriecounter.com/weight-loss.php
okay now i truly understand what spot reduction is.
Thank you very much for that clearance. And the truth of how to get
muscle. No such thing as tone lean or bulky muscle.
Sounds about right.
K Q: How long do you think i should expect to see some results from my diet ( calorie deficit of 300-500)?
If i don’t see results in 1 month does that mean i am doing something wrong?
If I lose fat loss does that mean my BF% goes down as well?
Read this: http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/how-long-does-it-take/
And yeah, if you haven’t lost any weight in 1 month, you’re doing something wrong. Also, assuming your fat free mass stays about the same, your body fat percentage will decrease.
thank you!! Ur whole site is amazing! (i cant see how you get all tht writing done!)
Ur site should be a book!!!! N YES u would be a millionaire from tht book. Bc it will work!
Thank you for posting these articles!
I am looking forward to the Cardio one!
How do I stay updated on this stuff? (i could wood it be FREE?)
U make sure ppl understand and give examples, details, and show thm wat to do.
See i read ur article on: Losing Fat Without Losing Muscle.
tht explains what to do to only lose fat, but is it possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time???
(in 1 other article i read it said to gain u need a calorie surplus of like 250,
but in this it says to lose fat u need a calorie deficit of like 500 or less (ur choice).
So how would tht work? Aint sure if this is possible
I thght if u do diet n cardio and weight training ya’ll lose fat n gain muscle
Is Zumba good for cardio?
Should i weigh myelf in morning 1ce a week n should i do tape measures on waist, hip, and stuff?
Thanks for all ur help (keep posting thm articles!)
I’ll be back if i have any Q’s.
Also in a few months or so I’ll tell ya how i did. n see if u can point me to the rigt direction.
P.S. Ur site is Very HELPFUL! FANTASTIC! DESCRIPTIVE! INFORMATIONAL! N TERRIFIC!
thank you for sharing this!
oh ya n srry for bothering u with all the questions, comments, and replys n stuff!
thx for makin everyting make sense n understandable!
N I looked up tht dude: Mark, n how he went on a Twinkie Diet, thn realize it was even on the news i thk on how he lost 27lbs from eating just junk food (which also proves ur theory)n cakes,cookies, brownies, donuts, n other stuff!
k srry 4 da questions n stuff!