How to Eat for Fat-Loss
So you're ready to change your nutrition.
You're ready to eat in a sustainable way that aligns with your goals.
You're ready to shred fat, build muscle, and look & feel your best.
Well, you're in luck!
We've built quite the nutrition fat-loss empire here at Dynamic Strength and Conditioning.
Over the past 2 years our Nutrition Coaches have been hard at work transforming the bodies and nutritional minds of our members.
You've probably seen the incredible results of our members like:
Kim - down 20lbs!
Christie - down 22lbs!
Steve - down 38lbs!
Christine - down 40lbs!
Rich - down 25lbs!
Liz - down 24lbs!
Our last Nutrition Group alone lost a total of 315lbs of fat!
How awesome is that?
What has made our members so successful has been the simple and sustainable principles our program is based on.
Today, we cover those principles with the 5 keys to eating for fat-loss.
Enjoy :)
1| Stop the yo-yo diet/starving yourself
Sadly, here is how most nutrition changes go:
You start a diet.
You feel deprived, tired, hungry, and unhappy.
Your cravings increase.
Will power runs out and you quit.
Maybe you made a bit of progress in the beginning, but actually end up putting on more weight than you started with in the end.
You are not alone here as this is what happens to almost 90% of dieters as diets simply do not work.
We actually refer to our program as the "anti-diet" and we are on a mission to change the way people look at food forever.
One of the keys to stopping dieting is stopping the yo-yo effect that comes along with it.
By improving your nutrition with more of a gradual, habit-based approach you consistently work towards your goals, day in and day out, instead of continual starting and stopping.
This is the basis of our program and a recipe for long-term success.
Stop thinking short-term when it comes to eating better and reap the rewards of lifelong health and results!
2| Eat mainly whole foods
The real fat-loss magic starts to happen when our members start reducing their food intake from processed, packaged food and switch to mainly whole foods.
Whole foods refer to foods that are naturally occurring.
Think of foods without a food label or foods that do not come in a box. Things you can hunt, grow, and pick.
You'll find these foods around the perimeter of the grocery store.
The first benefit of eating whole foods is that you eliminate the junk from processed foods.
Food companies and restaurants want you to love their food.
They want it to taste great so you come back for more.
To do this, they add tons of additives like salt, sugar, and fat to their foods which greatly increases the amount of calories you take in.
By preparing your own meals, not only are you going to eat lower-calorie, healthy foods but you are going to know exactly what you are eating to keep you on track.
3| Eat slowly and to 80% full
Portion sizes in America today are at an all-time high.
What used to feed 2 or 3 people is now overfeeding one.
When it comes to losing weight, overeating is not your friend.
We combat this with instilling 2 simple habits.
To avoid taking in too many calories at your next meal, especially when you eat out, is to be mindful about how full you feel.
Start by eating slowly.
The research on eating slowly is very clear. It helps with:
- Fat loss
- Better digestion
- Eating less
- Feeling full longer
- Enjoying your food more
This will allow your brain to catch up with your stomach and let you know you are full much sooner, helping you not overeat. It actually takes 20 minutes from the start of your meal for your brain to tell your body its full.
When we eat too quickly we end up overeating as we haven't given ourselves times to feel full.
It will also help with gastrointestinal bloating and discomfort.
Secondly, just because it's on the plate does not mean you have to eat it.
Instead of eating until the plate is clean, stop eating when you feel about 80% full.
This keeps you mindful throughout your meal and allows you to check in with yourself, not overeat and get to that "stuffed/overfed" feeling.
4| Track your intake
One of the common things we hear from our members is “I already eat pretty healthy”.
And then we have them start tracking or logging their food.
The result….
They realize they do not eat as healthy as they thought or as consistently.
Logging your food with a food tracker is a great tool to really show you exactly what you are eating and how it relates to your nutrition and fitness goals.
Even if they are eating healthy most of the time, the exact proportions of fat, protein, carbohydrates matter.
When you log your food it allows you to see the exact amount of Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins (macronutrients) you are eating daily.
Knowing this is crucial when trying to lose fat, gain muscle, or both.
It also helps keep you staying within a certain calorie range that you may be shooting for.
This keeps you consistent in working toward your goals.
Rather than eating well 50-60% of the time, imagine eating well 80-90% of the time.
Many people do not know where or what foods most of the macronutrients come from.
Logging your food will help you learn which foods are high or low in each of these.
When you start tracking everything that you are putting into your mouth, you tend to be more mindful and less likely to grab that cookie or piece of chocolate.
With our program, we have our members log their food a few times per week so our coaches can see exactly what they are eating and then coach them on what adjustments to make to eat for fat-loss.
This is one great way to keep you accountable!
5| Eat the right foods before and after workouts
Ready to burn more fat, fatigue less quickly, and have less soreness?
The #1 way to do all that is to get your pre and post-workout nutrition right.
Yes, the best way to burn more fat during and after your workouts isn't just dependent on your workout, but what you eat and before and after.
Let's start with what you eat before your workout.
When it comes to pre-workout nutrition, eating something is always better than nothing.
Eating the rights foods, at the right time before your workout will help you:
- Shred fat
- Gain energy
- Build strength
- Boost performance
- Keep you mentally focused and motivated
- Help with recovery and soreness
Aim to eat 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to your workout.
Be sure to have a 1:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein.
Because we're eating close to the workout, you're pre-workout meal should more more of a snack.
Here's a few ideas:
- Apple or banana and peanut butter
- Turkey sandwich with mixed greens
- Small protein shake
- Greek yogurt and berries
Your post workout nutrition helps you recover from your workouts and actually keeps your metabolism elevated, burning fat throughout the day.
Eating nothing will only help you hold on to fat and burn muscle. Not good!
Get your post-workout meal or snack in within 1 hour of your workout.
Here were are looking for slightly higher carbohydrates with a 2:1 ratio of carbs to protein.
Here are a few post-workout ideas:
- Protein shake (protein, berries, spinach, almond milk)
- Grilled chicken, sweet potato, green beans
- High-quality protein bar
- Turkey sandwich with side of fruit