The Best Diet for Fat Loss
3 Tidbits about Losing Body Fat
Hey everyone, this is Coach Stacey, I am NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist, Behavioral Change Specialist, and Personal Trainer. I have been in the health/fitness industry for over 20 years and the number one question I receive when it comes to nutrition is; "What is the ideal diet to lose body fat?". In this article (I will keep it short and sweet), I share 3 tidbits about losing body fat;
1). Super low calorie restricted diets can lead to HUGE rebounds. That's right.... Those super low calorie diets not only make us feel miserable, lethargic, and HANGRY; they also frequently lead to re-gaining the weight. Sometimes this can even cause you to gain back more than you lost (ouch). Need proof, check out the statistics from "The Biggest Loser" show from the early 2000's. Many of the contestants not only gained the weight back, but they all lost lean muscle mass, and lowered their resting metabolism (this is so bad for your body's ability to burn fat).
Science has proven that super low calorie diets just don't work long term. Instead, try to set your caloric intake to a level that promotes a 0.5 - 2lbs/week weight loss. This way you maintain lean body mass while losing body fat, and you won't be so HANGRY. Bonus; you are more likely to maintain your results. In conclusion, it would be my recommendation to have a Nutrition Professional help you to calculate your ideal caloric intake for your goals.
2.) Fasting can make me Furious. Well, I got your attention, BUT...I am not 100% against fasting. In fact, I believe that fasting should be part of your daily healthy habits, when performed safely.
Here are my Fasting Safety Tips;
Eat breakfast. If you awake at 6am, eat breakfast by 6:30am, this gets your metabolism fired up for your *active day and a healthy metabolism is key to maintaining a healthy weight. (*active day means the hours of the day that you require energy.)
Eat frequently (not constantly) during your active day. I recommend between 3-5 meals per day, consumed every 2-3 hours. ( I could go into detail about eating the right foods, on time, on purpose, but this is supposed to be short and sweet. message me if you want more info on that).
Stop eating when you are retiring for the day. If you want to lose body fat, I would stop eating when you stop being active (because if you have no way to burn off the energy, your body will store it, as fat). Ex; If you have dinner at 6pm and begin your fast, you can break your fast 12 hours later when you eat breakFAST again at 6am (that's why it's called break-fast).
I recommend a 12:12 or even a 12:8 Fast as long as your eating during your active day. I would stamp my name on the fact that this type of calculated fasting can be very useful in losing body fat.
Again, it is best to consult a Nutrition Pro for help in creating the right timing, meals, and portions for your specific goals. Avoid fasts that last longer than 16 hours. After this time, this type of prolonged fasting will invoke survival mechanisms that lower your resting metabolic rate and can cause severe damage to your thyroid (the organ responsible fo your metabolism).
3.) Refeeding AKA "Cheat" days. You may be surprised, but I highly recommend cheat days (scientifically defined as refeedings). I'll use the term "cheat" days here because it sounds more appealing and less clinical.
In fact, science has proven that the psychological effects of "cheat" days can actually enhance your fat loss journey, because you feel less restricted, more happy knowing you can still enjoy those meals you love, and you will tend to feel like you can be more social if you plan to do so during your "cheat" days.
A recent study proved that even a 2 week on, 2 week off, restricted diet; "cheat" week plan can lead to steady fat loss over time.
WARNING, "Cheat" or "Refeed" does not mean a free for all binge eating.
Instead, structure your "cheat" days or weeks to maintenance level caloric intakes (the caloric intake required to maintain your current weight. Obviously a 2 week on, 2 week off approach will lead to a slower fat loss than a 5 days on 2 days off approach.
Be honest about your goals and timelines and you have my permission to "cheat" as long as it's calculated and planned. And, not to overdo it, but... consulting a Nutrition Pro would be best, not only to help you calculate your "cheat" day intake plan, but also for the accountability of returning after the "cheat". (We all have been through the never ending "cheat" day scenario).
Well, there you have it, 3 tidbits to help you start your fat loss journey. There are many more facts and plans I could share, but ultimately, fat loss and overall nutrition is unique to everyone. If you have specific questions about your nutrition, please reach out to me (use the button below).
Have a healthy day!
-Coach Stacey