With all of the non-stop headlines which saturate the internet, it’s a difficult task to keep the eyes on the prize and the cart in front of the horse.
Even the most well-intentioned dieter can lose track of what they are doing on occasion.
One of the biggest advantages our online training clients have is a clear-cut plan moving forward to optimize their results.
This list isn’t a list of nutritional “superfoods”. We aren’t into discussing the benefits of coconut oil or brown rice versus white rice.
With our clients, we simplify.
We create a laser-like approach for health and fitness, and optimize our results using easy to follow methods.
Here are 10 items we tell everyone who comes our way.
Remembering these fitness facts translates into some amazing before and after pictures and client testimonials.
10 Nutritional Facts To Shred The Fat
#1: Calories trump everything for fat loss.
And we mean everything.
Calories trump how many meals you eat each day, and the size of each meal.
Calories trump how much protein you eat and whether you go “low carb” or “low fat”.
Calories trump how many times per week you train, and what exercises you do.
Calories trump the types of food you eat, and whether it’s organic or not.
Calories trump your supplementation regimen (link to our recommended supplements).
Everything is trumped by calories if you’re trying to lose fat.
Everything.
If you’re striving to lose fat and it’s not happening, there’s a near-100% chance you’re eating too many calories.
And that’s that.
#2: Nutrition matters to muscular growth.
You can even make the argument that nutrition matters MORE when trying to gain muscle than it does when you’re trying to lose fat.
When you’re trying to lose fat, you need to eat under your calorie maintenance.
When you’re trying to gain muscle, you need to eat a bit more than you need to create new muscle mass.
The recommendation is for somewhere between 300-500 calories over your daily requirements.
But the type of calories you consume can make a big difference in how they are utilized by your body.
If your excess calories are in the form of fat, there’s a better chance they will be stored as fat.
If your excess calories are in the form of carbs (and your fat is kept low), there’s a better chance they will be metabolized into muscle.
The best muscle gaining diet is low/moderate fat, high protein, high carb, and a bit over maintenance.
#3: “Healthy” needs context.
“Healthy” is such a stupid word. We actually wish the word “healthy” would just go away.
Everyone says “healthy” and what they really mean is “trim”, “toned”, “lean”, or “muscular”.
It’s okay to admit you want to improve your body composition and lose fat.
Is an Oreo healthy?
What if eating that Oreo will save you from binging and keep you on your diet?
Is kale healthy?
What if eating kale makes you hate your life and causes you to quit your diet before you reach your goals?
Nothing is inherently “healthy”. There is context to everything you do.
— Jason (@anymanfitness) June 13, 2016
#4: Organic doesn’t equal fat loss.
Chemicals, GMOs, and artificial sweeteners are making us all die.
Or something like that.
Lots of people are ditching these items in the hopes it will trim their waistlines.
But does it work?
It might work a bit, but that’s due to the correlation between whole foods and calories.
Whole foods tend to be more nutrient dense and less calorie dense.
But eating “organic” and “healthy” (there’s that word again) does NOT cause fat loss.
Refer to #1 – only calories does that.
#5: The basic rules never change.
Want to lose fat? Eat less calories. Train hard.
Want to gain more muscle? Eat a few more calories via carbohydrates. Train harder.
Want to get stronger? Lift progressively heavier weights in the smaller rep ranges.
Want to get bigger? Lift progressively heavier weights in the moderate or high rep ranges.
Want to improve your blood markers? Lose fat. Losing 10% of your bodyweight in fat will do wonders for your lipids.
Want to live a long, active life? Don’t quit. Ever.
These are the basic rules. They really don’t change.
Fitness is a journey. Your end-date kicks in when you kick the bucket.
#6: Making your own meals is always your best option.
Every diet that works on the face of the planet has the same format:
Real food, made at home.
Stop dining out every other meal.
Your need for convenience is keeping guys like me flush with countless clients who need guidance and help.
Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner with whole foods. Stop snacking. Drink water. Train hard.
Fat will melt off you like (bulletproof) butter.
#7: Eat less, move more actually works.
I’m not trying to break the internet here, but this is a fact.
If you actually eat less calories, and you move more to burn more calories, then the First Law of Thermodynamics will cause you to lose fat.
But variable manipulation isn’t easy. You will need a plan in place, usually.
#8: Junk food is always junk food.
You know that vegan, organic, certified fresh cookie made with free range chicken eggs and butter from a virgin yak?
Or those “Keto Friendly Cupcakes”?
That’s just fucking junk, no matter how you spin it.
Get off your damn soap box and get a bag of Oreos like a normal person.
#9: Cavemen would love donuts.
Did you know cavemen were ripped?
Did you know cavemen ate lots of fat and protein?
Did you know cavemen didn’t eat bread?
Did you know cavemen didn’t have cancers?
Okay. Fine. Cavemen were awesome. Let’s all be cavemen.
If we actually lived like cavemen – if we shunned all of our conveniences and went off into the woods to kill our own animals and live in a cave – we would likely lose every ounce of fat on our bodies.
But let’s not pretend driving your Prius to Whole Foods to get un-farmed salmon makes you a caveman.
If a caveman had access to Krispy Kreme, do you really think they would pass?
#10: Fitness is a lifestyle.
You’re going to have ups and downs.
You’ll have good days and bad days.
You’ll question why you do the things you do.
You’ll tire of watching your diet.
You’ll get bored with your workouts.
There really is “One, Weird Trick” that will keep you in the game.
But that trick isn’t quite what you think it is.
Yours in true health,
Jason