This is the part where I tell you I’ve been lying all along.
There actually is “One, Weird Trick” that will make all the trainers HATE YOU because you’ll put them out of business.
Technically, you can eat whatever you wish, and if you’re in a proper deficit, you’ll lose weight.
Yes, calories matter, in fact, they matter more than anything else, pretty much.
But that doesn’t mean all those “stupid, little rules” that you’re used to seeing in your Buzzfeed and Yahoo Health feeds don’t have any merit at all.
It just means there is a correlation between those “stupid, little rules” and weight loss.
Here are 6 of our favorite “stupid, little rules” that we give to our fat-shredding, online coaching clients.
These rules help them shred fat quickly and (somewhat) easily.
Stupid, Little Rule #1: Don’t eat anyone’s food but your own.
This doesn’t mean we think you’re grabbing french fries off of random plates at your local Applebee’s.
This DOES mean that you don’t need to be your family’s “garbage disposal”.
Let’s face it, when you have young children at home, there’s an excellent chance their meals won’t be polished off.
Maybe even your wife’s as well. (Mine eats like a bird.)
If you get caught up in the “Starving African Baby Syndrome”, and are always making sure their uneaten food ends up in your belly, you aren’t helping anyone.
Think about it ===> What will be accomplished by you eating that food? You’re not really “saving” any food waste. It’s not a “zero sum” game here.
You’re adding inches to your gut.
Eat your food, and don’t touch anyone else’s.
Stupid, Little Rule #2: Don’t eat anything that’s a “freebie” at a restaurant.
Show me someone who says they don’t like Mexican food and I’ll show you a liar.
We all love our chimichangas, our enchiladas, and our margaritas.
The best part of about heading in to spend time with your “amigos” is the basket of fresh chips and salsa they throw under your nose the second you walk through the door.
The same can be said with the numerous “bread basket” restaurants as well.
These “freebies” are 100% delicious – make no bones about it.
They can also easily add over 1,000 calories to your meal before you even order.
It sucks, but you need to skip the freebies if you’re watching your diet.
Sip on a diet pop, enjoy the conversation, and act like it’s not even there.
Stupid, Little Rule #3: “Close” the kitchen after dinner.
The standard meal plan for our Americans is the 3 meal format: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The collective bellies of Americans have been steadily expanding for the past 30 or so years.
If Americans simply ate 3 meals per day, stopped snacking, and ate mainly whole foods, 99.9% of us would shred an unreal amount of fat over the 12 months that followed. The health care industry would be in shambles as their profits would take a drastic hit.
Snacking is a serious problem for many people. They cannot imagine going from meal to meal without eating extra food.
One of the best things you can do is to formally “close” the kitchen after dinner. Wipe off the dishes, load the dishwasher, scrub the pots and pans, wipe off the countertops, etc.
Close up the pantries, the fridges, turn off the lights, and leave the room.
The kitchen is CLOSED for the night.
It’s a small step and a visible reminder – you are done eating until breakfast the next day.
Think about it – is it a good idea to grab a snack as soon as dinner is over?
Stupid, Little Rule #4: Don’t have visible food in your kitchen.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Which environment is better suited for success?
- A kitchen that has visible two-liters of soda, Ruffles on top of the fridge, and bowls of candy on the counter?
- Or a kitchen that has no visible food whatsoever – or possibly just a bowl of fruit instead?
You want to set yourself up to eliminate snacking and poor choices. Eliminate the temptation altogether and keep all of your food behind closed doors.
===> PRO TIP: For more ways to master your environment to trim your waist, check out “Slim By Design“, an awesome book by the Brian Wansink on the topic.
Stupid, Little Rule #5: Don’t Eat Packaged Carbs
It’s the simplest rule there is.
If it comes in a box or a bag, skip it.
Eat your carbs, my friend – you need them for performance. Disregard what your butter-coffee loving friend told you.
Be sure you get your carbs from solid, whole-food sources when dieting for fat loss.
Eat your rice, your potatoes, your pasta and your fruit.
Avoid your chips, your pretzels, your ice creams, and your Pop Tarts.
Yes, you can “flexible diet” your way through your fat-loss phase. But sometimes it’s best to avoid temptation altogether.
Stupid, Little Rule #6: Don’t drink beer.
That’s it. It’s simple.
If you’re dieting for fat loss, don’t drink beer.
Actually, if you’re really serious about fat loss, you should consider not drinking altogether.
Beer is the nectar of the Gods.
It’s also the nectar of the “Dad Bods”.
Man up, find a whiskey you enjoy (or a bourbon, a gin, a vodka, etc.) and drink it on the rocks or with a zero-calorie mixer.
Same warm buzz, for less than half of the calories.
None of these 6, Stupid, Little Rules will cause you to lose fat.
But they are all “best practices” as you try to get “beach ready” in a short time frame.
Yours in true health,
Jason