Dropping fat is simple, but it isn’t always easy. It takes a ton of work, almost never ending dedication, and consistency above all else. You can’t decide to be on a fat loss diet Monday – Thursday, and eat like a bar rat Friday – Sunday.
I guess you can, but the results you get will be pretty damn disappointing.
When it comes to creating a fat loss diet, there are 6 rules I abide by. These 6 nutrition hacks help me drop fat fast, and are the guiding principle behind my entire eating program for the fat loss period. Not only are they simple and common sense, they work. Which is exactly why you should give them a try.
- Intermittent Fasting.
I’m a huge fan of intermittent fasting. It’s a fantastic tool that can help anyone drop fat. By restricting the number of hours in a day in which you’re eating, you almost automatically start limiting the number of calories in a day you eat.
Intermittent fasting can be done a few different ways. A 16 hour fast, and 8 hour eating window is one of the most popular forms. A 24 hour fast once or twice a week is another way to go about it.
Intermittent fasting means no eating. You can drink water or coffee, just go easy on the cream and sugar during your fast. Some people get fickle with how much cream and sugar they can add in a fast, and suggestions range anywhere from keeping it under 100 calories, to keeping it under 50 calories. That’s all unnecessary minutia in my opinion. Keep it at 0 calories for best results.
- Drop alcohol.
There’s not much more in this world that I love more than alcohol. Definitely my dog. Probably my parents. When it comes time to drop fat though, I usually remove alcohol from my diet. Why?
Alcohol can definitely be worked into a fat loss diet if you’re accounting for the calories, I just find it easier to remove altogether. Alcohol is the definition of empty calories, and if I’m losing fat then calories are definitely lower.
Nobody is saying that having a beer, glass of wine, or an Old Fashioned with dinner will ruin your diet. It won’t. 5 of them likely will though.
Alcohol also leads to lowered inhibitions, which means eating more when I’m drinking. I’m not eating chicken breast and spinach either. If I’ve got Whataburger somewhere close, you best believe I’m taking that down. That’s a 1-2 caloric punch straight to the gut. My training session the next day is almost always lackluster, which if you’re counting is strike number 3 against alcohol in a fat loss diet.
- Stop eating carbs that come in a box or a bag.
Completely shocking, right? Essentially what stop buying carbs in a box or a bag means is stop eating shitty refined carbs. That’s it. Nutritious carbs like rice, whole grains, etc. can all be eaten in a fat loss diet, it’s just usually easier if they’re replaced with vegetables.
Vegetables are inherently more filling because of the bulk they provide, all while providing fewer calories.
Sure, some people can debate semantics and say that rice comes in a box/bag, and bell peppers come in a bag. To those people I would say, fuck off. You know damn well exactly what is meant by this. Quit letting things like shitty refined carbs take up too much space in your diet, and nobody likes someone who debates semantics. So stop it.
- Quit drinking calories.
This one goes hand in hand with the alcohol point, since alcohol is drinking calories. When you’re dropping fat calories are a much more finite resource. You gotta be careful with those bad boys because they’re a precious resource.
Why waste such a precious resource on a glass of milk, can of coke, or a Snapple? Sure they taste good. But steak tastes better, and it helps get you jacked. Plus it puts hair on your chest. Jacked plus hair on your chest? Instantly manly as fuck.
- Up your protein.
Think you’re getting enough protein? I doubt it. Protein is the number 1 thing to be considered when crafting an effective fat loss diet. Getting enough protein can make or break whether or not your diet works.
Protein is a highly satiating food, meaning that it will help keep you fuller for longer. This is massively important in a fat loss diet when calories are kept low. Protein also has a higher thermic effect of feeding than any other macronutrient, which means your body burns more calories just by digesting.
Also, there’s that whole thing about protein helping build and spare muscle mass. That seems to be relatively important when we’re trying to get ripped.
Ideally shoot for about 1g for every pound of lean body mass you’ve got. Notice, I didn’t say every pound of bodyweight. Lean body mass is the important thing here, since we’re trying to drop body fat.
What is your lean body mass? Figure it out with some 3rd grade math: Body weight – (body weight x body fat %)
- Track with precision.
Has it been drilled into your head yet that calories are kept low when you’re trying to lose fat? Because they are. Going over by 100-200 calories in a fat loss diet can hold you back from reaching your goals. Especially if it’s something that happens day after day.
How do you combat that? Learn to track with absolute precision. This means accounting for every single calorie that enters your mouth.
It means getting intimately familiar with what a serving looks like, and using measuring spoons, cups, and a food scale for most of your meals.
It means looking at menus of restaurants before you eat out, and figuring out what you plan to eat based on the calorie counts. Or even asking the restaurant to make a meal for you.
Is that fun? Hell no. But sometimes dropping fat isn’t always fun, contrary to what some of the people who flood social media with pictures of pop tarts say.