The other day I was welcoming a new client to our awesome community. She wanted to get the best results possible so she asked “how does fat-loss work exactly?”

I love teaching to curious and coachable people. So I went on to explain how a calorie deficit works.

Don’t worry, it’s not full of hard to understand science-talk. This is a simple thing that you can even teach to your family.

A calorie deficit is simply when you consume less calories then you burn.

When a client asks “what is the best diet” I typically respond “the one you can stick to.”

Here’s why – all diets WORK because they put their own spin on a calorie deficit. That means you have to find the one that fits best with your eating habits and lifestyle.

  • Intermittent Fasting: By eating from 12pm-8pm you create a calorie deficit by cutting out a meal – breakfast.
  • Keto Diet: By cutting out a food group (carbs) you can only eat fat and protein which leads to a big calorie deficit.
  • Elimination Diet: By cutting out processed foods (which are easy to over-eat) you create a calorie deficit.
  • Macro Diet: By counting your macros (carbs, fat, protein) you can ensure you consume less calories then your body needs daily.

I can keep going on and on because there’s dozens of diet options. None of them are better than the other. They just serve different people with different needs and preferences.

Lastly, you should know what factors contribute to your daily calorie burn. There’s 4 main things to take into consideration.

  1. BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories your body burns every single day just to stay alive. You could sit in a chair and your body needs this many calories.
  2. Exercise. When you add exercise on top of your BMR, you burn even more calories. This is why 3-4 workouts per week with us works so good. Just this small change adds a calorie deficit.
  3. Daily Movement. This is smaller things but they add up. Its everything from total daily steps, working around the house, yard work, picking up boxes and even fidgeting your leg while you work. This adds to total calories burned daily.
  4. Food. This sounds weird but your body actually burns calories to breakdown food. Some foods create a more thermogenic effect than others. For example, spicy foods actually increase thermogenic effect.

But that is fat-loss, plain and simple. You must consume less calories than what your body requires.

If you need more help in this area, please reach out to Sal to join our Transformation Program. Not only do you get an assigned Coach but you also get a custom nutrition plan.

Figuring out fat-loss and nutrition on your own is tough road. Get some help and you will see faster results!

Have a great week FitFam!!