In this article, you’re going to learn how to most effectively lose fat quickly and sustainably. These strategies work whether you’re a male or female.
This is because of the law of energy balance.
The law of energy states that if you consume fewer calories than you burn you will lose fat.
I bet you’ve heard the common advice to ” move more and eat less” before.
This is all well and good. But the truth is, although the advice may be true it doesn’t tell you how many calories you actually need to consume.
In this article, you’ll learn how you can work out, how many calories you need to eat every day to lose fat and stay at a healthy body fat percentage.
How I Go About Losing Fat, And How You Should Too – How To Lose Fat Quickly
Before I dive into the meat and potatoes of this article, I’ll show you that this stuff I’m telling you about works. Here is a recent fat loss phase I did while using the information in this article. I did this while doing bodyweight training because of the COVID 19 outbreak (This lead to me not being able to go to the gym). I could have got to this fat loss goal quicker but I had a 3-week diet break due to reassessing my goals when the pandemic first started. But then shortly resumed the fat loss phase.
Before You Get Down To Calculating Your Fat Loss Numbers, Lets First Debunk Some Fat Loss Myths – How To Lose Fat Quickly
In the fitness industry, many charlatans sell their products and programs to trick you so that they can sell you on an idea. For example, there are common programs that just have you doing gruelling cardio/ aerobic workouts. Because they apparently ” burn fat ” ( which they don’t ) So I think this is a good place to start.
Myth 1 – Cardio Makes You Lose Fat
It’s easy to fall into this trap. How many people have you seen that endlessly jog and look the same year after year? The reason why they’re not losing fat and look the same is that no matter how much cardio they do. It doesn’t matter if they’re not eating in a calorie deficit.
That’s not to say that cardio doesn’t have any benefits. It certainly does. It can benefit your cardiovascular health. But you don’t actually have to do that much to reap its benefits. A well-structured exercise program and a couple of hours of cardio per week will do the job. But you need to know that you don’t actually have to do any cardio to lose fat. It’s just a bonus.
You have to be eating fewer calories than you burn every day to appropriately lose fat. This article will show you how to do that and how to do it enjoyably.
Myth 2 – Carbohydrates Make You Fat
Carbohydrates are a macronutrient. Just like protein and fat. Carbs have 4 calories per gram, protein has 4 calories per gram and fat has 9 calories per gram. None of these macronutrients singlehandedly makes you fat. You only put on weight and get fat if you’re eating in a calorie surplus. That is, eating more calories than you burn. And if you want to learn specifically about the right way to be in a calorie surplus and gain muscle. Click the link below.
Carbohydrates are not to be feared. Especially the types coming from whole foods. You know the foods that contain much sought after vitamins and minerals. Foods like fruits and vegetables.
But there are more unhealthy forms of carbs. Such as the highly processed variety like sugary cereals, cakes and sweets. These foods are nutritionally bankrupt. And are only bad for you if you consume a lot of your diet through them. But eating 10-20 per cent of your diet from highly processed carbs is fine. Enjoy them.
Myth 3 – Calories In Vs Calories Out And Tracking Your Calories Doesn’t Work
This is a myth that still pervades the fitness space. But the fact is calories in vs calories out does work. It’s a law ( the law of energy balance ). Just like the law of gravity. For example, if your body was to use 2000 calories every single day. Then if you suddenly dropped your calories to 1500 calories per day. This would put you in a calorie deficit. And your body would need to make up for that 500 calorie deficit by using your fat stores.
If you maintained this calorie deficit for a week you would lose 1 pound of fat. Because 3500 calories are in 1 pound of fat. And your 500 calorie deficit over a week = 3500 calories.
Numerous people have proved this to be the case. For instance, Jordan Syatt lost fat eating a Big Mac. Every day for 30 days and lost 7 pounds.
Myth 4 – Eating 5 – 6 Small Meals Per Day Increase Your Metabolism
You’ve probably heard this myth before. That eating smaller meals jump-starts and speeds up your metabolism. The truth is that, well it doesn’t. So you already know that energy balance is the most important factor in losing fat. And the only thing that matters is that you consume your required calorie intake. That could be through 5 – 6 meals or 1-2 meals per day.
This is why protocols like intermittent fasting work ( intermittent fasting has you eat 2 – 3 meals per day). Because as long as you reach your calorie deficit. You will lose fat.
If you’d like to learn more about intermittent fasting I’d suggest you read this book:
And just to illustrate the point on meal frequency. Here is a graphic that shows you different ways of consuming your calories. From 5 meals to one meal per day (OMAD).
Myth 5 – Protein Is Bad For Your Kidneys
If I had a penny for every time that I’ve heard this myth. I’d probably have a couple of great British pounds. The fact is, it’s just not true. Protein and fat are essential macronutrients (we actually don’t need carbohydrates). But they are recommended because they contain vital vitamins and minerals. If you were to only consume protein and fat your body can still function.
If you weren’t to have enough fat and protein in your diet your body would fail to perform vital functions. Such as:
Produce hormones.
Absorb vitamins.
Help Keep your hair and skin healthy.
Build and repair muscle tissue.
Builds enzymes, hormones and chemicals in the brain.
But on the other hand, carbs contain glucose which is your primary source of energy. Without carbohydrates In your diet, your body breaks down the fats and protein from your diet and converts them into glucose. This is called Gluconeogenesis (GNC).
Consuming Enough Protein Is Vital
But going back to protein. Having a high protein diet ( 0.8 – 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight) is not unhealthy ( and not bad for your kidneys). Protein can actually keep you full and help you to retain muscle. It’s especially important when you’re in a calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than your body burns).
Because protein keeps you full and this means you’re much more likely to stick to your diet.
://academic.oup.com/jn/article/148/11/1760/5153345
Breaking Down The Fat Loss Formula
Firstly, your fat loss calories will be different in comparison to other people. This is because individuality is a massive part of achieving your fitness goals. No two people are the same.
But that’s okay. Using the Katch McArdle formula you can work out your fat loss calories specifically to you.
Working Out Your Body Fat Percentage – How To Lose Fat Quickly
Body fat percentages look slightly different on everyone. This is down to people storing body fat in different places. For Instance, some people may store more body fat in their Abdominal region whereas some people may store more fat in their legs.
If you’re unsure what your body fat percentage looks like. Check the body fat percentage table below ( for a rough guide).
And For women.
The Best Way To Gauge Your Body Fat Percentage
There are numerous ways to work out your body fat percentage. But the best way, in my opinion, is to use an accurate skinfold calliper. This is the Accumeasure 3000. And you just need to measure the thickness of your fat skinfold just above your hip bone ( you only measure one point on your body it’s super easy ) the calliper is linked below.
Working Out Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – How To Lose Fat Quickly
The formula for working out your basal metabolic rate ( Bmr ). Which is called the Katch McArdle formula is below.
Your basal metabolic rate (which is the number of calories you burn when you do absolutely nothing at all) is calculated using the Katch Mcardle formula which is as follows- BMR (men and women) = 370 + (21.6 × lean mass in kilograms) For example You weigh 180 pounds (180lbs/81.64kilograms). Say your body fat percentage is 20 per cent (36 pounds of fat, 144 pounds lean). Your lean mass is 144 pounds (65kg). Your BMR = 370 + (21.6 × 65) = 1,774 calories.
Now its your turn.
Working Out Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure
You then multiply your basal metabolic rate by one of the activity multipliers below. This simply is an activity chart from a sedentary lifestyle to an extremely active lifestyle.
So say the example, that I’ve just gave of the 180 pound male, had a moderate activity level.
You would simply do the following calculation 1774 ( BMR ) x 1.55= 2749 calories used daily.
Figuring Out A Sustainable Calorie Deficit
Now that you’ve figured out your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) you now need to put yourself in a sustainable calorie deficit.
From my experience and the experience of many others, a sustainable calorie deficit is between 20-30%. A sweet spot of 25% is usually the easiest to maintain.
So now I bet you’re thinking. What does this look like for me?
Well, going back to the previous example of the 180-pound male who uses 2749 calories daily you would simply do the calculation below:
2749 x 0.25 = 687 calories
2749 – 687 = 2062 calories
So if the guy in the example consumed 2062 calories every day then he would lose 1-2 pounds of fat every week.
Depending on factors like:
Activity levels ( that’s why the formula asks for your activity level )
Your percentage of lean body mass ( the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just maintaining that muscle, hence why the formula needs to know an estimate of your lean body mass/fat-free mass this is everything in your body that isn’t fat ).
These are the 2 biggest factors that effect how many calories you burn every day.
The Best Macronutrient Split For Reaching Your Fat Loss Goal
The easiest macronutrient split to stick too, in my opinion, is to track your calories and protein. And make sure that you’re consuming at least 0.8 – 1.0 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, every day.
This is because protein is the king of macronutrients. And is by far the most important macronutrient out of all the macronutrients. If you don’t know what macronutrients are they are:
Protein: At 4 calories per gram. And are the building blocks of your body. Protein helps you stay full, retain and build muscle mass.
Carbohydrates: At 4 calories per gram. And are your bodies main source of energy. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose and stored in your liver and muscles as glycogen.
Fats. The densest macronutrient at 9 calories per gram. Are vitally important for producing hormones and maintaining healthy skin and hair. They are also the most easily converted to fat compared to the other macronutrients. This is because the thermic effect of food (TEF) which means how many calories your body burns digesting, absorbing and disposing of a given macronutrient is considerably low for fat and costs your body virtually no energy to process fat.
The Thermic Effect Of Macronutrients
Regarding the thermic effect of foods ( TEF ).
Protein has the highest thermic effect at 20 – 35 per cent ( meaning that if you consume 100 calories of protein your body would use 20 – 35 calories just to digest it.) Protein is also the most filling/satiating macronutrient.
Carbohydrates have a thermic effect of 5 – 10 per cent ( meaning that if you consumed 100 calories of carbohydrates your body would burn 5 – 10 of these calories just digesting it ).
Fat has the lowest thermic effect of 0 – 3 per cent ( meaning that if you eat a mere 100 calories of fat your body would use 0 – 3 of those calories to digest it ).
So now hopefully you can see why protein is revered amongst fitness folk. And where the ” fat makes you fat ” saying comes from. Because it’s easily stored as body fat due to its high caloric value and low thermic effect.
Working Out Your Fat Loss Macros
So going back to the example above of the 180-pound male at 20% body fat. As you know he needs to consume 2062 calories per day to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week.
So first we will workout protein
Protein For Fat Loss
Because the male in this example is 180 pounds, he will need to consume 0.8 – 1.0-gram protein per pound of bodyweight so he will be eating from 144 grams of protein – 180 grams of protein every day. So Let’s say that he wants to consume the upper end of this range and will be consuming 180 grams of protein every day.
We now need to work out how many calories this will be.
To do this we simply do this calculation. 180 x 4 (because there are 4 calories in 1 gram of protein) So this will be 720 calories from protein.
Carbs And Fats
To work out your carbs and fats you want to at least be consuming 20% of your diet from fats. To do this simply do the following calculation.
2062 x 0.2 =412 calories.
And to work out how many grams of fat you need to consume do the following calculation.
412 / 9 = 46 grams of fat
And to work out your carbohydrates.
You need to add you protein and your fat calories. The calculation is below.
720 + 412 = 1132 calories.
You then subtract your protein and fat calories from your calorie deficit. Like below.
2062- 1132 = 930 calories from carbohydrates.
And to work out how many grams of carbs you need to consume. Do the following calculation.
930 / 4 = 232 grams of carbohydrates
The Total Macros Should Look Like This
180 grams of protein (4)
46 grams of fat (9)
232 grams of carbohydrates (4)
If you multiply each of the macronutrients by there respected calorie value. You will reach the calorie deficit of 2062 calories per day.
You Don’t Need To Track Every Macronutrient Perfectly To Lose Fat
If you don’t want to be strict with your macronutrient tracking and going back to the example, just track 180 grams of protein and make sure you eat 2062 calories per day then that’s a perfectly reasonable goal.
I use this approach all the time.
Its actually quite rare that I get my macros perfect.
Remember consistency over perfection.
You Should Be Resistance Training, Or At The Very Least Be Doing Some Sort Of Exercise
If you start a properly structured weight training program and you pair it with a calorie deficit (like in this article) you can actually do a body recomposition. This is where you gain muscle while you lose fat. Win-win. But this doesn’t happen forever (otherwise you would be a big mountain of muscle)
To Follow A 3 Day Per Week Program Click Below
And for women there is a 3 day program at the bottom of the article that I’ve linked for you below.
And if you can’t go to the gym, then this bodyweight routine will help you build/ retain muscle when you’re in a calorie deficit. Generally speaking, you can only gain muscle in a calorie deficit for the first 6 months to a year and this only occurs if your brand new to lifting/ training ( a novice ).
If You Don’t Like To Do Weight Training Or Bodyweight Training You can Still Lose Fat
If you don’t want to do bodyweight workouts or free weight workouts that’s okay. Although weight training is the most effective form of training followed by bodyweight training. But if the aforementioned training methodologies aren’t your thing. You can just do any form of cardio that you enjoy.
Do you enjoy riding your bike, or walking? whatever is your preferred choice of cardio. You can still lose fat. So long as you’re in a calorie deficit.
The key is to pick a form of exercise that you like and can stick too.
Optimise Your Environment For Fat Loss
You want to control your environment. Not have your environment control you. What do I mean by this? Well, think about it like this. You have lots of cakes, chocolate biscuits and junk food in numerous draws, and cupboards in your house.
Do you think this is going to benefit your fat loss goal? Probably not. It’s going to make binging and over-consuming on calories much easier to do. So what you should do is:
Make sure that when you go shopping you buy 80% – 90% of your groceries from proper whole foods. Foods like those below.
If you get the majority of your diet from foods like these and other fruits, grains, starches, vegetables and protein then you will be able to lose fat with ease.
Some good sources of the most important macronutrient (protein) are below:
And some low calorie fruits:
You Can Make Vegetables Taste Good
You also want to be eating plenty of vegetables. Vegetables are great because they have very little calories per 100 grams and they are some of the most filling foods on the planet. Look Below for a graphic that I made to help you when it Comes down to the vegetables you should consume ( all vegetables are great just make sure that you boil or steam them and don’t cook them in heaps of butter/ oils).
To make vegetables ( and other savoury foods ) taste good you can use low-calorie condiments like tabasco sauce, sriracha sauce, low-fat mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce ( there are tons of low-calorie condiments to choose from, go to your grocery store and check them out ) that make your food taste great. Salt and pepper always make vegetables taste amazing.
A Strategy To Make Each Meal As Filling As Possible – How To Lose Fat Quickly
One meal-prep trick that works exceptionally well for helping you stay full. Is to eat one starchy carb like potatoes ( potatoes are also a vegetable), rice, oats or bread, with a source of protein and a fibrous vegetable or fruit ( most of the vegetables in the graphic above ).
Some Example Meals To Help With Fat Loss
So I’m just going to show you some tasty, healthy and filling meals based on the advice I’ve just told you.
Meal 1 – 40 grams of oats cooked with water, 1 scoop of protein powder, and Blueberries.
Meal 2 – A cooked chicken breast, with 70 grams of rice (uncooked weight) and some broccoli with 15 grams of ketchup.
3 whole eggs , 150 grams of cherry tomatoes and 1 or 2 slices of toast.
40 grams of bran flakes with 150 grams of skyr and 100 grams of strawberries.
As you can see these meals are very straight forward. And once you have a list of the foods that you can put together ( like in the graphics above ) then you’re limited to your own creativity.
How You Can Stay Full In A Calorie Deficit – How To Lose Fat Quickly
I’d be lying if I told you that being in a calorie deficit and reaching your fat loss goals was easy. You’ll sometimes get hungry. It won’t always be a walk in the park.
But you can do everything in your power to make sure that you stay full when you’re in a calorie deficit ( eating fewer calories than you burn ). If you follow the tips in the graphic below you will be taking massive leaps towards making your fat loss goal as easy as possible to attain.
How To Make Progress And Still Enjoy Social Gatherings, And Alcohol- How To Lose Fat Quickly
If you’re going out for a meal or to a party. Where there will be abundant quantities of food and alcohol. You can still enjoy yourself you just need to be smart about it.
If you want to learn how you can enjoy alcohol and still reach your health and fitness goals. Then read the article below. It includes everything I can think of to help you still enjoy your favourite alcoholic beverages while not falling off the diet wagon.
A Strategy For Eating Out And Still Reaching Your Fat Loss Goals – How To Lose Fat Quickly
If you’re going out for a meal and you think that there will be lots of high-calorie foods. Then the good news is you can still lose fat. You just need to be smart about it. By following these 3 tips below:
- Check the menu (and decide what you’re going to eat ) before you go out.
- Try Intermittent Fasting so that you can eat less frequent but bigger meals.
- Avoid high fat, creamy and fried foods.
Remember though calories are king. And what matters the most is that you consume fewer calories than you burn. To watch the video I made on this strategy. Click below.
The Mental Side Of Achieving Your Fat Loss Goal
There are two methods that I’m going to discuss below, that you can use to help to get to your fat loss goal. That, when paired together, dramatically increase your chances of success.
Write Your Fat Loss Goal Down On A Single Piece Of Paper
This is a form of really identifying exactly what you want to achieve and why. Get a piece of paper and answer the questions below.
Why do you want to achieve this goal? It could be to live a longer, healthier life. Or to reduce the risk of predisposing yourself to diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, fatty liver disease and other undesirable side effects of neglecting your health.
It could be to set an example to your kids. The reason I say this is because our actions every day influence the people around us either in a bad way or a good way. And if you make a conscious effort to work on your health and fitness then your kids will be more likely to be too as well.
It could be for vanity reasons, that’s okay. Lots of studies show that we’re happiest once we’ve achieved a hard goal. That could be losing 20-30 pounds of body fat and getting to a healthy body fat percentage. If you can do this. Thats amazing and you should be proud.
Make Your Fat Loss Goal Come To Life – How To Lose Fat Quickly
The next trick is to make your fat loss goal come to life. Picture yourself in that pair of jeans that used to fit you when you were in your early twenties. Try to picture yourself looking in the mirror and seeing your abs coming out. You want to picture yourself standing on the scale and at your goal bodyweight.
These are just a few examples. But try to picture yourself in some way. That really gets you excited of what it will be like to reach your fat loss goal.
How To Lose Fat Quickly Consistency, Consistency, Consistency
Now at your disposal, you have some of the most effective strategies to lose fat and keep it off for life.
But I want you to promise me one thing.
That you’ll be consistent.
If you just use what has been said in this article. You will 100% get to your fat loss goal.
It’s just a matter of implementing these strategies every day. And in time they will pay off.
The Bottom Line On How To Lose Fat Quickly
- Firstly understand that there are a lot of fads, myths and bad information in general in the fitness space ( but there is certainly good information out there too). And instead of jumping from one fad to another. You should use proven principles like energy balance and use the Katch Mcardle formula to calculate your calories and macronutrients. And most importantly stick to your calorie deficit religiously.
- Secondly, prioritise protein over the other macronutrients and if you don’t want to track every specific macronutrient. Just track your protein and calories. This is a great approach.
- Make sure that you’re choosing whole foods most of the time and try to eat with each meal a lean protein ( such as chicken breast, 0% fat Greek yoghurt or lean steak mince for a few examples ), a starchy carbohydrate, and a fibrous vegetable.
- Lastly, write down on a piece of paper every reason for wanting to get to your fat loss goal. And then envision what it will be like to get to your goal weight or what you’ll look like in the mirror. Make your goal come alive.
I hope I’ve given you all you need to know about fat loss and how to lose fat quickly and sustainably. If you need any additional help or just want to let me know what you think. Email me at henrypaget@hotmail.co.uk
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