To lose body fat, you have to eat fewer calories than your body expends.
Counting calories is the most straightforward way to do so.
However, this doesn‘t work for everyone:
You may struggle to integrate this method into your lifestyle - especially if you eat at restaurants often or travel a lot.
The idea of counting calories can also be daunting if you’re already dealing with numbers at work all the time.
Or, worse, you might even start to see food only as a tool and resent it.
If so, you’ll never achieve sustainable weight loss due to the internal conflict of reaching goals and still wanting to enjoy food.
This happened to me in 2021:
I tracked meticulously to optimize my diet for peak strength.
However, while I saw great results for six months, I started to hate it.
I would start to sabotage my efforts and as a result, regressed into worse shape.
I felt like shit and it took me a year to be able to enjoy food and regain my strength again.
The reality is that sustainability is the foundation for success.
If counting calories doesn’t work for you, you need a different approach.
That’s what you’ll get in this blog post:
You’ll learn a method you can easily integrate into your life, offering the most flexibility and enjoyment.
And all that without compromising efficiency.
You will be able to stick to it - no matter if you are on holiday, working on your business, or traveling.
**Let’s dive in!**💪
1 – Gain awareness
If you’re struggling to lose weight, I bet you underestimate the number of calories you consume.
My new clients often realize they’ve been underestimating their caloric intake by over 1000 calories!
This leads to frustration when weight loss goals are not met.
If you want to address this issue, you need to gather some data.
Start by tracking all your meals and drinks for a week.
Write down your meals, without worrying about tracking calories or nutrients.
The aim is to gain insight into your eating patterns.
Collect this information on a piece of paper without judging yourself.
You don’t have to do this forever, but at the beginning, you need to get aware of what you’re eating.
Not doing so is like trying to build a business, without knowing your cash flow – it doesn’t work.
2 – Optimize
The next step is to optimize your meals to reduce energy intake.
Focus on whole foods.
They provide valuable micronutrients that contribute to your health and well-being.
Additionally, whole foods tend to be less calorie-dense and more satiating.
As a result, you’ll consume fewer calories – even though you might eat a higher volume of food!
That’s the whole secret to losing weight, without eating less.
To achieve this, you should reduce the consumption of processed foods:
Fried meats, artificial sugars, calorie-laden drinks, and alcohol - especially hard liquor.
Next, increase the amount of protein you eat.
Protein is your best friend for several reasons:
Eating more protein helps you feel full and satisfied, so you're less likely to overeat
Protein supports the growth of muscles, which improves your body shape
Eating protein-rich foods helps you feel energized after meals
Include a portion of protein with every meal you eat.
If this is difficult for you, protein shakes provide a simple solution.
Also, make sure to stay hydrated.
Water reduces hunger, boosts your energy levels, and increases your well-being.
3 – Build and track supportive habits
Have you ever wondered why some people can eat “whatever they want”, without gaining weight?
The secret is their habits.
Here are the 3 high-leverage habits that will aid your weight loss.
None of them are restrictive and they will give you a better life:
Strength training:
Yes, you can lose weight without training, but you shouldn’t.
You will build muscle, which allows you to burn extra calories – even while you sleep!
I’ve seen clients who successfully shed belly fat simply by starting a workout routine - without making any changes to their diet!
On top of that, exercising is literally a health hack – it’s shown to improve:
Gut health
Brain Health
Bone density
Blood sugar levels
Mental well-being
Cardiovascular health
Markers of chronic inflammations
You don’t have to spend 10 hours in the gym to reap these benefits.
Working out 2-3 times per week for 20-45 minutes can already do wonders if you have a good program.
Daily activity:
Increasing your daily steps – even if you don’t do higher-intensity cardio – is the simplest way to increase your daily energy expenditure
One mile of a brisk walk can burn around 150 calories for a 200lbs person!
2 extra daily miles per day can end up in 300 more calories burnt that you don’t have to cover through nutrition!
Aim for 6000-8000 steps per day.
On top of that, you’ll reap more benefits:
Less stress
More mental clarity
Better sleep through sunlight exposure
Walks are a cheat code for creatives and entrepreneurs.
Sleep and stress management:
Prioritizing quality sleep helps regulate appetite and improves recovery.
You'll be more prone to overeating and lack emotional control without sufficient sleep.
Poor sleep also increases muscle loss during weight loss - the last thing you want.
Click HERE for a guide to perfect sleep, even if you cannot increase the number of hours.
4 – Weigh yourself and adjust
You’ve started to observe your meals, habits, and activity.
Now you need to weigh yourself consistently.
This allows you to make necessary adjustments.
If you install these strategies, I guarantee you'll begin seeing weight loss progress.
If the scale does not show the desired results, it is time to adjust your habits and meals.
Increasing protein and vegetable intake will be helpful in this regard.
If necessary, you can calculate your calorie intake for one or two weeks.
You'll gain a better understanding of why your current approach may not be working.
Instead of solely reducing calorie intake, increase your daily steps.
5 – Food Freedom
As mentioned earlier, tracking meals forever isn’t necessary.
Over time, you'll develop the ability to eat intuitively without regaining the weight.
This is what I call "food freedom":
The optimal balance between enjoyment, energy balance, and nutritiousness.
You will be able to maintain your weight without tracking your meals due to the habits you have built.
If your weight starts to increase for any reason, return to observing your meals to regain control.
Recap
While you need to consider energy balance to lose weight, you don’t have to obsess over every calorie.
Start by tracking your meals to collect data and get aware of your eating patterns.
Optimize for a caloric deficit by focusing on whole foods and increasing your protein intake.
Establish supportive habits such as strength training, daily activity, and quality sleep.
Weigh yourself regularly to track progress and make necessary adjustments.
If desired results are not achieved, reassess your habits and meals.
The goal is a state of intuitive eating, where you maintain your weight without constant tracking.
If you want personalized help to integrate this strategy into your busy schedule so that you can drop 12-20 lbs in 90 days, click HERE.