all about fat loss
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If you’re in a calorie deficit and working towards fat loss goals, a main goal should be minimizing any feelings of restriction or hunger so you can maximize adherence to your deficit. This is why we, as coaches, take a strong stance against aggressive and unsustainable deficits. If our hunger is through the roof each day, it’s not very likely that we’ll be able to adhere to that calorie deficit for long. Luckily, there are tools that can help us minimize hunger and, luckily, those same tools also keep us well-fueled and promote our overall health as well.
I think we all technically know that our weight is just an arbitrary number on a device that doesn't mean that much, but it can still be difficult to let go of the anxiety and frustration that this number sometimes carries. It's easy to step on the scale and either feel proud when we see the number has decreased or hopeless when it hasn't. This is because we have this idea that the number on the scale equates to our self-worth. Rather than just suggesting that you don't let the number on the scale bother you, I want to delve deeper into how we can utilize the number on the scale as a measure of progress alongside other metrics, or how we can step away from the scale entirely -- and how to decide which option is best for us.
As someone who reentered the dating world a few years ago, I never fully understood the concept of red flags. And then, suddenly, I understood the dialogue. It seemed like I was in a parade, and red flags were readily available and in abundance. But dating doesn't have the monopoly on red flags. Our bodies often wave a giant red flag in front of us, and we seem to be colorblind to it. But I want to draw your attention to calorie deficit red flags, how a reverse diet can address those red flags, and whether a reverse diet may be appropriate for you.
There is quite a bit of misinformation behind the idea of intermittent fasting. Some sources claim that it is the ‘best’ way to pursue fat loss, others boast mental clarity, and some boldly imply that it is as simple as skipping breakfast and then getting abs. The truth is that we all practice IF to some extent; when we sleep, we are fasting. This period of fasting is important for helping regulate blood lipids and blood pressure, reducing inflammation markers, and stimulating metabolism (all totally normal processes in our bodies). The claim that IF is a helpful fat loss strategy stems from these benefits, but doesn’t mean it’s the magic pill you’ve been looking for.
The idea of what is “healthy” is nuanced. A salad can be healthy as it’s filled with micronutrients, and a cookie can be healthy when we allow ourselves to enjoy it guilt-free. It’s important to note that fast food can be consumed in a way that isn’t as healthful if opting for super calorie-dense options that lack nutrients, but most fast food restaurants do have options that are more aligned with goals of eating healthfully. Fast food is not bad, nor is any singular food bad or good, because they exist within the context of our goals and life circumstances.
Reverse diets may also be helpful if you’ve been eating a deficit for a long period of time and want to get an idea for what your current maintenance calorie needs are. It can be beneficial to slowly increase calories to make sure you’re keeping the habits you established while in your calorie deficit, rather than just considering the end of your deficit to be a signal to just stop being mindful of your nutrition altogether. Chances are that your ideal maintenance nutrition doesn’t look much different than your deficit nutrition – just slightly larger meals and a little extra flexibility.
There is so much nuance in talking about the topic of a calorie deficit. From navigating a deficit in a sustainable way to recognizing if your body is even ready for a deficit, there are so many different factors to consider.
It’s just as important to develop strategies for times when you don’t have the capacity for laser focus as it is to maintain consistency when you’re aggressively pursuing a goal. Maybe even more so, because you will have times in your life where your nutrition-related goals have to take a back seat.
When considering fat loss, the number one thing we talk about is energy balance. In order to lose fat, it’s necessary to eat a calorie deficit (eating less calories than you expend). However, our bodies aren’t made to exist in a calorie deficit forever. Enter: the maintenance phase.
One part of our nutrition that I think can be really empowering is learning to address appetite through the typical ebbs and flows of life. This means when we’re sick, hot, busy, etc. and appetite is low (or gone completely); and when we’re more active or a little munchy and appetite is higher than normal. In either of these situations, knowledge of our nutrition allows us to tailor our food choices to how we’re feeling, so we can still honor our hunger and fullness cues and continue to fuel ourselves well.
In most general cases, we think of metabolism as the processes that convert food and drink into energy that we can use. It’s a hot topic in today’s nutrition sphere as it so closely correlates to fat loss and dieting, but in a broader sense, our human metabolisms are all of the processes that work in our cells to keep us alive, down to the cellular level.
If you want to reduce your body fat percentage, build muscle mass, reach a goal weight, or improve strength in the gym, tailoring your nutrition to your goals is absolutely essential to achieving those goals.
Some stress is considered vital for a happy and healthy life. Stress challenges us to adapt and overcome obstacles by learning new things, and stress motivates us to set and progress toward personal goals. On the other hand, too much stress that goes unrelieved can have negative consequences on our health and fitness goals, on top of negatively impacting our emotional health and well-being.
Even if you have composition goals, your current body is fully deserving of your respect. Learning to respect your body even if you have composition goals is one of the first ways to start building that confidence.
After over seven years working as an online nutrition coach (and years in the fitness industry before this!), I want to share four major nutrition mistakes we often see as coaches working 1:1 with our clients. These mistakes aren’t because our clients are uninformed or wrong; they’re just often things we have been told (incorrectly) most of our lives.
If you’re a perfectionist, chances are you’ve been told repeatedly that “perfect is the enemy of good”. The problem, though, is that the goal is still to be good. And if there’s anything I’ve learned from my perfectionist clients, it’s that good is never good enough.
One of the most frustrating forms of sabotage is chasing an old version of ourselves. Even if we do instinctively know that it’s a fruitless task, it’s something we often do that leaves us spinning our wheels in frustration and overwhelm because we’re chasing a goal that is not physically possible.
We already know that a calorie deficit is the most important factor at play when it comes to pursuing fat loss goals. But, for most, staying in a consistent calorie deficit is a lot more challenging (and far more complex) than just “eating less and moving more.” One roadblock I see hindering progress over and over is not being in the right place to commit to these goals from the start.
Individuals who strength train gain muscle, lose fat, look leaner, improve their health, and are more athletic than the general population. The reason we talk about strength training as nutrition coaches is because, alongside digging into our nutrition more, adding resistance training can aid in the pursuit of these goals.
Eating enough protein is very important for maintaining muscle and burning fat, especially when tracking macros with the goal of being in a calorie deficit. Eating higher protein snacks throughout the day has two major benefits: (1) high protein snacks help us eat enough protein (duh), and (2) they help us manage hunger levels. Here are some easy high protein snacks that require minimal or no prep, are widely available, and are easy to pack and take with you anywhere.
What if we acknowledged that you can still have your “hot girl (or guy) summer” WHILE starting to initiate the changes you may desire to make starting NOW? And what if I told you that as you begin those changes NOW, you may be able to develop multiple hot girl summers in a row without a quick fix?
Today’s post talks about the power of setting minimums - how they can be an effective tool for progress, and the recurring theme that progress is about flexibility, not about an “all or nothing” approach.
I had an overwhelming response to my call for your nutrition questions, so here are some of those great questions answered in part 2 of this Q&A series. Nutrition can be confusing and overwhelming, and I hope some of these responses help clear up some questions you’ve been wondering about as well!
I had an overwhelming response to my call for your nutrition questions, so here are some of those great questions answered in part 1 of this Q&A series. Nutrition can be confusing and overwhelming, and I hope some of these responses help clear up some questions you’ve been wondering about as well!
Despite the body confidence we might have, we're bound to have days where we pick ourselves apart - where we feel insecure, believe we're "feeling fat" or "bloated," or we don't feel comfortable. Generally, I find it's easy to blame our bodies for those feelings when so many other aspects might actually be at play.
Here at KLN, we don’t do meal plans. A meal plan doesn’t give you an alternative when it’s girls night, when you’re out for drinks after work, or when you’re on the road with your family. Most of all, a meal plan doesn’t take into account that life is chaotic and constantly changing.
When considering fat loss, the number one thing we talk about is energy balance. In order to lose fat, it’s necessary to eat a calorie deficit (eating less calories than you expend). However, our bodies aren’t made to exist in a calorie deficit forever.
Elevated stress levels and lack of adequate sleep can mess with the regulation of hormones that impact hunger levels and fat loss rate, and can also lead to mood problems that impact decision-making skills. This can create a one-two punch that makes fat loss much, much harder than it needs to be.
This fixation with the scale is a pattern we see with clients often. It’s natural, but it’s also preventable. Rather than just suggesting that you don’t let the number on the scale bother you, today’s post dives a little deeper into how you can make the most of this (often inaccurate) measure of progress and other ways to determine the true changes you are experiencing on your fat loss journey.
A maintenance phase is arguably the most important season of our nutrition since it’s where we can best focus on the habits that help us find harmony with our physical, mental, emotional, and social health. Without the prioritization of changing our bodies, the other aspects of our lives that we value can better be at the forefront. However, that doesn’t mean that body composition can’t remain in the periphery. The foundational habits that we develop before or alongside a focused fat loss phase, with the goal of long-term physical change, continuously support small aesthetic changes over time.