Weight Loss Made Simple

Throw away the textbooks, put down your pencil, get rid of myfitness pal (for now) and read on for some insight into the most simplistic way to make dietary change that will illicit fantastic results in regards to fat loss.

Now… I think its important to first acknowledge that the advice being given in this article is generic, appealing to the masses and may not be the most optimal diet, but it is without a doubt a very simple approach to fat loss. 

The fact remains, that in order to achieve optimal results, you need an optimal approach and I am the first person to preach the importance of being able to test and measure diet theories and similarly I am also a stickler for accuracy, consistency and accountability when it comes to dieting my clients into contest shape or getting them ready for some form of athletic performance.

But that’s not you!

That is not the approach you wish to take… and that’s ok.

Not everyone is willing to turn their dietary habits upside down purely for a physique goal.

• What about life?
• What about socialising?
• What about taste?

Those are 3 VERY important things for the large majority us.  Unfortunately, they are more than likely the same 3 reasons for why the majority of our nation is overweight as well, but that doesn’t mean we can’t at least maintain some balance.

Before you judge the following content in this article, however, I suggest jumping over to my Flexible Dieting Article and reading about my diet philosophy and where it comes from first.
Then drop all the specificity of my articles and read below for the most simplistic approach to nutrition.

But first lets discuss some quick fundamentals…

Principle #1

In order to lose significant amounts of body fat you must consume less calories from food than you burn from day to day activity or direct exercise.

Principle #2

Protein is both the most anabolic (muscle growing) and the most thermogenic (calories the body burns to use it) macronutrient you can consume. Ensuring adequate protein intake is maintained is critically important for muscle and metabolism preservation.

Principle #3

Micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) intake is critically important for ensuring long-term health is maintained and will help support all bodily cellular processes. In order to achieve adequate micronutrient intake, a minimum of 2 serves (200g) of fruit and 5 serves (400g) of mixed vegetables should be consumed.

Now what do we do with these fundamentals?

Simple… below is a generic guide on how to follow a diet that is balanced across the 3 principles without requiring too much measurement and very little thought, yet should create an environment conducive to fat loss.

Women will be following a 3 meal and 2 snack approach, while men will follow a 4 meals and 2 snack approach.

The only thing you have to consider is when you are training and what food you require to be eaten around training in order to ensure your performance is maintained.
So… it goes like this.

• All meals must contain a protein source
• All meals must contain vegetables
• Snacks are to be fruit or 150g of low fat low sugar yoghurt (Chobani)
• Carbohydrates (not including fruit) are only to be consumed on training days and should be in the meal prior and the meal after training only
• You can eat as many vegetables as you like
• Everyone has an allocated calorie snack to be consumed at a time they choose and can be consumed from any food they like (chocolate, ice cream, crackers, cheese, yoghurt, chips etc). This is for individual specificity

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Now that you have rules, your diet should look something like this:

Males

• 2 main meals that are moderate protein, moderate carb and low fat - 1 meal prior and 1 meal post training
• 2 main meals that are high protein, high fat and low carb
• 2 snacks per day - 1 piece of fruit at each snack and a small portion of yoghurt  as well
• 1 ‘free’ snack of 350kcal - This can be from any food you like and it is encouraged you eat this ‘treat’ every day.

Females

• 1 main meal that is moderate protein, moderate to high carb and low fat - Consumed post workout
• 1 snack of fruit plus yoghurt pre workout
• 2 main meals that are high protein, high fat and low carb
• 1 snack of just fruit only
• 1 ‘free’ snack of 250kcal - This can be from any food you like and it is encouraged you eat this ‘treat’ every day.

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Additional notes

• Fill your plate with vegetables first, stack them up high
• Add a protein source that is approximately the size of your palm
• Add a serve of fat or carbs depending on the meal
• Attempt to over chew your foods to allow for optimal digestion and to reduce eating too fast before your satisfaction response kicks in
• Consume water alongside your meals
• A small serve of sauce (1 tablespoon) can be used at each meal

Not sure what constitutes a protein, carbohydrate or fat source or unsure on what fruits are best?

Check out the list below for a quick guide. 

And there you have it… fat loss made simple.

Following this guide will indirectly control the consumption of calories and will also support performance in the gym as well as energy and hunger outside of the gym too.

The fastest way to fat loss is consistency, so be smart, diet with balance and above all, enjoy the experience!