You probably clicked on this because you’re sick and tired of suffering through a new diet every year. Instead of just going on keto or cutting out all your carbs, I’m going to tell you 5 ways that will help make your fat loss process easier so you don’t have to suffer. These tips will allow you to keep a similar diet that you currently have without making too drastic of a change. Let's be honest, keto sucks and carbs are freaking awesome! If you haven’t done so already, make sure you read this article below where I show you how to calculate how many calories you should be consuming for fat loss. It will answer all, if not most of your questions for fat loss and help you get a general understanding of the basics for nutrition.
https://www.terrylinfit.com/post/manage-your-blog-from-your-live-site So let's get into the 5 ways that will help make fat loss easier so you don’t have to suffer.
1) Making Sure You Consume Enough Protein
Protein is the most important macronutrient that you should focus on if you want to make fat loss easier. Most people see protein mainly for muscle building, but it also helps control your blood sugar and hunger levels. This means you will have less cravings and feel full longer without having the constant need to look for something to eat.
So How Much Protein Do You Need?
If you didn’t read the article above, here’s the answer. Everyone is going to need a different amount, but the general rule of thumb is anywhere between 0.8 grams to 1 gram per pound of your body weight.
If you are an individual that has more weight to lose or just never had a higher protein diet, stick towards the lower end of the range. You can even start off with just half your body weight and slowly add in more.
Here’s A List Below Of Foods That Are High In Protein
Meat:
- Ground beef
- Steak
- Chicken breast
- Chicken thighs
- Pork chops
- Ground turkey
- Lamb
Seafood:
- Fish
- Shrimp
- Crab
- Lobster
- Clams
- Mussels
- Scallops
Dairy:
- Greek yogurt
- Whey protein
- Milk
- Cheese
- Eggs (Not a dairy, but I will just include it in this list)
Vegan:
- Beans
- Tofu
- Seitan
- Lentils
- Hemp & chia seeds
- Nuts
- Plant based protein
How Often Should I Consume Protein?
If you want to maximize protein absorption, you should space out your protein intake instead of just eating it all in one sitting. For example, if you have to take in 160 grams of protein for the day, space it out to four meals of 40 grams of protein for each meal.
It’s also very difficult to consume all your protein in one sitting. Don’t stress too much over how much you need to eat with each meal. Just focus on the total amount you need for the day. Your overall protein intake is more important.
2) Making Sure You Are Consuming Enough Fiber
A nutrient that no one talks about enough is fiber. Besides protein, many people don’t get enough fiber in their daily diet. Just like protein, fiber helps control your blood sugar and hunger levels. It also lowers your cholesterol and helps with your digestion.
That means less constipation and time needed on the toilet.
So How Much Fiber Do You Need?
I recommend 10-15 grams per 1,000 calories that you are consuming. So if you are consuming 2,500 calories, you should consume 25-35 grams of fiber. A simple way to make sure you are getting enough fiber is by eating fruits and a big salad every day. Also, opt in for some whole grains which usually have a good amount of fiber.
Here’s A List Below Of Foods That Are High In Fiber
Foods High In Fiber
- Pears - Apples - Bananas
- Oatmeal
- Popcorn
- Whole grains
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Beets
- Chickpeas
- Beans
- Sweet potatoes
3) Calorie Free Drinks
Liquid calories can easily sneak up on you if you aren’t paying attention to them. You may think they don’t matter, but you will be surprised how they can easily add up. Swapping your current drinks with calorie free options will help you reduce some of your calories.
This doesn’t mean go chug a bottle of soda just because it is calorie free. Continue to drink plenty of water and enjoy some other drinks too. Carbonated drinks such as seltzer/sparkling are one of my favorite options whenever I’m trying to reduce my calorie intake.
But I Thought Diet drinks Are Bad For You Because Of The Aspartame?
Aspartame doesn’t cause cancer. Aspartame doesn’t cause you to store body fat. There isn't any research to support that aspartame is the direct cause. For you to get any side effects from aspartame, you would have to consume probably 40 times more than what you are currently consuming. However, this doesn’t mean you should drown yourself with multiple family size bottles of diet drinks every day. It just means you can have a can or a bottle with your meals. You should still prioritize water as your main source of hydration.
4) Being Flexible With Your Diet
Being flexible with your diet is helpful in having a sustainable diet. People fail their diet because they become too restrictive with their food choices. I see this happen often where someone would do extremely well from Monday to Thursday with the nutrition, then Friday to Sunday it's thrown right out of the window.
You don’t have to cut out carbs or sugar in order to lose fat. You don’t have to cut out anything entirely in order for you to make progress. This means allowing yourself to have more variety and not limiting yourself to just plain old chicken, rice, and broccoli. Nothing against that specific meal, but it ends up just tasting like cardboard if that’s the only thing you’re eating.
Does That Mean I Can Eat Out At Restaurants?
Yes! Just because you decide to eat out at a restaurant, it doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong or cheating on your diet. Your relationship with food is important in having a long term sustainable diet.
One meal out isn’t going to drastically change the trajectory of your progress that you already achieve. You just don’t want it to become a habit where you end up having no self control over what you’re eating. Allow yourself to go out and still have a social life while you are trying to lose fat because it’s possible!
5) Have A Similar eating schedule
Having a similar eating schedule is helpful in keeping your meals consistent. It helps you stay consistent so you know and understand your hunger cues. This way you won’t have a huge spike in your hunger to just eat everything you see in sight.
This doesn’t mean you need to have an alarm every two hours to let you know that you need to eat. Eating more frequently with smaller meals isn’t superior to eating less frequently with bigger meals, vice versa. Choose an eating schedule that fits your lifestyle and preference. Some people like myself enjoy eating bigger meals with less snacks. Others like to snack throughout the day without having these massive meals. Some days you will eat at different times because of social events and that is okay. Don’t feel like you are glued down to this specific schedule, but having a general schedule to follow will help you stay consistent with your nutrition.
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Email: terrylinfit@gmail.com
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