Fat Loss 101: Mastering The Basics

One of the biggest struggles I often see people make when they’re starting on a fat loss journey is diving headfirst into the extreme ends of a restrictive diet and countless hours of cardio without mastering the basics first and find themselves hitting the wall after a while because they couldn’t keep up with the process.

With that in mind, here are some of the fundamentals that you should be focusing on and get good at if your goal is to lose fat and keep it off.

1. Energy balance is the key. In other words, calories in and out matter most when it comes to body recomposition and weight management. So for you to lose weight and fat, your energy expenditure (calories out; exercising and physical activity) needs to be higher than your energy uptake (calories in; food), putting you in a state of energy deficit.
   
   In short, to lose weight and body fat, move more and eat less. This brings us to our next point.
   
   

2. Stay active and keep moving. Whilst it’s important to be consistent with your workouts, it’s also important to not neglect what you do outside the gym. To maximize fat loss, the idea is to move as frequently as possible and not stay sedentary throughout the day.
   
   One of the easiest ways to increase your activity level is to get your steps in or better yet, set a step count goal and accumulate your steps throughout the day. There are also other ways you can bring up your activity levels such as sweeping and mopping the floor, washing the dishes, playing with your kids, grocery trips, etc.
   
   Daily activities, or NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), may seem small and unattractive compared to long, intensive workouts, but they can pack a punch in the long run without wearing you down.
   
   

3. Cleaning up your diet. Whilst you can lose weight and body fat over fast foods just as long as you’re in an energy deficit. However, realistically speaking, it is not sustainable for your overall health and longevity.
   
   Try reducing heavily processed foods and replacing them with wholesome nutritious foods such as quality lean protein sources, a variety of vegetables and fruits, minimally processed fats, and fibrous carbohydrate foods.
   
   Not only you’ll feel better in terms of your mood and energy levels but also your hunger, appetite, and overall recovery too when you include more nutrient-dense food in your diet.
   
   

4. Get your sleep game on. Sleep is one of the most underrated and neglected aspects when it comes to health and especially fat loss. Not only does sleep affects our physiology (energy levels, hunger levels, digestion and absorption, muscular endurance and strength levels, and libido/ hormonal functions) but also psychology such as our ability to focus, think, make decisions, and control our emotions and actions.
   
   This is especially important because chronic sleep deprivation will not only deteriorate your health but also derail your fat loss progress and potentially pull you in the opposite direction.
   
   Have a set daily sleep routine where you’d sleep and wake up at the same time and aim for 7-8 hours of uninterrupted, restful sleep to maximize your health and fat loss potential.
   

Fat loss is pretty straightforward and can be easily obtained and maintained once you nail the big rocks as mentioned above. Hope you’ve found this article of value and help to your fat loss journey, feel free to reach out to me at eric@tuckericofs.com should you have any questions regarding fat loss, muscle building, or fitness in general, I look forward to helping you.