There are many things we can do to guarantee fat loss, but I've included the 5 most important 'laws' to measure first. If you've "tried everything and nothing works" chances are, 1 or more of these must-do's weren't being done.
1: Calorie Deficit
You knew it was coming. This has to be THE law because it applies even without exercise.
This biological fact is quite simple. Everybody burns a certain number of calories per day, respectively. That number is a product of our height, weight, gender, body fat percentage, lean mass percentage, and exercise frequency. There are a number of algorithms that can determine your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, but my favorite source is TDEE Calculator: Learn Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Even if you are not active but want to lose weight, you can lose weight by taking in less calories than you burn. (Notice how I said weight.)
The trick to lose weight safely and sustainably, is to aim for 1lb of fat per week. There are 3,500 calories in 1lb of fat (you read that right) so, if our goal is to lose 1lb per week, we would have to eat 500 less calories than our TDEE. If you find you are losing weight at a faster rate, that could be ok in 2 scenarios.
1- You are also losing water weight or 2- you are eating at more than a 500cal deficit. These are both fine UNLESS you are losing muscle mass as well.
2: Sufficient Protein:
Protein, in my professional opinion, is the most important macronutrient. It is the building block for muscle retention/growth. The more lean mass we have, the more fat our bodies burn for energy and therefore increasing our TDEE. Without protein we would recover from exercise much slower, our bone density would suffer, and our immune system will have to work even harder to fight sickness and disease.
How much protein do you need though? According to Harvard Health, for a human to reach their basic nutrient requirements, a minimum protein goal would be .8 grams per Kilogram of body weight (or .38 grams per pound).
How much protein do you need every day? - Harvard Health
WebMD has the same minimum metric, but their article goes further in depth for specific age ranges such as babies, children, and geriatrics.
Daily Protein Requirements: How Much Do You Really Need?
Are we really here to get our basic nutrients though? I'm not. I don't believe either one of us just want to meet the minimum. Especially if we're only measuring up to America's average. Yeesh...
The BARE minimum I give people to shoot for first is slightly higher at 1g per Kg. To find this number, divide your body weight by 2.2. That is to say, if I weigh 200lb, my minimum protein goal should be closer to 90g (not 76g). Once this number is easy to maintain for you, I suggest increasing it even more; and before I give you that number, here's why I believe more is best: Assuming you will be adding the 3rd Must-Do to your regimen if you haven't already, your muscles need a large amount of protein to recover at a significant rate to grow, let alone just to maintain themselves. Also, protein is a very satiating macro. Have you ever eaten 6 brownies in an afternoon? Of course, we all have. Now, have you ever eaten 6 chicken breasts in an afternoon? I'd be impressed, because the chicken is much more filling than the brownies.
So, if you're hitting a protein goal that's higher than the minimum, you'll stay fuller, longer. That means less cravings and more muscle in the long term.
Once 1g per Kg is attainable, the next number I suggest is 1g per lb of goal weight. Again, if I'm 200lb only I'd like to weigh 170, my new protein goal is 170g per day. See why we didn't start with that goal?
3: Resistance Training:
So, you've been eating at a calorie deficit and you're hitting your protein goals. Why do you have a protein goal to begin with? OH, to grant you muscle retention (hopefully muscle growth) throughout your weight loss journey. Resistance training will be the perfect companion to help achieve that goal.
What is resistance training? Any form of exercise intended to increase strength or endurance. Resistance can come from weights, bands, or even bodyweight working against gravity.
Resistance training is exactly what anyone needs, really. I mean, who wouldn't benefit from gaining strength or endurance? But for our specific goal of weight loss today, gaining muscle via resistance training will reverse body composition (more lean mass, less body fat) and sustain caloric expenditure even after sessions, unlike cardio.
Best practices in this category have been (but not limited to) strength and conditioning (mostly by athletes) functional training programs, Crossfit, and Hight Intensity Interval Training or HIIT.
4: Sleep:
Regardless of your fitness goals, sleep is when your body recovers from the stress of the day, and if you've taken up resistance training of any kind, that can be a hell-of-a stressful thing on your body.
Sleep is not only for recovery, but it also balances hormone levels, relieves stress, and boosts the immune system. Wouldn't you agree that just feeling well rested would help you have the energy and ambition to stay consistent with the other Must-Do's?
5: Enough Cardio:
I say 'enough' because A- I myself would rather do an extra hour of strength training rather than 30 minutes cardio, and B- If you're someone who likes a lot of cardio, you may not have the energy or desire to participate in resistance training. That being said, American Heart Association suggests a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week.
Cardiovascular exercise has been proven to lower blood pressure, regulate blood sugars, reduce asthma symptoms, aids in sleep (wink wink) improve brain function, boost mood, and even reduce risk and falling.
Now, the common misconception about cardio is that it burns more fat than resistance training. The root of this myth is the fact that most cardio sessions burn more calories than the average resistance training session. But as we've learned, resistance training builds muscle and muscle is what continues to burn calories at rest.
So, we want cardio for its many benefits but there is a clear reason why resistance training comes before it in this list of Must-Do's.
My personal preference of cardio is low-impact, meaning aerobic exercise that requires the least amount of impact on the joints and tendons. These would include anything like biking, swimming, rowing, or even ellipticals. Higher impact cardio such as running, stair masters, or jump rope are all fine, low impact options just tend to cause less chronic discomfort in joints or even injuries.
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There you have it! If you are currently on a weight loss journey of any kind and not seeing the results you had hoped, check these engine lights. You are only as good as your weakest link. And if you have seen progress but not as much as you had hoped, please, for your own mental health and self-love, be patient and trust the process.
"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success." - Napoleon Hill
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