Welcome back to our three-part series on fat loss. Part 1 covered mindset; this part covers the mechanics that matter most: sleep, calories and macronutrients. You have probably heard that fat loss is 80 per cent diet and 20 per cent training. Whether or not you buy the exact numbers, the truth underneath is solid: for most of us, you cannot out-train a bad diet, and the hours you spend in the gym will not get you there without support in the kitchen and in bed. Here are the fat loss nutrition basics from the team at Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading.
A reminder before we begin: you are enough as you are, regardless of the scales or the mirror. This is education for those who want it. Because we are discussing food, we also encourage you to seek advice from a doctor or accredited dietitian before making significant changes, particularly if you have a medical condition; the right numbers are individual.
1. Sleep: the part everyone skips
Too many people take pride in getting by on little sleep, not realising they are giving up the body’s only form of restoration that cannot be bought back. One bad night takes several good ones to recover from. Sleep also decides what kind of weight you lose. In a well-known study, two groups of people ate the same calorie deficit; one slept around five and a half hours a night and the other about eight and a half. Both lost a similar amount of weight, but the short-sleep group lost mostly lean mass (muscle) while the well-rested group lost mostly fat. The sleep-restricted group also had higher levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, which made cravings much harder to fight. Move sleep up your priority list; our article on sleep and muscle growth has six ways to improve it.
2. Calories: the rule with no exceptions
The most basic rule of fat loss is that you cannot lose body fat while eating more energy than you burn. Calories in versus calories out applies to every person on the planet. The trouble is that the formula has no numbers attached: how many did you eat today, how many did you burn? Without a reasonable estimate you cannot know where you stand.
Everyone burns energy simply by being alive, and the rest varies with how long you trained, how much you walked and how active your day was. A dietitian or health professional can estimate your maintenance calories accurately; online calculators give a rough starting point that you then adjust based on results. Eat slightly under that number and you lose weight steadily while keeping enough energy to get through the day and train. Eat far under it and you feel exhausted, lose muscle and quit. Eat over it and the excess is stored, usually as fat. The sweet spot is a moderate deficit of around 300 to 500 calories a day; see calorie deficit vs surplus.
3. Macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates and fats
Everything you eat, apart from water, contains energy, and that energy comes from three macronutrients.
Protein
The building block of muscle and the most important macronutrient in a fat-loss phase. It protects your muscle while you are in a deficit, keeps you full and costs energy to digest. Aim for 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day from foods such as chicken, beef, lamb, fish, eggs, dairy, tofu, lentils and beans. Our protein guide lists the best options.
Fats
Despite the name, dietary fat is not the enemy of fat loss. It stores energy, regulates hormones and helps you absorb vitamins. Include moderate amounts from avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, cheese and oily fish, and keep an eye on portions, because fat is energy-dense.
Carbohydrates
The sugars, starches and fibres in fruit, grains, vegetables and dairy. Carbohydrates fuel training and recovery and are not inherently fattening; total calories decide that. Favour whole sources such as oats, rice, potatoes, fruit and vegetables and time larger serves around your sessions. See what to eat before and after a workout.
A healthy fat-loss diet balances all three, with protein set first and the remaining calories split between carbohydrates and fats according to your preference and training. A professional can write you an exact plan if you want one.
Putting it together
- Sleep seven to nine hours; it decides whether you lose fat or muscle.
- Eat in a moderate, measured deficit and adjust based on weekly trends.
- Set protein high, then balance carbohydrates and fats.
- Do not chase perfection; consistency across weeks is what shows up on the tape measure.
Next in the series
In Part 3 we look at training, lifestyle and how everyday movement quietly does much of the work. If you would like help turning these basics into a plan, our personal trainers at Hammer’s Gym provide practical nutrition guidance alongside your program. Claim a free one-day trial in Nunawading, minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster.