The Do's and Don'ts of Fat Loss

Summer is imminently upon us and as such, many people look to extreme measures to reduce body fat in a short period of time. With the rise of social media sponsors there’s an ever growing prevalence of “shortcuts” and misinformation available on how to reduce body fat. The problem with many of these so called “shortcuts” is that they take away from the basics of fat loss. Rest assured, no amount of green tea can boost your metabolism or burn more fat unless you’re in a caloric deficit. Thus, marketing has made it more appealing for people to try these shortcuts rather than go through the grueling basics of fat loss.

Caloric deficit – Aim for 20-30% calories below maintenance.

Weight training – Follow a structured resistance training program.

Eat more protein – Aim for 2.2 g/kg of protein per day.

Increase Fruit & Veg intake – Eat a variety of fruit and veg.

Walk more – Increase daily output.

Drink Detox teas – Avoid detox/weight loss teas.

Six pack “Short-cuts” – Core work can help but it will not reduce stomach fat.

Use Waist trimmers – No evidence behind using such equipment.

Butter in coffee – Adding butter to coffee does not make you burn more fat.

Rely on fat burning supplements – Prioritizing fat burners before correcting your diet and exercise regime will not help burn fat.

Fat loss is accomplished when people do the basics consistently well. Any credible person in the fitness industry will credit their fat loss to a few basic principles which can become more difficult to adhere to the less body fat you carry. Indeed, the majority of people aim to prioritize fat loss whilst sparing muscle mass when it comes to weight loss for aesthetic and functional purposes. This process can only be achieved when focusing on the basics and not the more appealing “marginal gains”.

Steve O'Mahony, MSc BSc
Performance Nutrition