How to Lose Fat the Right Way

Losing fat isn’t about drastic measures, it’s about a balanced approach that preserves muscle, fuels your workouts, and melts fat slowly but surely. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, understanding the core pillars of a successful cut is key.

1. Maintain a Moderate Calorie Deficit

To lose fat, you must consume fewer calories than your body burns. However, the magic lies in moderation. Experts recommend a daily deficit of 500-1000 calories, but never exceed a 1000-calorie deficit. Going too low can:

• Slow down your metabolism
• Risk losing muscle mass (the worst possible result here)
• Leave you feeling deprived and exhausted

By keeping your deficit moderate, you’ll lose fat gradually, preserve lean muscle, and maintain the energy needed for effective training. This part is unfortunate, because I’m sure many of you would rather be more miserable for less time, than be mildly miserable for a very long time. But, we have to cut slowly. Otherwise we will pay the price.

2. Prioritize High-Protein Intake

Protein is your best friend during a cut. It does more than just build muscle, it also:

• Promotes satiety, reducing hunger 
• Aids in muscle repair and preservation during calorie restriction
• Helps boost your metabolism through its high thermic effect

Aim to include high-quality protein sources at every meal. Think lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and plant-based proteins. This will ensure that even as you lose fat, your muscles remain strong and well-defined.

Specifically lean meats and fish will be your best friend for protein sources. It’s tough to get your protein in normally, and it just gets harder when you’re losing fat because you don’t have as many calories to use.

3. Increase Your Activity Levels

While eating in a deficit is crucial, relying solely on reducing calories can be limiting. Boost your fat loss by incorporating more physical activity:

• Cardio Workouts: Engage in steady-state or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to ramp up calorie burn. Long distance walks are a hack.
• Strength Training: Lifting weights not only builds muscle but also supports a higher metabolic rate.
• Everyday Movement: Small changes, like taking the stairs, walking more, or incorporating active breaks, can add up over the day.

By ramping up your activity, you can afford to eat slightly more while still maintaining a caloric deficit. This balance makes your cut more sustainable and enjoyable.

Not only will an activity increase help by letting you eat more, its also good for other general health markers like testosterone levels.

4. Consistency Is Key

Fat loss is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time, patience, and consistency:

• Stick to Your Plan: Minor deviations are normal, but staying on track over weeks and months is where real progress happens.
• Do not monitor your progress often: This is a controversial opinion, but I do not believe in constantly looking at your progress. Because it happens so slowly, it leads you to obsess over tiny details and stress about overall progress. Instead, just weigh yourself every day, and look at progress week to week, or month to month. 
• Adjust as Needed: Your body adapts over time. Fine-tune your calorie intake or workout routine if progress stalls.

Remember, consistent effort, even when progress seems slow, is what transforms your body over the long run.

Plan Your Fat Loss Phase with Confidence

Cutting effectively means balancing your diet and training in a way that works for your unique goals. We also provide a free weight loss calculator for you to use to plan your cut. It gives you a detailed breakdown on how much you should eat based on your information.

Our specialized Bulking Calculator for BJJ can also help you switch gears when it's time to gain lean muscle, ensuring you have the perfect blueprint for your transformation, whether you’re cutting or bulking.

By understanding and implementing these core pillars, moderate calorie deficit, high-protein intake, increased activity, and unwavering consistency, you’re setting yourself up for sustainable fat loss and overall performance gains.

Stick with it, trust the process, and watch your hard work pay off on and off the mats.

See you on the mats!