There are numerous fad diets that come and go, often involving the elimination of entire food categories. One popular example is the no-carb diet, which presents a significant challenge when attempting to lose fat. Carbohydrates convert to glucose more readily than protein or fat do, and this glucose is primarily stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. Consequently, when carbohydrates are excluded from our diet, our bodies deplete glycogen reserves. Given that glycogen holds over twice its weight in water, much of the weight loss experienced is primarily water weight rather than actual fat loss. So, when striving to shed pounds, the nature of the weight lost is crucial.
“There’s weight loss and then there’s fat loss.” -Nick Tumminello
So how do we lose fat?
Our body needs protein, carbohydrates, and fat. They all play a key role in our overall health, but they need to be in the right proportions for us to stay fit and lean. Instead of carefully counting calories, many find that a style called complementary eating is effective and easy to incorporate. With complementary eating, protein and fibrous vegetables make up the largest part of the plate, while starchy carbohydrates and fruit take a smaller portion, and healthy fats occupy the smallest area on your plate.
For every 100 calories of protein you consume, you burn 25 calories digesting it. When eating complex carbohydrates, you burn 10 calories for every 100 calories ingested. In contrast, with fat, you burn only 5 calories for each 100 calories you eat. This illustrates how prioritizing your food choices can lead to a lower calorie intake while increasing calorie expenditure. Of course, weight loss requires consuming fewer calories than you burn daily. You can achieve a calorie deficit by either reducing your calorie intake or boosting your activity level to burn more calories. Many people focus exclusively on their diet when trying to lose fat, but there’s a powerful ally that simplifies fat loss: our muscle!
Muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning it is the location in your body where you burn body fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories and fat you’ll burn. With muscle burning approximately 30 calories per pound, adding just 5 pounds of lean tissue could result in losing one pound of fat every month—and that’s without making any other changes!
“Humans are just like cars. If you put a bigger motor in your car (i.e., add muscle mass), you’ll burn more fuel (i.e., calories) while driving (i.e. doing activities) than you did before.” -Nick Tumminello
Now imagine incorporating complementary eating habits and additional strength training into your routine! Want to learn more about how to do this effectively? With multiple coaching certifications in nutrition and strength training, I’d love to work with you to achieve your fat loss goals. Contact me at [email protected] to learn more!
Author’s Note: Material from this blog was primarily sourced from Strength Training For Fat Loss by Nick Tumminello