The expert fat loss guide part 1
This guide covers the following areas:
- How to determine your body type and how this affects the way you should plan your diet and training.
- What macronutrients are and what role they play in fat loss.
- How to calculate your macronutrient requirements and plan your diet based on these values.
- How to choose the right protein, carbohydrate and fat sources for fat loss.
- How to plan your meals and overall diet to fit in with your daily routine and training program.
- How to choose the right type of cardio for fat loss and the differences between HIIT and steady state cardio.
- The importance of training with weights for fat loss and body composition.
- What supplements you can use to increase your fat loss.
Too many people view fat loss as something of a secret VIP party where you have to say or do the right thing to get invited. In a sense, this is true. Those who are lean understand what needs to be done to lose fat without gimmicks or bogus solutions.
Fat loss is a biological process that does not need to be shrouded in mystery. It's not as easy as some of the gimmicks would have you believe, but understanding the process that leads to fat loss will allow you to make the right choices to get to where you want to be.
This guide covers everything you need to achieve real and reliable fat loss. There are no quick fixes here. This is only for those who are willing to put in the necessary work and reap the rewards of their labor. So read on, because this is your formal invitation to the party.
Set yourself goals
Before you even begin a fat loss plan, the first thing you need to do is set goals for yourself. This goal could be to lose 15 kilos, for example, or to be able to see your abs. Whether your goal is to lose a few pounds or to achieve a certain look, you will need to set a reasonable and realistic time frame for achieving your goals. If you don't set yourself a time frame, then there will be no pressure to act when you are trying to make progress.
Evaluate your progress
When it comes to the rate at which progress can be made, fat loss is completely different to building muscle. While building muscle is a slow process, fat loss can happen at a fairly rapid rate. We've all seen the ads that promise to help you lose 5 to 10 kilos in a few weeks. However, while it is absolutely possible to lose huge amounts of weight in short periods of time, this is not what we are aiming for.
Losing weight too quickly will lead to muscle loss. Losing muscle as part of a fat loss plan will result in a slower metabolism, a less attractive body, compromised health and ultimately a higher risk of putting the lost weight back on quickly.
On a sensible fat loss plan, you should aim to lose 0.5 to 1 kilo per week. This rate of fat loss will ensure that all weight loss is fat and not muscle mass. At the same time, it will ensure that the process will progress without a reduction in metabolic rate.
Use an individualized approach
A common thread you'll see as you read this guide is that fat loss is best maximized through an individualized approach. If you want to get the best possible results, you won't achieve this with a pre-designed average plan. There are many things to consider when creating an effective plan. This guide will show you how to make adjustments based on your individual body type.
Definitions and commonly used terms
Calories - Calories are a unit used to describe the energy value of a food. Excess calories that are not used for energy are stored in the body as fat tissue.
Micronutrients - Micronutrients are nutrients such as vitamins and trace elements that the body only needs in minimal amounts.
Amino acids - Amino acids are the components that make up proteins. They are usually referred to as the building blocks of protein. Different types of protein are made up of different types and amounts of amino acids.
Glycogen - Glycogen is a carbohydrate that is stored in the human body. When carbohydrates are consumed, they are stored in the form of glycogen in muscle tissue and the liver. Glycogen is a primary source of energy for the body.
Metabolic rate - The metabolic rate is the rate at which a person's body uses energy. A higher metabolic rate equates to higher energy expenditure, resulting in a leaner body. Anabolic (anabolism) - Anabolism is the state of muscle growth. When you build muscle, you are in an anabolic state. Catabolic (catabolism) - Catabolism is the state of muscle loss. If you are losing muscle, you are in a catabolic state. Aerobic - Aerobic exercise is exercise that requires the presence of oxygen. Cardio training falls into the aerobic category. Anaerobic - Anaerobic training is training that does not require the presence of oxygen. Training with weights falls under anaerobic training. Substrate - A substrate is any material or substance that is acted upon by enzymes. If you are trying to lose body fat, then body type is very important for both diet and training. Different body types require different amounts of calories, macronutrients and training volume. Before you can determine how much you should eat and how much you should exercise, you need to know your body type. Ectomorphic people are characterized by one word: THIN. The bone structure of an ectomorphic person is narrow. This means that ectomorphs usually have a flat chest, narrow shoulders and long, thin limbs. An ectomorph will struggle to build muscle and fat, so gaining body weight is usually a slow process. Although ectomorphs may struggle to become more muscular and stronger, their typically fast metabolism gives them a huge advantage when trying to get lean. When trying to get lean, muscle loss is always a concern for ectomorphs. Mesomorphs are the winners of the genetic lottery. They will usually look athletic even without training. Mesomorphs usually have broad shoulders and a slightly narrower waist. One of the characteristics of a mesomorph is that they can easily gain muscle and lose fat. Even though mesomorphs have a genetic advantage, they are not immune to getting out of shape. When trying to maintain or improve their body shape, the right exercise and nutrition program must be employed. Endomorphs are in some ways the opposite of ectomorphs. Endomorphs have a coarse bone structure. An endomorph will build muscle as well as fat quickly. For this reason, most endomorphs struggle to maintain a lean body. However, even though endomorphs find it harder to get lean, it is not impossible. Their ability to build and maintain muscle gives them a big advantage when it comes to fat loss. The three macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates and fat. Get to know them well. The specifics of these nutrients are crucial for fat loss. Each of these nutrients fulfills a specific function in the human body, which is why it is important that they are consumed in the right amounts. Your body type plays a huge role in how your body responds to these nutrients. For different body types, there are different recommendations for each of these nutrients, as well as calorie intake. Most people are familiar with the concept of calories, but few know exactly what they are. Calories are a unit of measurement that indicates how much energy a food contains. Your body uses a certain amount of calories per day as energy. If you consume more calories than you use, the excess calories are stored as fat. If you consume fewer calories than your body uses each day, your body must use stored fat to meet its energy needs. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates have calories. One gram of protein contains 4 kcal, one gram of fat contains 9 kcal and one gram of carbohydrate contains 4 kcal. These are the recommendations for calorie intake based on the different body types: Of course, this is not the whole story. Not all calories are equal. Calories consumed in the form of protein, carbohydrates and fat are not processed in the body in the same way. Read on to find out why. Proteins are incredibly important molecules for the human body. Different proteins have different functions depending on their type. Some are used as contractile proteins that allow muscles to contract and move weights. Other proteins are enzymes that cause chemical reactions within the body and some proteins can be used as a source of energy. In a fat loss plan, proteins are absolutely essential for the maintenance of muscle tissue. When protein is digested, the body breaks it down into amino acids, which then enter the bloodstream. Once the amino acids are in the bloodstream, they are absorbed by the body's cells. The body prefers to use protein to build muscle tissue rather than as a source of energy. However, proteins can also be broken down and used as an energy source when the body needs energy. This process of synthesizing glucose from protein is called gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis as a result of protein breakdown is not preferred if you are trying to maintain muscle mass. Not only does this process result in a breakdown of muscle tissue - protein also provides less energy per unit than carbohydrate or fat. Protein is therefore better suited as a substrate or building block. If you are trying to lose fat, then your protein intake should be determined as follows: Dietary fats are essential molecules that cannot be ignored in a fat loss plan due to the important role they play in many different body processes. Fat is the macronutrient with the highest energy density. While protein and carbohydrates both contain 4 kcal per gram, fat provides 9 kcal per gram. The disadvantage of fat is that it can easily be stored as fat in adipose tissue. An important function of fat is its role in the production of testosterone. Something to know about a fat loss diet is that testosterone levels will drop when calorie intake is restricted. This is a natural reaction. The body senses that energy intake is low and decides that less energy can be used to build muscle. Fatty acids are substrates for cholesterol production, which means that fatty acids must be available for the production of cholesterol. This is important because cholesterol is ultimately converted into testosterone. If fat intake is too low, there will not be enough fatty acids available for optimal testosterone production. This will lead to even lower testosterone levels. During a diet, fats do not fulfill as many functions as protein and carbohydrates once a certain intake is reached. Since fats have a much higher calorie density than protein and fat, they are the easiest choice when it comes to reducing calorie intake when it's time to get serious about fat loss. So when it comes to fat intake during fat loss, on the one hand it's important to reduce fat intake, but on the other hand it's also important to be careful not to reduce fat intake so much that testosterone levels are negatively affected. Carbohydrates are broken down into sugar in the body to produce glucose. Glucose is a primary energy source that supplies the brain, muscle tissue and organs with energy. Glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in muscle tissue to be used when needed, such as during the next training session. Carbohydrates are extremely important for training as they are the primary source of energy for working muscles. During training with weights, the body uses ATP as an energy source. The ATP reserves are replenished via the so-called glycolytic pathway. This pathway converts glucose into ATP. The required glucose (carbohydrates) comes from the bloodstream or the glycogen stores of the muscles. In the absence of sufficient amounts of carbohydrates, your body must convert amino acids into glucose. These amino acids are normally stored as proteins, which is why you could say that carbohydrates are anti-catabolic, that is, they have a protein-sparing effect. Carbohydrates are also essential for maintaining a fast metabolism. Leptin and other fat-burning hormones are directly linked to carbohydrate intake and body fat levels. Leptin is a fat-burning hormone that has many functions. One of the most important of these is the control of energy expenditure. If food intake - and in particular carbohydrate intake - is high, then leptin levels will also be high. This sends a signal to the body that it is in a well-nourished state and this can result in your metabolic rate remaining high. If food and carbohydrate intake are low, then leptin levels will also be lower. This will send a signal to the body that energy intake is low and the metabolic rate needs to be lowered to compensate for the lack of energy intake. If carbohydrate intake remains relatively high during the diet, then levels of leptin and other fat-burning hormones will also remain high even when total calorie intake is low. Carbohydrates also regulate muscle cell volume. You will notice that your muscles will appear flatter and smaller when carbohydrate intake is low, as cell volume decreases when carbohydrates are reduced. This is due to the fact that carbohydrates are stored in muscle tissue as glycogen and each gram of glycogen is stored together with 2.7 grams of water. This can drastically affect the size of muscle cells. If muscle cell volume decreases, this signals to the body that not enough food is being supplied and in turn it will respond by reducing the levels of fat burning hormones. However, if carbohydrate intake remains in a sufficiently high range during a diet, then muscle cell volume will increase, signaling the body that there is no deficiency, which will result in a higher metabolic rate. Cell volume is also one of the primary determinants of muscle protein synthesis for similar reasons. If the muscle cells are fuller and the body appears to be in a well-nourished state, then the rate of protein synthesis will be higher than if the muscles are low in glycogen. As you can see, carbohydrate intake must remain high during a diet in order to keep protein synthesis rates, metabolic rates and fat loss high. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy during exercise. Since glucose and stored glycogen are used as a source of energy, they are absolutely essential for optimal performance. If glycogen is not available due to carbohydrate restriction, then the body will turn to alternative energy sources such as amino acids. This will lead to a breakdown of muscle tissue and because amino acids cannot be converted into energy as efficiently as carbohydrates, performance will also be reduced. This will result in you performing fewer repetitions with less weight during training. And if you are unable to train hard due to a lack of energy, this will lead to even greater muscle loss. So if adequate amounts of carbohydrates are not available, then this will become a double whammy against your muscle tissue. Muscle tissue will be sacrificed to meet energy demands and lower training demands will lead to further muscle tissue breakdown. You've worked hard to build your muscles, so now you should do everything you can to protect them. Insulin is another very important reason for not giving up carbohydrates. Eating carbohydrates causes a release of insulin. Insulin has gotten a bad rap lately because it inhibits fat loss by preventing fat from being used as an energy source. I can well imagine what many might be thinking right now. "Why would I want high insulin levels if they inhibit fat loss? But even though this may sound like a bad thing, the benefits of insulin outweigh its disadvantages. Insulin is also one of the most anabolic and most anti-catabolic hormones in the human body. Insulin binds to the muscle cell membrane and initiates a series of reactions that lead to growth. From an anti-catabolic point of view, insulin keeps the catabolic hormone cortisol in check. One of the functions of cortisol is to break down protein (muscle tissue) and convert it into energy. When insulin levels are high, cortisol levels are lower. This is the primary anti-catabolic effect of insulin. For the best results, insulin levels must be kept under control to optimize fat loss, but they must not be completely suppressed for all the benefits in muscle maintenance. Low carbohydrate diets and ketogenic diets have received a lot of attention in recent years. A ketogenic diet typically involves reducing daily carbohydrate intake to near zero grams per day and increasing fat and protein intake to meet caloric needs. If the body is unable to use carbohydrates as an energy source, it will start producing ketones. Ketones are a by-product of fat oxidation and can be used as an energy source instead of carbohydrates. With a lower carbohydrate intake, insulin levels will also be lower, which will lead to a higher rate of fat burning. But as we know, lower insulin levels are not always a good thing. Ketogenics may sound like a pretty good option at this point, which is the reason they've become so popular lately. The problem, however, is that if there are not enough carbohydrates available, the body will use amino acids from food and muscle tissue to convert them into glucose for energy. This equates to more muscle breakdown. We all work hard for every gram of muscle we build and although a ketogenic diet may allow you to lose a greater amount of fat in a shorter period of time, the end result of your body development will leave much to be desired. You have already calculated how much protein and how much fat you will consume per day. The only thing you need to figure out now is how many carbohydrates you should consume per day. This is simple. Whatever calories are left over after you have calculated your protein and fat intake should come from carbohydrates. Simply take the calories that are left over and divide them by 4. This will tell you how many grams of carbohydrates you should be eating per day. In the second part of this article, we will take a closer look at the best food sources and composition of the most important meals during a diet, in addition to discussing the strategic use of high-carb days to maintain metabolic rate. Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/fat-lossDetermination of body type
The role of body type in fat loss
Ectomorph
Mesomorph
Endomorph
Calories and macronutrients
Calories
Protein
How much protein should you consume for fat loss?
Fat
How much fat should you consume during fat loss?
Ectomorph: Body weight and fat intake
Mesomorph: body weight and fat intake
Endomorph: body weight and fat intake
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates and performance
Insulin
Ketogenic diets (low carbohydrate diets)
How many carbohydrates should you consume during fat loss?