What if I told you that just one small change could transform you from fat to fit?
With so many diets out there—like keto, low-carb, Atkins, and intermittent fasting—it’s no wonder people feel overwhelmed. Each diet comes with its own pros and cons, and that’s why many struggle to stick with them. In fact, about 90% of people who lose weight end up regaining it. The problem often lies in the restrictions of these diets.
But what if I told you the secret might be to eat more, not less? Surprising, right? That is why every point matters in this video.
Measure Calories
First, let’s clarify what a weight loss diet really means: it’s all about maintaining a calorie deficit, not cutting out foods altogether.
You can enjoy a variety of foods throughout the day while simply tracking your calorie intake.
For example, do you know what a 100-calorie fruit snack looks like? Here’s a visual: that’s a 100-calorie fruit snack, and over here is what 50 calories of fruit looks like.
Now, check this out: this bowl of cereal is around 200 calories, while this oatmeal comes in at about 110 calories.
When it comes to protein, a 300-calorie serving of beef looks like this, while this portion of chicken is about 200 calories.
And for snacks, this handful of almonds is around 100 calories, while these peanuts are about 50 calories.
Finally, take a look at this: that’s a 200-calorie scoop of ice cream, and here’s a 100-calorie serving of Greek yogurt.
Now that you’ve got a grasp on these simple calorie visuals, you can easily incorporate them into your diet. This way, you can eat more while still keeping your calorie intake in check!
Calculate Calorie Needs
It calls Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Let me show you how I calculate my BMR.
For example, I’m 29 years old, male,height 172.72 centimeters and weigh 75 kg. Based on that, my BMR is 1690 calories. This is the number of calories my body burns just by performing basic functions like breathing, sleeping, and doing some regular activities.
What’s interesting is that my body burns extra calories while digesting food too!
This is known as the thermic effect of food. Our body burns calories based on the types of foods we eat.
It burns about 5-10% of the calories from carbs, 0-5% from fats, and 20-30% from protein. That’s why protein-rich meals are great for boosting metabolism!
Eat More Protein in Every Meal
Yes, you heard that right!
Protein-rich foods are often lower in calories.
Protein-rich foods digest more slowly.
Protein foods help build and repair muscle.
A study published in 2020 found that consuming more protein than the recommended amount not only helps in weight loss but also improves body composition by reducing fat mass.
The report also indicated that following a high-protein diet for 6 to 12 months can lead to effective weight loss and help prevent regaining weight after losing it.
A person typically needs about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, to lose fat and build muscle, that requirement increases to between 1.2 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Say my body weight is 165 pounds or 75 kilograms. So I should eat 75 * .80 = 60 grams of protein each day. But following a high-protein diet, I need 75 * 1.2 to 2 = 80 to 150 grams of protein.
Research conducted over six months observed two groups of people: one followed a high-protein diet, while the other consumed less protein. After six months, those on the high-protein diet lost 3.7 kg more fat than those on the lower-protein diet.
When they adopted a high-protein diet, their calorie intake decreased by nearly 400 calories a day without any intentional restriction.
So make sure to include protein in your breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Here are some low-calorie foods that are high in protein. The chart below shows the protein content in various 100-gram options.
Carbs
You might hear that carbs cause weight gain, heart disease, and poor health. This can be true in some cases.
That’s why many influencers say to stop eating carbs. Some people do lose a lot of weight quickly by doing this.
It’s true that cutting carbs mainly reduces water weight, not fat. You might see a big difference in your weight at first, but you’ll likely gain it back within a week.
Carbs are a key source of energy. Without them, you may feel tired and unmotivated, which can lead to other health issues.
Let’s look at the pictures of Chris Bumstead, also known as Cbum, a six-time Mr. Olympia.
You can see a big difference between the two photos. On stage, he looks more shredded because bodybuilders often cut carbs and reduce water intake to enhance muscle definition.
After the competition, they tend to indulge in unhealthy carbs like pizza, donuts, and burgers because they’ve been craving these foods for so long.
They are professional bodybuilders, but for you, it’s a lifelong journey to maintain a lean and healthy body.
The same thing happens to you when you stop eating carbs—you often crave them even more.
On the first few days, you might resist, but eventually, when you give in, you tend to overeat, which can lead you to be more fat.
This approach doesn’t really work and isn’t a long-term solution; it can even be dangerous.
Instead of cutting out carbs, focus on eating healthy ones.
Here, you can skip bad carbs and treat yourself to tasty, nutritious options instead.
Fat
There is a common misconception about fat.
That fat makes us fat.
The human brain is 60% made of fat.
The kidney, heart, and liver require fat.
These fats are called unsaturated fats, which we get from sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, salmon, peanut butter, olive oil, and vegetable oils.
This kind of fat I am talking about.
On the other hand.
Saturated Fat makes us fat and often causes cholesterol and heart attacks. Fat sources include french fries, fried chicken, pizza, butter, and cheese. These fats are bad for our health.
We need unsaturated fat, but fats are high in calories, which can lead to full-day calorie intake.
Like, one spoon of peanut butter has almost 200 calories, one spoon of olive oil contains 119 calories, and one spoon of vegetable oil contains 123 calories.
So, when you need to use oil make sure that how much oil you are using for each meal.
For this, you can use spray oil instead of bottles.
Balance your plate
Fill your plate with protein, carbs, and vegetables.
50% of your plate should be within vegetables,
Next 25% of your plate should be in protein.
The other 25% of your plate is in carbs or fats.
Make sure your plate includes 30g of protein in each meal. This will help you meet your daily protein intake goals.
Here is my daily meal plan:
For breakfast: I eat overnight oats.
For my morning snack: I eat an apple.
For lunch: I eat chicken, brown rice, and vegetables.
For my evening snack: I eat Greek yogurt with fruit toppings.
For dinner: I eat fish, boiled potato, and vegetables.
Everyone’s tastes and preferences are different. For example, I like chicken the most, but you might prefer beef or follow a vegetarian diet. Based on your weight loss plan, schedule, and personal taste, you can create your meals.
Just make sure they’re healthy!
Here’s a healthy chart to guide you.
