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1917: Physician revealed what it takes to lose weight (and keep it)

You might be wondering,

If it has been this info out there for a while, why is it that people don’t use it or debate this?

And to be honest, I don’t have an answer for that.

But back in 1917, a physician named Lulu Peters introduced a concept that was new to everyone.

This concept has been now more than accepted and given as granted for many fitness experts and coaches, yet…

the vast majority seems to believe they can go against the law of physics itself.

Why?

Because Peters gave the foundation of what calories are to the body and what they mean.

Look, a calorie is a calorie no matter what (technically, the source of it is the only thing that varies, but that’s for another topic).

The point is… 

This physician showed that a caloric intake is the basis of energy balance.

No matter what diet you follow, what you eat or how often… if you don’t have the right energy balance to get to the outcome you want, then you’re not going to see any difference (even when you believe you’re making changes to your diet).

That’s why I’m giving you a Free cheat sheet you can use to know exactly how much you need from where you’re right now to start losing weight (and keep it).

Just sign up below to claim your Cheat sheet:

→www.fitnessthetic.com

Now, I’m going to go out and eat a burger… knowing I’ll still be within my calories to lose weight.

Ivan Iniguez

What do you need to do to get your desired weight (for good)?

Quick quiz

What do you need to do to achieve your desired weight?

  1. Lessen your calories
  2. Maintain your calories
  3. Add calories

Go ahead, take your time…

Ready?

Ok, so here’s the answer… all of them are wrong!

Let me show you why.

If you paid attention, there’s no exact information of what your current weight is, neither of what your desired weight is.

If you were to weigh 80kg and want to get to 70kg, then I know where you’re starting and that you need to create a caloric deficit (lessen your calories).

Want to gain muscle from 68kg to 74kg? Great. 

Now I know you need to create a caloric surplus (add calories).

You see, without knowing where you’re at right now and what is your desired weight, all advice becomes just a supposition.

Once you know both of these details, you can start knowing what to do to get there.

But keep in mind that once you know this, then the next step (and honestly, is the first step…) you should know and use an approach you’re likely to maintain for a period longer than the diet.

Meaning… you shouldn’t look to follow a diet for some months and then go back to normal. Instead, focus on finding something that won’t make you feel like dieting, so that you can eat in the same way from now on.

Won’t have any issue giving up carbs? Then keto might be a good way to do it. If you rather love carbs, then don’t even try this approach (there’s no magic in it).

Do you feel like you could skip a meal or two and don’t feel hungry at all (or feeling like a nightmare)? Perfect. Then intermittent fasting can be a good approach.

There’s no such a thing as a miracle diet, and whoever tells you there is… run away.

Focus on adherence and then on consuming the calories you need based on your goals (considering what I mentioned at the beginning) and you’ll get there.

If you want to receive daily email tips like this, sign up below:

www.fitnessthetic.com

Ivan

Why what you eat matters (if you eat your calories)

Quick quiz:

What’s the number one problem with most fat loss diets out there?

  • Hormones
  • Carbohydrates
  • Fats
  • Protein

Take your time… Ok. 

Now that you have one, let me tell you the real answer…

None of those is the right answer.

You see, people out there think that one of the above (among others) is the enemy that’s keeping them from achieving the body they want.

Funny enough, if everything above would be true, we would be left with nothing. I mean, no carbs, fats, or protein… that leave us with no food choices at all.

That just shows how twisted the fitness industry is.

But you might know right now that calories is the only thing that matters to get any type of results.

So if you’re eating the right amount of calories, you should have everything under control… right?

Sadly, as most answers in the fitness world: it depends.

And that’s where the “Pyramid of Fat Loss” comes into play.

Because assuming you took care of the #1 requirement to any diet you ever attempt + the right amount of calories, what follows next will determine the body composition you get from your diet.

And that is the macronutrients.

Let’s better show this with a quick example.

Juan weighs 80kg, has 15% body fat, and he’s 33. 

He wants to get to 8% body fat… which after calculations, it will be about 11kg total to lose.

Then let’s say he calculates how many calories he needs to eat to start the deficit (for this example, his maintenance was between 2800 and 3000kcal). 

He finds out that his deficit would be of about 600kcal to kick start his fat loss phase, so that would be 2200 or 2400kcal.

Technically, Juan could stop the calculations… and as long as he consumes that amount of calories he should start losing weight, but…

What matters is how he will look at the end of his diet.

If he just wants to drop fat without caring about actually looking shredded and muscular (doesn’t have to be insanely muscular), he would get there by just eating at a deficit until he reaches his goal.

Simply put, calories determine how much weight you lose (or gain), the food you eat determine how you will look afterwards.

That’s why we talk about body composition… you could weight 60kg and have some lovely handles or be fully jacked.

How you want to look is totally up to you.

But that’s why I suggest you track what you eat (AKA macros). It’s going to be hard and might cause you anxiety, but by knowing that we’re striving for consistency and not perfection (as such a thing even existed)… you’ll be more than fine.

Keep working towards your goal, it doesn’t matter how long it takes you.

You got this.

Ivan Iniguez

Stop hiding your belly with a pillow

I know it’s uncomfortable… I know how embarrassed it feels just seeing it (AND feeling it)…

I know you would prefer people not noticing at all.

That’s why you try to hide it using a pillow whenever you sit on a couch and you have one.

Look, I’ve been there.

This is one of the things that almost no one would ever talk about, but it needs to be addressed.

Since you’re looking to stop having to hide it, the solution is simple and you know it.

I mean, you know you need to lose fat and how to do it.

But once you start seeing results (regardless of where you are in your journey) and stay consistent, your confidence that this process works will slowly make you confident enough to leave that pillow aside.

Plus, people will always judge you.

So ignore what they think or tell you (and if they don’t support you, leave them out of your circle -easier said than done, but it’s the truth).

Instead, give your 110% in every workout you do… in every rep, and in every meal you eat.

That way, you get ‘there’ in the shortest amount of time possible.

I hate that the phrase “If it was easy, everybody would do it” is considered a cliché…

But it’s true!

Prove yourself you can do it, regardless of how difficult it is.

This is your journey. You got this.

Show yourself that you’re capable of achieving anything in life.

Only then, the world will see what you are capable of.

Your #1 fan,

Ivan

7 best high protein food for building muscle/fat loss

Last week, I read someone asking this question in a forum:

“What are some of the best high protein foods for building muscle/fat loss?”

And it’s an interesting question, but not for the reason you may be thinking…

You see, protein is protein.

That means, there’s no such a thing as protein that’s good for building muscle, and protein that’s good for fat loss.

You can eat the same protein sources and do either of those goals.

For you to build muscle or lose fat, you need to focus on what matters.

And what matters is consuming the number of calories that will allow you to get the goal you want.

Still… assuming she was looking for some protein sources in general, here’s my 7 favorite protein foods that give you the highest quality protein.

  1. Eggs – considered the highest quality protein from a natural source. Whatever presentation you like, make sure it’s cooked. There’s a vitamin called Biotin that’s only available in the egg whites when they are white, not raw or transparent.
  2. Salmon – great source of protein and unsaturated fats. You’re gonna want to try it every once in a while, and it tastes great.
  3. Chicken – probably the most common protein source out there. 
  4. Turkey – similar to chicken, it has a high amount of protein per serving… 
  5. Tuna – there’s no better way to get out of a protein rush than tuna. Since it’s canned, you can use it in a lot of ways.
  6. Greek yogurt – this is probably the only one in this list that can be combined with more sweet food. You can create a lot of desserts with this.
  7. Whey protein – wasn’t sure to include it on this list, but if you like and enjoy desserts, whey protein can be a great source of quality protein. And you can take it with you with ease, so that’s another advantage. It’s not mandatory, and it’s definitely not a miracle.

There you have it.

I’m planning to break down in greater detail all the questions that you have about building muscle, losing fat, and just getting into the shape you want in a newsletter I’m planning to launch in the future (no clear deadline yet, but will tell yo

If you’d like to not only ask me questions about losing fat, but receiving daily email tips like this… then you’re gonna want to sign up below:

www.fitnessthetic.com

Now keep working towards your goals… you’ll get there,

Ivan

3 myths that stop you from losing fat

One of the most common myths of all in the fitness industry is:

“People shouldn’t eat carbs. They are the enemy.”

Well, I’ve always wondered where they come up with that.

Because science says something totally opposite.

They have done a lot of research and here’s what they found. It doesn’t matter whether you distribute more carbs or fats in your diet… if calories and protein are equated, they lost the same amount of weight at the end of the study.

So what does this mean?

It means that if you feel more attached (and think you could even have an affair) with carbohydrates, then don’t eliminate them from your diet. You’re just making it harder for yourself for no reason.

The same goes with the next myth.

“Carbs are not the real enemy… Fat stores fat, so eat less of it”

The answer is the same explanation as for carbs.

What matters is that you’re in a deficit so you can actually lose weight… and remember, dieting on very low calories or using “magic tricks” will never outperform a diet you can sustain and that it doesn’t make you feel like dieting.

That’s why I use flexible diet.

No, it’s not the ultimate diet (won’t ever exist such a thing), but as long as I eat my daily macronutrients and have fiber and water in place (which you should anway, regardless)… I can eat a burger, pizza, ice cream, or anything I please.

The best part is I don’t feel guilty and then make things worse by binge eating.

Anyhow… 

Here’s my favorite myth of all

“Show me your abs. No one should give you advice if they don’t have a very shredded body with 6-packs.”

Yes, there is a huge bridge between theory and practice. Someone can have all the certificates and know how to lose weight or gain muscle, but if they haven’t even tried things on themselves and others, they shouldn’t even give advice, right?

Well, here’s something to think about.

You’ve seen jacked guys all over the fitness industry giving their advice, but not all of them can always give their advice to work on everyone. Why?

You tell me.

…Maybe they just did something that worked for them when they tried it and now they think they have it all figured out.

…Maybe it is that they don’t know the underlying principles, and they can ‘say’ whatever they want. Most people will believe them since this influencer has a great physique that “proves” he knows what he’s doing.

Who knows, but if that would be the case everyone would be fit by this time, and even better… people would know how to make the process easier and keep their weight off (it is easy to lose weight compared to keeping it off, but that’s for another email).

And I go against that.

That’s why when you sign up below, you get to know the science behind fat loss (and how to keep those results) without cravings, starving yourself… or even feeling like dieting.

www.fitnessthetic.com

Now go ahead and enjoy your next meal… just as I’m going to do mine 😉

Ivan Iniguez

How many calories do you need per day? Science says…

If you think that to maintain your weight you won’t be able to eat more and eat what you enjoy, let me show you a better way…

You may already know that you need a formula to calculate the calories you need per day, but…

you may think you need to give up some foods.

But even if you have the will to do it, you know that it won’t be that easy.

In fact, what would happen when you have the temptation of eating that food you enjoy?

The truth is that no one is 100% able to avoid some food for the rest of their lives…

and you don’t have to, either.

It’s not a coincidence that studies show that 95 out of 100 people who diet fail. They not only gain all the weight back, but in 3 years they gain even more weight than before.

But you didn’t diet to gain all your weight back… let alone add more of it. You want to stop having to hide your belly with clothes and proudly show your results.

But what if you’re able to not only eat what you enjoy every single day… but never have to stop eating them… while eating more and still being able to maintain your ideal weight?

Well, it’s possible.

To answer that question, you’re going to answer the question:

How do you maintain your weight? Or said in another way…

How many calories do you need to consume per day to maintain it?

Well, there are 2 ways to answer this:

  1. Whatever is the amount you’re eating per day, track on average how much you’re eating. 
  2. Use any of the formulas available to calculate your predictable maintenance calories. I use the Muller equation.

In either case, make sure you’re weighing yourself daily in the same conditions.

What do I mean by the same conditions? 

Preferably in the morning (you have an empty stomach), after going to the bathroom, and with the same number of clothes.

Take an average of your weight per week. If your weight hasn’t radically changed (it will fluctuate) for 2 weeks with the amount of calories you’re eating…

you’ve discovered your maintenance calories.

Just keep in mind that in many cases this is your predicted maintenance calories, yet you need to find out your actual maintenance calories.

In most cases, consider that you’d get better results if you do a reverse diet to get your metabolism to optimum functioning. This means, maintaining the same body with the possibility of eating more calories… sounds good, right?

There are more details that it’s hardly impossible to cover in here, so…

If you want to receive these tips every single day delivered to your email inbox, and answer some of your questions… you can sign up below: 

www.fitnessthetic.com

Ivan

Not losing fat in a deficit? Here’s why

If you’re not losing weight (of fat, for that matter) when you’re on a deficit, it’s because you’re not on a real deficit.

Here’s what I mean.

There’s nothing (and there’s really no magic formula) to losing fat that creates a caloric deficit, yet…

Many people seem to struggle losing that weight when they are already cutting calories.

That’s no surprise when you consider that they’re not in a deficit.

How’s it possible when they are already cutting calories?

Simple.

They are either not counting calories correctly (it’s a tool, yet more than useful if you were to ask me), or they are eating more from what they think they are eating – so not measuring it accurately.

Let me give you a quick example on how this would look like.

Let’s say that you went from 2300kcal down to 1900kcal (if you don’t know where and how many calories you should start cutting, then you’ve missed my Ultimate Diet Planner Cheat Sheet. Click here if you want to get yours).

That’s a 500kcal deficit… more than enough to get lower the current maintenance calories and start burning that fat.

Now, after your daily check ins, you find out that after 3 weeks you’re still at the same weight you started (on average).

Well, maybe what you think it’s 1 spoon of peanut butter is in reality 2 spoons (let’s say every spoon was 15g exactly… so that would easily be an extra 90kcal approx extra).

A little snack here and there throughout the day, and you’d add another 150kcal.

Lastly, what you thought were a simple smoothie or shake with 300kcal, that added in reality 500kcal… so an extra 200kcal you didn’t expect.

So after a simple math we can clearly see that those “little” and “innocent” additions gave you an extra 440kcal from your calories to create an initial deficit.

Even if you were to think this is an exaggeration, just by eating half from these additions is enough to make you wonder why you’re not losing weight… when you thought you were on a deficit.

That’s why I recommend counting calories and doing it in an “honest” way.

Counting calories is a tool, yet if you do it correctly then you reduce the chances of making these mistakes. There are a lot of apps out there available that make this easy.

Here are some that come to my mind (I’m not endorsed by any of them, if you’re wondering):

  • MyMacros+ (the one I have used for the past 8 years)
  • Fitmacros
  • MyFitnessPal (just focus on the calories you eat, not the ones you burn as they’re BS)

And if you want to know more of the actual science behind how to lose weight and keep it off… without feeling like dieting, then sign up to my daily newsletter where you’ll receive daily tips on it. No BS.

www.fitnessthetic.com

Ivan Iniguez

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