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
