The Only Diet You Need to Lose Fat (FOR GOOD)

The only diet you will need to lose fat —after 20 years, I think I've cracked it. We all know losing fat is tough, but how about keeping it off? Even tougher.

The reality is, the majority of people that lose a significant amount of weight, regain most of it back within five years.

While the exact reasons are complex and vary from person to person, nutrition plays a big part. Having a good understanding of what and how to eat will significantly reduce the chances of regaining your weight.

The truth is, a lot of the stuff out there is either confusing, overly complicated, or just plain ridiculous. Even the diets that seem to work, usually work well until a point, then stop.

I'm going to walk you through a diet that feels a lot more like a lifestyle - ?it's straightforward, sustainable, and works. Let’s dive in.

All diets work

First things first—every fat loss diet, regardless of what flashy name it has, boils down to one simple principle: getting you into a calorie deficit. That’s just a fancy way of saying you need to burn more calories than you eat.

Before you think about cutting anything out, I want you to eat more. Yep, you heard me right—more food! Specifically, protein.

Eat More Protein

Here’s a wild study that may shock you—participants doubled their protein intake without changing anything else in their diet. Logic would say, "More food, more weight gain," surely? Wrong. They ended up eating 440 fewer calories every day without even trying. After 12 weeks, they’d lost nearly 10 pounds of fat.

How? Protein to a point is very filling. Try eating 400 calories of chicken breast versus 400 calories of cereal, and you’ll see what I mean.

The real magic of protein, though, is that when you’re in a calorie deficit, your body has to decide whether it’s going to burn fat or muscle. Eating enough protein—at least 0.7 grams per pound of your body weight or goal body weight if you have a lot to lose—tells your body, “Hey, keep the muscle, burn the fat.”It will also make it easier to keep fat off in the long run.

And of course, chicken breasts are not your only options – here’s some other great sources of protein. Choose 1-1.5 servings per meal.

Don’t ditch carbs

Now, let’s keep the “eat more” theme going, but this time with carbs. When I was young and I first tried to get lean, the advice was ‘’eat just meat and veggies’’, no carbs. So naturally, I decided to give it a go.

Bread, rice, sweets, even ketchup—gone! By day five, I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. My energy levels were in the toilet and my gym performance? In the garbage. Sure, I lost about 7 pounds in just a week, but I wasn’t feeling—or looking—any better.

Here’s why: When you cut out carbs, your body drops a ton of water weight. Carbs pull water into your muscles, so when they’re gone, so is the water. It’s not fat you’re losing, just your hydration.

Besides, studies have found no difference in fat loss when comparing low-carb and high-carb diets over a 12 month period.

Carbs are your main energy source, especially during intense workouts. Your body can adapt and find other energy sources, but if you’re in a calorie deficit and eating enough protein, you’ll lose fat whether you’re feasting on carbs or not. I personally save most of my carbs for before and after workouts when I need the energy, and then the remainder for dinner.

Calories from carbs do add up pretty fast, so as part of your plan, you’ll likely need to cut back on some carbs and go for more filling forms of carbs.

Have you ever tried a low-carb diet? If so, let me know your experience in the comments.

Fats don’t make you fat

We’ve talked about protein and carbs, so let’s not forget about fats. Fats are Over double the calories of carbs and protein at 9 calories per gram. They’re not just in deep fried foods and chocolate. Think salad dressing, mayo, cooking oil, butter—they all loaded with calories.

And don’t get me started on peanut butter. A tablespoon or two when you’re feeling like a snack, and you’ve just obliterated your calorie deficit for the day. But just like with carbs, don’t go nuking fats from your diet entirely.

You need some fats for vitamin absorption and hormone production. Some smart swaps you can make - like using skim milk instead of full cream, low fat dairy instead of full fat, measuring out the oil you use, or leaner cuts of meat.

How to structure your meals

Now, you might be thinking, “Great, I know what to eat, but how do I actually make this work?” Let’s start with what I don’t recommend. Ridgid meal plans with no flexibility!

Why? Because strict meal plans don’t teach you the habits needed to keep your fat off.

That’s why I’m a fan of recreating the athlete's plate – the weight loss version. Instead of obsessing over meal plans, just make sure most of your meals look like this: one-quarter of your plate is a lean protein source, around half is veggies or fruits, and the last quarter is carbs with a small space for fats.

It’s simple, and flexible, and it works. Here’s what I had for breakfast today: overnight oats bowl as I had just worked out.

For lunch, 95% fat-free ground beef, steamed veggies, and potatoes. The beauty of this concept is that it works anywhere—even at restaurants. You don’t have to be the person awkwardly ordering a salad and feeling starving as you leave the restaurant. Just aim for a plate similar to the athlete's plate.

I am a big fan of flexible dieting, meaning 80-90% of the time, my meals will look like this. 10-20% of the time, maybe you’ll have a burger, pizza or dessert

Supplements for fat loss

Let’s talk supplements. Ah yes, the magical pills and powders that promise to melt fat like butter on a hot skillet. The reality?

Most of them are as useful as a wooden frying pan. I’ve spent hundreds on fat burners, and guess what? They’re just glorified caffeine pills that might make your heart race a little faster, you’ll burn a few more calories, but they won’t do anything significant for fat loss.

Now, there are some legit supplements, like creatine, omega-3s, vitamin D, and zinc.

?But, the first one I recommend is a protein powder. It’s by no means magic, but, it will help you increase your protein intake.

One study showed that adding a 30g protein shake to your day can help prevent fat regain after a diet and keep your waistline in check.

I am personally a big fan of whey Isolate and I use the Whey+ from Legion. You can use any whey Isolate you like that’s from a trusted supplier and you like the taste of.

Use ''CoachAdam'' at checkout for a discount!

Meal frequency

By now, you’ve got a good idea of what to eat, but there’s one more thing most people overlook—meal frequency. I used to think skipping meals was the secret to staying in a calorie deficit. Less food, fewer calories, right? Wrong.

All it did was make me feel like a zombie by the end of the day, and when I finally did eat, I felt like a bottomless fit. If you’re feeling dizzy, light-headed, or ready to eat everything in sight by dinner, whatever you’re doing is NOT working

?Intermittent fasting is extremely popular and it's basically where you only eat during a certain window, like 12 pm to 8 pm. It works for some people, and I’ve had success with it in the past—not because it’s magic, but because it can make sticking to a calorie deficit easier for some people. On the flip side, eating little and often does not speed up your metabolism and will not lead to more fat loss.

I recommend eating 3-4 meals spread out with no snacks in between.

Two Methods to Eat Less

Now, let’s talk about where you eat. Believe it or not, it matters. One study looked at the food environments of over 8,000 households and found that eating in front of the TV was one of the strongest predictors of being overweight.

Of course, It’s okay to eat popcorn while watching a film or catching up on my YouTube videos during lunch. Just try not to make it a habit to eat every single meal in front of a screen.

Other studies have shown that slowing down your eating—taking more bites, or eating with smaller utensils—can reduce hunger and boost fat loss.

The key is moderation, not perfection.

The strategies I’ve shared with you should help you get into a calorie deficit, but I want to set some realistic expectations here.

Focus on making small, sustainable changes—like losing just half a pound a week. It might not sound like much, but that consistency adds up and helps you avoid the classic yo-yo diet trap.

Calculate your calories

Now, I know you’re probably wondering, “How many calories should I be eating?”There are many calculators online, here is one I recommend.

You will mess up at some point, that’s something you need to accept and expect going into this. Maybe you’ll binge on a tub of ice cream one night, or maybe that “cheat meal” will turn into a full-blown cheat day. And that’s okay. One meal, or even one day of eating junk, won’t ruin your progress.

Stop cheating

?If you find yourself constantly “cheating” on your diet, though, that’s a sign you need to make it more enjoyable. For example, if you can’t stand cottage cheese, even though it’s high-protein and a great low-calorie option, don’t force yourself to eat it. By not eating it, your results will not be affected in the slightest.

I love burgers I find a way to fit them into my diet—or, sometimes, I make healthier versions of them.

I always do my best to give my clients flexibility in the plans, and there’s a ton of great recipes online. Experiment and create a diet you actually enjoy, because that’s the one you’re more likely to stick to long-term.

That's all I wanted to cover for today. So if you have any questions at all, feel free to drop them below.

Have the best day!

Coach Adam