THE FIVE RULES OF FAT LOSS

Jonathan Cawte
Aug 23, 2017 · 4 min read

The following five simple rules were designed to give the executive a framework to create a calorie deficit without endless counting calories. This framework focuses on reducing caloric intake while at the same time replacing high-energy foods with low-energy foods so you will still feel satisfied at the end of the meal.

RULE 1: LIMIT ALCOHOL TO LESS THAN FIVE DRINKS PER WEEK

Alcohol disrupts your ability to feel full. If you ate an extra 400 calories in the middle of the afternoon, your brain would register the extra energy and you would not feel as hungry at your next meal. If the same 400 calories, however, were to come from alcohol, the brain would not register them in the same way.

You’re consuming calories but your brain isn’t counting them. With each drink, you become more susceptible to cravings and uncontrolled eating. This effect can last as long as six hours.

I suggest less than five alcoholic beverages per week, and this is being generous, but for good reason. Alcohol is an undeniably important part of our social lives; cutting it entirely out of our lives is not, for many, realistic. If the executive is not losing weight as fast as they would like, this is the first place a coach will look to reduce the number of calories and create a larger calorie deficit. Alcohol affects individuals differently according to their body size; so smaller individuals should be even stricter with alcohol.

RULE 2: EAT 4–5 SMALL MEALS PER DAY

It may seem a little counterintuitive that the second rule of fat loss is to eat more often. Eating small meals and more often are twin strategies and must be implemented at the same time. Increasing your meal frequency is a logistical problem that is exacerbated by back-to-back meetings. It requires you to devote a pre-determined amount of time — perhaps a little more than usual — to eating each day. The objective is to prevent the uncontrollable hunger created by low blood sugar. Eating in smaller portions and more frequently ensures that the executive doesn’t sacrifice anything in terms of mental alertness. It will also make sure that they aren’t exercising on a completely empty stomach.

RULE 3: ONLY EAT ENOUGH TO GET YOU TO YOUR NEXT MEAL

Portion size is about paying attention. Though it comes in the middle of this list, this is the most important and most frequently unobserved weight loss rule. A nutrition plan can have all the right foods at the right times, but if you’re eating more than you need to get to your next meal, you’ll get zero results. There are many scientific calculations to measure the correct portion size, but unless you invest the time to count the calories you consume the best and easiest method is your hunger. If you aren’t hungry when your next mealtime comes around, it’s not telling you that you can go longer between meals; it’s telling you that you ate too much.

Embrace hunger. It is a precursor to weight loss. Some executives may be entirely unused to this feeling.

RULE 4: EAT A SOURCE OF PROTEIN AT EVERY MEAL

All calories are not created equal. Protein — far more than carbohydrates, fat, and alcohol — is the macronutrient that alters the hormones that control appetite. Protein is what will make you feel full on the lowest number of calories. Consuming the right number of calories is achieved by mastering meal frequency and portion size; making sure that you’re getting the most out of these calories and keeping hunger at bay means prioritising protein.

RULE 5: EAT VEGETABLES AND/OR FRUIT AT EVERY MEAL

Dramatically reducing how much alcohol you drink will help you slash your caloric intake. Protein will give you that full feeling without the need to pile your plate high. Vegetables and fruit are the low-energy foods that will complete the picture. They should make up the largest part of your nutrition plan. The meals that the Executive Athlete eats are large, but they’re full of low-energy vegetables and fruit that create the calorie deficit that powers weight loss. Thanks to high levels of fibre, they’ll also maximise the feeling of satiety.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT CARBS?

How you answer this question will depend a great deal on your genetic makeup. The genetic hand you’ve been dealt might make this seem unfair, but it won’t stand between you and losing 20kg unless you let it. Your genetics, metabolism and dieting history all play a part in how your body responds to changes in your nutrition and physical activity.

What will determine whether or not carbohydrate-rich foods are included in an executive’s nutrition plan are the total calories that are required to create the energy deficit for weight loss. If the executive doesn’t get hungry and doesn’t metabolise carbohydrates well, it’s often possible to get all of their carbohydrate needs from fruit and vegetables.

Everyone’s body responds to diet changes and exercises differently. The only way to find out what the right balance of carbohydrates and proteins is for you is to track your weight loss results and keep a food diary.

If you would like to read more about how deconditioned executives can turn into athletes If you want to learn more about the program that allows deconditioned executives to turn into athletes you can download a free chapter sampler of my book here or on the website.

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Written by

Sports Scientist & founder of Executive Athlete.

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