When it comes to weight loss, saying that people have a lot of questions about the whole proccess is an understatement. People have A LOT of questions about weight loss. And that’s understandable, especially with all the contradicting and crappy info out there in the industry.
And since I’m such a good law abiding citizen, I’ll do my best to answer all your burning weight loss questions below.
So lets get to it, shall we.
Diet questions
How do you lose weight?
Eat less food.
I’m gonna need more than that. How much less? How much do I need to eat a day?
To calculate your daily calorie intake, you can start by multiplying your bodyweight in pounds by 12. That should give you a rough estimation for your daily calorie intake in order to lose 1 pound a week.
Ugh, do I have to count to calories?
Yup, sorry buddy. How do you expect to lose weight if you don’t track your food intake.
Many people argue that calorie counting is not a long term plan, and it’s better to simply gauge your hunger or to “eyeball” portions instead. The former is just plain risky while latter can work in certain situations, but in the end, counting calories is the safest and most reliable way of tracking your food intake.
What is the maximum amount of weight I can lose each week?
Realistically, you should only try to lose 1-2 pounds per week. However, if you’re feeling super motivated, you can try out my form of extreme dieting to lose insane amounts of weight in one week.
Do I need to eat breakfast to lose weight?
No, breakfast IS NOT the most important meal of the day. The only reason you should eat breakfast is if you enjoy it, otherwise don’t worry about it.
How about eating really late at night, I heard that makes you fat?
Well you heard wrong. As long as you don’t shoot over your calorie allotment for the day, you’re good to go.
How many meals do I need eat a day?
I truly don’t care. You can eat 6 meals a day or you can eat 1 meal a day. In the end, as long as your calories add up the same then it doesn’t matter.
But don’t I need to eat at least 6 meals a day to keep my metabolism revving?
Nope, this is another diet myth that just can’t seem to die no matter what. Your metabolism doesn’t slow down if you don’t eat every 2-3 hours. It actually takes closer to 96 hours before your metabolism experiences any measurable decrease.
So is it okay if I just eat 1 giant meal every day?
Sure, why not? Eating 1 big meal very day is the basis of an intermittent fasting program known as the Warrior Diet where you fast throughout the entire day and don’t eat until night time.
What kinds of food should I eat when trying to lose weight?
I’ve never been a huge fan of telling people what to eat. I much prefer to tell them how much to eat and let them make their own choices. But with that said, you should just eat ANYTHING you want, just eat smaller portions of it.
How about protein, that’s important right?
Yeah, I would say protein is definitely the most important macronutrient, so you should aim for a minimum of 0.6 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight when dieting. This will help keep you satiated and will help preserve muscle mass.
But if for some reason you aren’t able to hit that amount one day, don’t worry about it. Many people expierience forms of “protein guilt” as Brad Pilon likes to call it when they don’t eat enough protein. Protein has the ability to recycle itself, so it’s okay to have low protein days once in a while.
Is red meat bad for you?
Hell no! Eating too much red meat is bad for you, just like eating too much of anything is bad for you.
But Dr. Oz said you should become vegetarian.
Here’s some advice – never take nutrition advice from Dr. Oz.
On my list of “famous fitness people on TV I hate”, Dr.Oz is on top. You can read my anti-vegetarian article if you want, but I must warn you, if you’re a vegetarian, you’re not going to like it.
Should I eat carbs?
Unless you absolutely hate doughnuts, bread, sushi, and chocolate filled eclairs, then no, you shouldn’t eat carbs.
On the other hand, if you love those foods, then I encourage you to eat carbs on a regular basis. Don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t eat carbs when trying to lose weight since it promotes fat storage and whatnot. Just watch your calories, and you’ll be fine.
Are low carb diets good for weight loss?
In general, no. Most people can’t sustain a low carb diet for a long time. But if you have a massive amount of weight to lose, then going on a low carb diet for a few days can have its benefits since carbs bind to water and dropping the carbs can help you shed the water quickly.
And what about fats, should I avoid foods like bacon since they contain a lot of saturated fats?
Are you freaking kidding me? Bacon is one of life’s greatest pleasures, right up there with taking a warm bubble bath with scented candles and dim lighting.
Do I have to give up my favorite foods when dieting?
Absolutely not. Like I’ve stated many times on this blog, just eat what you like but in smaller amounts.
How do I eat healthy when going out to eat?
There are 2 ways to deal with this:
1) You can just try to make more sensible choices, like opting for non-fried foods and whatnot but that’s no fun.
2) You can create a calorie buffer where you’ll skip meals in order to save up calories until you go out to eat. This way, you’ll be able to eat a big meal without ruining your weight loss progress.
Should I eat something before I workout?
It’s totally up to you. The most important thing you must know is that eating before a workout has very little benefit. In fact, working out in a fasted state probably has more benefits since you’re burning body fat instead of the food you just ate.
I complete the majority of my workouts in a fasted state since I don’t perform as well if I eat anything beforehand, but if you’re not hungry, then there’s no reason not to workout in a fasted state.
Should I eat after my workout?
I wrote an article on this a while back, and have come to this conclusion – if your goal is to lose fat, then it’s really not necessary to eat after a workout. Just eat when you’re feeling hungry.
Should I take supplements?
I only recommend 2 supplements – a good multivitamin and an Omega 3 supplement. A multivitamin is used to safeguard against any mineral/vitamin deficiencies and the Omega 3 supplement provides a whole host of health benefits that I don’t even want to get into.
I buy my supplements from Prograde Nutrition since their stuff is super high quality.
So in your opinion, what’s the best diet plan out there?
I hate labelling something as the “best.”
But if I had to choose, I would say Eat Stop Eat.
It’s not really even a diet plan in the sense that it doesn’t tell you what to eat, but instead tells you when not to eat. It’s an intermittent fasting program that tells you it’s okay to fast for 24 hours without any negative consequence. Before you think I’m crazy, make sure you read my article on intermittent fasting here.
Workout and general questions
How should I exercise when trying to lose weight?
Lift heavy weights god dammit.
How often should I lift weights?
Shoot for 3x per week for no more than 1 hour each time.
But I’m a girl and I don’t want to get bulky, shouldn’t I just lift light weights for high reps?
Please don’t do this. You’re only hurting yourself if you believe all the bullshit mainstream fitness info that you read in magazines. The only way to develop sexy muscle tone is to lift heavy weights. Check out this article for more info:.
How about cardio? Should I do that too?
I’m not the biggest fan of traditional cardio(running for endless minutes on a treadmill), but I do like more intense forms of cardio like HIIT, metabolic circuits, and bodyweight circuits. If you want to lose weight, just stick with weight lifting at first and implement these forms of cardio later on if you want to boost your results.
How often should I workout my abs? I really want a six pack.
Getting a six pack is 95% diet and 5% exercise. The truth is that everyone already has a six pack, it’s just covered by fat. So just focus on losing fat first and foremost. Once you get to a low enough body fat percentage, getting a really nice set of abs will be super easy.
I only want to lose fat in my abs? Is that possible?
No, spot reduction is a complete myth and lie. It’s physically impossible to just lose fat in one specific part of your body. However, it is possible to build muscle in specific parts of your body.
Do you really need to “switch it up” to get results?
No, the whole theory behind “switching it up” is complete myth. Just make sure you’re progressing with your workout and you’ll be fine.
What if I don’t have a gym membership? Where can I find some effective home workout routines?
If you don’t have a gym membership, then your next best alternative would be to do bodyweight exercises at home.
Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training has a bunch of awesome workout routines that you can do at home. You should check those out.
How often should I weigh myself?
Definitely not once a day. Definitely not once every other day. Definitely not once every 5th day.
You know what, how about you don’t weigh yourself at all? The scale can play evil tricks on you if you’re a sensitive person who reacts to even the smallest shift.
A better way to measure your progress would be to take progress pictures every week. The mirror is much friendlier than the scale, trust me.
Did I answer all your questions?
Hopefully I’ve answered all your weight loss questions without being too confusing, but I’m sure I’ve missed a few questions as well. Let me know which ones I missed and I’ll answer them below.
Dear Keith,
I am an active individual with a body I love and have been on what is called the “warrior diet” for a long time now even though I had never heard of it being called anything. It’s just mentally what I’ve preferred to do (you know reward at the end of the day kind of thing). THANK YOU SO MUCH for finally giving some support for me on this because sooo many people call my diet crazy and think it’s so unhealthy and it’s nice to finally get some re-assurance!!
Cheers mate,
~Conor
Like seriously THANKYOU! I was occasionally starting to believe the “health consequences” with my diet and now feel much better knowing I’m not the only one xP
you’re welcome, conor.
I have a really really urgent question
I am 22 years old and will be 23 next year’s april
I am 5’2” and i just have to be 5’7”
I downloaded many e-books on how to grow but all of them sucked
I am a girl and the place where i live in is brimming with giants and its kinda odd but i must tell you that i respect my current height but i also know that increasing height is incredibly difficult but not impossible.
I hope you’ll be able to guide me through foolproof exercises and techniques as you have done for million others. Thank you.
are you serious? Sorry that’s not gonna happen, it is impossible.
Sue quick start downing HGH otherwise known as human growth hormone & eat about 36,000 to 40,000 stinkin calries every single day! After 6 to 8 years you should grow 9 inches to a hight of 5′ 11″! Also you will have to eat 3,000 calries every 45 min during the day & every 2 hours at night & make sure to sleep at least 12 to 14 hours every night! Hanging upside down for 10 min 3 times per day in a pivit michine helps make you grow taller as well! Because it decompresses & lenginthens the spine!
Do not listen to this re-re, at least for the dieting part. Portions are extremely important, but you can’t eat whatever you want and just cut the portion, that’s a fast way to ruin your diet. Fist size portions of healthy food. Eating a small bowl of cheetos every day won’t do shit except make you feel like shit, and give you bitch tits. Don’t listen to this dummy.
I think the real dummy is the person who believes eating a small bowl of cheetos will give you bitch tits.
Hello
I really liked ur article but it didn’t help me out that much.
Im 26 year old Male i weight 77KGs and most of my body fat is in my belly. I started a low carb and no sugar diet about 2 months ago and i dropped from 97 KGS to 77 in about 2months. And i recently started going to the GYM its been 15 days now. But my body looks really small and im afraid of eating while lifting wights cause i wana shred right now then ill think about getting huge. And i dnt eat that much cause im still on the same diet. Its getting really confusing. So i really need an expert advice.
I believe we talked about this on Facebook.
Hi I have a question, I go to gym about 3x week but have trouble losing weight, I usually don’t eat that much and am under my calorie in take most days, my water intake is really poor (loads of coffee) I do lift weights at gym but nothing much is happening what am I doing wrong?? Please help !!!
Really hard to say to based on the info you gave. You should be drinking water, of course. Maybe you’re not tracking correctly and eating more than you think.
Wow, yeah, don’t listen to Dr. Oz but listen to this random guy promoting red meat despite profound scientific studies saying how dangerous it is including WOW’s recent publications and the fact that the National Academy of Science published years ago that there is NO safe level of tarnsfats for humans to consume, so that ANY amount of transfats (found in red meat and other animal products) is considered, by SCIENTISTS, to be extremely DANGEROUS.
“Bacon” is one of the most UNHEALTHY, DANGEROUS things you an put in your body. You can’t even put bacon grease down a DRAIN yet you want to put it in your body?! Yes, all animal fats are DANGEROUS. Further more, bubble baths are not good for your skin and I hope those scented candles you’re talking about are all natural, because fragrance candles are poison to your body and just accumulate toxins in the air and thus your body and a healthy body is the key to losing and maintaining weight.
But it’s also disgusting to me that someone would call “bacon” one of life’s greatest pleasures… clearly they haven’t lived much or realized what life is about. Go watch Earthlings and you’ll see where that so called bacon comes from, or rather who.
This could not be more wrong: “I’ve never been a huge fan of telling people what to eat. I much prefer to tell them how much to eat and let them make their own choices. But with that said, you should just eat ANYTHING you want, just eat smaller portions of it.” BULLSHIT. Portion control is absolute bullshit unless you’re eating toxic foods that are harmful to your body, then yes, eat as little as possible (none at all, really). If you eat a diet that your body actually needs, foods that are actually MEANT for your body and nourish your body, then eat as much of that good stuff as you want and can! DO NOT worry about portions of quinoa and veggies, salads, “green” smoothies, fruits, etc. I’ve seen people drop pounds eating huge plates of pasta and salads but the pasta was gluten free (Ancient Harvest quinoa pasta) and the sauces and such were 100% from whole plant foods. And yes, eat potatoes! They are so healthy and perfectly fine! But don’t douse them in butter, use a drizzle of olive oil or hemp oil once they’re cooked and some sea salt and maybe garlic or whatever you like.
If you’re eating refined foods, then yes, limit your intake, try not to eat refined foods like corn chips etc. If you love these things, find out how to make them healthier… get oil free corn tortillas, stick them in the oven at 350 degrees F and bake them for a few minutes and voila.
So no, it is NOT how much you eat, it is WHAT you eat.
For fats, STAY AWAY from oils high in omega-6 (soy oil, cottonseed oil, safflower/sunflower oil/etc.), extra virgin olive oil is fine but don’t over do any oils. Drizzle it with vinegar over salads or veggies or rice/quinoa/etc. AFTER they’re cooked for optimal health. Things like soy and sunflower seeds are very healthy, omega-6 is good and essential but in the western world we get WAY too much of it and not enough omega-3’s. So the omega-6 in whole foods like seeds and nuts is very healthy but when we extract the oils from these things, it’s just too much. Consider adding a couple tbsp’s of ground flax to your diet each day. You can grind up whole flax yourself using a mortar or coffee grinder, this is good for omega-3’s. Hemp seeds are another great source. If you want direct DHA, I suggest taking an algae based DHA supplement but I only recommend Nutru’s OmegaZEN pure DHA as it’s purest I’ve found and has no palm oil (which is very unhealthy and grossly unsustainable and one of the most serious epidemics on this planet). You don’t need to worry about EPA, your body converts these thins on its own, DHA as well but you need to get enough omega 3’s in general to produce enough.
Then there’s the talk about calories… Calories don’t matter, it’s WHAT you eat, not the amount of calories accumulated. I guarantee if someone adopts a whole foods plant based diet omitting gluten containing grains (because yes, gluten is a toxin for everyone and causes most people to put on weight), you WILL lose weight.
I actually do think it’s a good idea not to eat late at night as a rule, if you can… or rather, a few hours before you go to bed. Sometimes I eat late but as a rule, I like to stop eating by 8pm. This gives the body time to fast and digest and it just gives your body a break. Some people think an anti aging chemical is omitted by the body during periods of fasting, but studies actually only show that to occur in yeast. Regardless, I have seem tremendous success with not eating past a certain time and it’s better for your sleep and all the work your body has to do in its sleep, rather than using up energy for digestion.
I think breakfast is important but not in eating right when you get up. I actually like to have lemon water (which I drink with a glass straw, better for teeth and the glass is cheaper in the long run and much better for the environment and healthier for you as chemicals are leached off of plastic, especially in warm or acidic liquids) and green tea in the morning and wait till I get hungry to eat.
Yes we need carbs! LOTS of carbs! That should be our entire food source. But NOT donuts, etc. that shit is poison, if your’e gonna treat yourself, go for it, but do not make it a regular part of your diet and try to learn healthier alternatives to those kinds of things. But yes, healthy carbs should be what your diet consists of. Eat as many vegetables as you want, fruit (do NOT listen to people about sugar in fruit, they’re so wrong they’re insane), seeds, nuts, legumes, beans, gluten free grains like quinoa (though technically a seed), etc.
And do NOT listen to people about green smoothies causing weight gain. I have sen weight FALL off of people who drank them in excess. But they were also 100% plant based and gluten free. Either way, vegetable and fruit smoothies are a great idea for everyone.
I couldn’t even read through all this, this guy does not know anything about nutrition. If you really want to lose weight, you need a healthy body. With consistent exercise and a plant based diet, excess weight will fall off and your body will overall, heal itself. Stay away from gluten and definitely stay away from meat, eggs, dairy, honey. These things are inflammatory among other things. Don’t listen to all the attacks on plant foods going around, science has proved time and time again that plant foods are healing foods, they are perfect foods.
Make sure your’e getting IODINE, NOT from iodized salt. Take an iodine supplement or consume sea vegetables regularly as these are the BEST sources of iodine. I actually take a teaspoon of kelp granules everyday. The thyroid depends on iodine and in our modern society, there are so many things that affect our iodine levels including soil depletion thanks to animal agriculture, GMO’s, use of pesticides and herbicides in general, etc. But a healthy body with sufficient levels of iodine can actually heal an under active thyroid, including those with hashimoto’s disease.
Drink lots of water, at the minimum, 64 oz. a day. Your body simply cannot lose weight without enough water and can’t function properly at all.
The best protein you will get, is from plant based proteins. When consuming animal flesh, they have to be cooked for our safety to such high degrees that the amino acids are killed off. Animal flesh and secretions are not very bioavailable forms of protein. Protein is in just about every plant food, but make sure you’re eaten things like beans, nuts, legumes, seeds, etc. for optimal levels. Learn to prepare things like tempeh (fermented soy is very good for you, soy does NOT disrupt hormones, soy protein isolates may, but there’s lots of other options if you have a soy allergy or just don’t want soy in your diet). If getting a protein shake, get vegan. Like Beach Body’s Shakeology vegan option. Stay the hell away from whey… it will put weight on you more than take it off, it is NOT a good form of protein (watch Cowspiracy) and you’re paying for a waste product of the dairy industry, namely the greek yogurt industry… it accumulates so much toxic waste (whey) that the companies have to find responsible ways to dump it, and what better way than to feed it to all of you and profit off of it at the same time?
You should be ashamed of yourself posting anything about “nutrition.” I feel bad for the people listening to you.
I feel bad for people listening to you.
Nobody is/will listen to him
Very clever, Keith. Nice one… you should become a writer.
Haha
R
No one is listening to her. So don’t feel bad.
Isn’t Dr. Oz just some random guy?
There is no Dr. Oz. He must legally call himself Dr Oz because “Dr.” is reserved for real doctors while “Dr” is unregulated. He is a TV personality and nothing more.
He actually is a surgeon.
Honestly I think a lot of what he says is correct.
His plan may not have worked for some, but before ever coming across this article, this is exactly what I did.
CALORIE DEFICIET is what makes you lose weight.
I went from 300+ lbs down to 125 lbs.
It took almost two years. Especially since the start was veey hard.
I didn’t entirely change my diet. I cut out sugar, and decreased my portions for lower calories.
And I did exactly this.
And I have no regrets. I haven’t suffered any negative rebounds.
I have never been as fit as I am now. There was no WAY in hell I could do everything I can now.
I couldn’t even do a push up on my knees goddamn it!
Now I can do them effortlessly.
I personally don’t know if red meat is bad for you.
I simply don’t like red meat. I’m more of a turkey/fish meat person.
I still ate red meat (very VERY small portion due to its high calorie content) and to not seem rude at family gatherings.
Bacon is where I draw the line — that shit smells like wet dogs roasting in the summer sun. It is also salty; which I personally don’t like.
But I am glad this article is out there.
A lot of people think it is crazy; but I am sure those who think so are people who haven’t tried it or haven’t needed to.
And if you are desprate and motivated enough, this is a way that is worth trying and seeing if it works for you.
If it doesn’t work for you, there are many other diet plans for you to try.
I guess I’d say I am physical proof that this works.
And weights ARE important!
I didn’t touch weights as I lost weight. Until I released that I didn’t wanna end up looking like the dreaded skinny fat.
If I could post a before and after picture on here, I would.
NOT SAYING THIS WILL WORK FOR EVERYONE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ATTEMPT THIS WAY AND FAIL.
But there are many other options.
I just want to say that this article isn’t a waste. And I; from personal experience, know that.
That’s awesome man.
Calorie deficit is key. From there, you can mess with a million different variables.
Love the article, so much useful information for weight loss struggles. What are your thought on weight loss teas? Instagram is saturated with them products. Thanks
Complete horse shit.
Awesome post! The balanced diet helps you to be fit and healthy. You have to use an effective exercise routine and most important is you have to modify workout regularly.
I have a god damned question. Do you think apple cider vinegar helps you burn more fat or is it overrated? Thanks for your website!
it’s bullshit