How To Track Your Fat Loss Progress (Without Using The Scale)

by Nick Anderson | Oct 22, 2021 | Fat Loss

Let’s be real here.

The scale is kind of a bitch.

You can see the number there go up and down more times than you and your prom date did at the end of the night.

It is a good tool to measure how much your body weighs at any given moment.

And it can even be a good tool to give you an idea of whether you are losing body fat over time.  But not always.

By the end of this article, you will have some reliable ways to track your fat loss progress besides what the scale tells you.

And by the end of this article, you will be able to improve your relationship with the scale.

All you have to do is read the entire article.

No skipping, no skimming.

Sit down and read it.

Every word.

Deal?

Cool, let’s get into it.

Why Is The Scale Not The Best Tool?

Before we get into the ways to track your progress aside from the scale, I want to talk to you about its flaws.

You may have been led to believe that the most reliable tool to track body fat loss is by stepping on the scale every morning.

Now this might include a little ritual beforehand.

Maybe you’re praying to the scale gods, and hoping (oh please oh please oh please) that the scale is down today.

Aaaand then you step on and it’s up two pounds from yesterday.

You immediately freak out, and wonder how the hell you could have gained two pounds overnight.

First thing I want you to do here is take a big, deep breath.

In through the nose, out through the mouth.

Next thing I want you to do is understand that the only way to gain 2 pounds of body fat overnight is by eating 13 Big Macs worth of calories over your maintenance calories.

One pound of fat stores 3,500 calories.  So you have to be in a 7,000 calorie surplus to gain that much overnight.

So how did the scale go up two pounds?

Water weight.

There are many ways that water retention can make the number on the scale higher than it was the day before, including but not limited to:

– Eating more carbs or sodium

– Stress

– Needing to poo

– It being that time of the month.

I’m not going to go into why these things happen here, since this is supposed to be an article about OTHER ways than using the scale to track progress.  However, if you’re interested to know more, you can check out here where I deep dive into that.

BUT, I want you to remember, that fluctuations in the scale are normal, and even to be expected.  It does NOT mean you gained body fat overnight.

1.) Progress Pictures

This is my favorite way to indicate progress.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

And two pictures side by side is worth more than a three digit number.

Want proof?

This is my close friend, and online coaching client Christine

She looks amazing right?-

She’s been working with me for about 8 months, and is one of the most hard-working, consistent humans I know.

Your first thought is probably… wow Christine lost a lot of weight, good for her!

Well, guess what…

She didn’t.

Between these two pictures, she is the same weight.

But she clearly made a lot of progress.

How is that even possible?

Read on, my friend.

Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss

Losing weight and losing fat are two very different things.

You can lose 10lbs of fat, and gain 10 lbs of muscle, and you will look completely different.

However, that 3 digit number we so highly read into will be exactly the same.

(Case and point in Christine)

Now look…

You may have heard that muscle weights more than fat.

While there is some truth to that, it’s important to understand something.

One pound of muscle and one pound of fat weigh the same thing… one pound.

On the same note, one pound of leaves weighs the same thing as one pound of steel.

But they take up a different amount of space.

So one pound of muscle takes up less space on your body than a pound of fat does.

So when you go back and look at Christine’s pictures (feel free to scroll up for a second look), you can probably surmise that she lost fat, and gained muscle.

Why?

She was in a calorie deficit, eating plenty of protein, and strength training hard.

2.) Measurements

Next, I’ll tell you another story about another online coaching client who would like to remain anonymous, so let’s just call her Jane.

Jane was another one, who wasn’t losing weight on the scale, and she was frustrated.  I mean real frustrated.

She was so frustrated that every one of her check ins with me I put on a full suit of medieval heavy armor before opening her messages.  Just in case she came at me.

So I told her to take her scale and hide it in her closet for a month.

Instead, we’d take measurements once a week.

After a month of measurements, she lost 1.25 inches off her waist.

She took the scale out of the closet, stepped on, and it was the same exact weight as it was four weeks prior.

But now she knew she was losing inches.

She was making progress.

And now that she knew that, I put my battle armor away for our check ins.

3.) How Your Clothes Fit

Okay,

Sorry not sorry, I’m going to hype up one last online coaching client here.  Incidentally, her name is also Christine.  And it’s not the same Christine.  And these two aren’t even the extent of Christines I coach (so if your name is Christine click that link directly above, you’ll fit right in).

Here’s a tale of a young lady who has lost weight on the scale, but the number isn’t super high.  Again, just like Jane, she was frustrated.  Especially because she was struggling with consistency.  But she never ever gave up.

And then one day she sent me this picture.

I don’t think I need to explain this… but in case I do.

Here’s an undeniable fact for you.

If your clothes are getting to big for you, you are losing body fat.

Hell no!

All it is, is a way to measure how much your body weighs at a given point in time.

That includes your body fat, muscle mass, organs, bones, the food in your stomach, and the poo you may have not let out yet.

It is just data.

And you can use this data, along with all the other forms of tracking your progress mentioned above, to paint a picture of your entire fat loss progress.

If any of the above things apply, you are making progress.

That means if you are losing weight on the scale, seeing progress in your pictures, losing inches, or your clothes fit differently… you are making progress.

So keep going, don’t give up.

You got this.

Much Love,

Nick

How To Start (A Beginner’s Plan For Fat Loss)

by Nick Anderson | Oct 14, 2021 | Fat Loss

You’ve got goals to hit right?

You want to lose some weight.

You want to keep it off.

You want to look and feel good.

And you want to be able to get on and off the toilet when you’re older.

You want to be able to walk around and not feel like you just ran the Boston Marathon while wearing the trenchcoat from the Matrix.

You’ve tried everything.

You tried the workout subscriptions where every 4 seconds they tried to sell you a supplement.

You tried the apple cider vinegar pill that was supposed to just melt fat off your body (it didn’t).

And you even tried a 3-day detox tea metabolism reset that had you buying more toilet paper in 3 days than the entire state of Indiana did in 2020 during the pandemic.

At this point, you’re fed up.

You’re sick of someone constantly trying to sell you something.

And you just want a simple, easy fitness plan to follow.

Well, you’re in luck.

Because this plan is going to help you reach your goals, without having to obsess over it.

And without having to pay a dime.

Step 1: Get In A Calorie Deficit

There is only one way to lose body fat.

It’s not cutting out sugar.

It’s not doing 17 HIIT workouts a week

And it’s definitely not putting butter in your coffee to mAkE iT bUrN fAt (that’s nonsense).

The only way your body burns fat is by consuming less calories than your body expends.

This is called a calorie deficit.

By being in a calorie deficit, your body will burn fat to make up for the difference in energy.

I’m not going to get too in depth into the ways that your body burns calories, but if you’d like to know more you can hear all about it right here on my podcast.

To create a calorie deficit, you need to do two things.

1.) Understand how many calories to eat based on your current weight. You can do so by using this calorie calculator.

2.) Track your calories to stay under your calorie range. You can learn how to do that through my article on How to Track Calories.

A couple important things to note:

· If the calories in the calculator seem high, that is NORMAL. You may have been told by MyFitnessPal, or some guru, that you need to eat 1,200 calories to lose weight. That is untrue, and often leads people to OVEReat, because they are so underfed. Stick to the higher number, it will be easier to sustain long term.

· Do not eat the calories that any device tells you that you burned from exercise. The only way to accurately track calories burned is in a laboratory. Calorie expenditure through exercise is taken into account in the calculator linked above.

· You can eat anything you want while you are in a calorie deficit. If it fits your calories, it’s allowed. That doesn’t mean eat nothing but cheeseburgers. You’re going to want to emphasize protein, vegetables, fruits, and things that make your body feel good. But you can also have pizza sometimes too. See here for more resources on How To Stay Full In A Calorie Deficit

Step 2: Exercise

There is no wrong or right way to do this. All I care about is that you move your body.

You can do spin classes.

You can lift weights in a gym.

You can go for walks

You can become a professional unicyclist.

I don’t care what it is, just do it.

But preferably, it’s something that you enjoy.

Remember this, and this alone.

There is no such thing as a perfect workout plan.

The best workout plan is the one that you will stick with.

However, this is a fitness plan.

SO

If you’re stuck on what exactly you should do, here is a link to my free Beginner’s Strength Training Program.

Step 3: Stick To It

This, my dear friend, is the tricky part.

Consistently maintaining a calorie deficit, while being around weddings, birthdays, and Taco Bells, can be difficult.

And look

I’m not telling you to stay in a calorie deficit at every single even you go to.

I understand special occasions happen, and it’s okay to indulge during those times.

Have the wedding cake at your best friend’s wedding

(You don’t want to remember the entire wedding looking at the cake wishing you could have it).

But here’s the cold hard truth that so many people fail to understand.

Every Saturday is not a special occasion.

You have to stay consistent 80% of the time.

And if you’re not doing that, you’re not in a calorie deficit.

Stick to the plan, don’t give up, and you will see results.

Much Love,

Nick

5 Tips To Keep Yourself Full In A Calorie Deficit

by Nick Anderson | Aug 17, 2021 | Fat Loss

So you’ve been cutting back on your calories for a while (you’re doing great, keep it up).

And maybe you’re laying in bed right now with a little rumble in your stomach, and you just googled “How To Keep Yourself Full In A Calorie Deficit.”

Maybe as your laying in bed, you can hear that small carton of ice cream whispering your name from the freezer.

You drift over to the freezer door, letting your feet carry you with your mind completely unaware of what’s happening.

As you open the door, that burst of fog from the freezer caresses your face like an old lover.

Before you know it, you’ve excavated the entire carton with your spoon, and you’re lying on the couch with a chocolate covered face, wondering how you got there.

You’re not alone.

We’ve all been there.

But the good news is, you don’t have to keep have living this way.

In this article, I will teach you some ways to keep yourself feeling full in a calorie deficit, and in turn, help you avoid the ever present midnight call of the freezer.

– It tastes good, I mean who doesn’t love a nice juicy steak, or a seasoned chicken breast (sorry vegetarians, I have some info for you too later on in this section).

– It helps your muscles grow so you can get ‘dem sick gainz.  Whether you want your biceps to look like tree trunks, or you want your glutes to be big enough that you could plow the roads clean through a snow storm… protein is what’s going to help get you there (along with a good training program).

– It has a higher thermic effect, which means you’re literally going to burn more calories just from eating protein.

– Perhaps most importantly, it helps you feel full.  And feeling full while you are eating less calories than your body requires (the only way to lose body fat), is vitally important for your consistency.

One of the most common questions I get as a fitness coach, is what can I do to get in more protein?

The first way, is to just eat more of what you’re already eating.  Say you typically eat 4oz of chicken breast at dinner.  Let’s double it.

The other way, is to just have a nice variety of high protein options in your house.  Below, I’ll get in depth as to some of the great options you can choose from.

Chicken Breast, 4oz  ≈  147 calories, 26g protein

The king of high protein foods.  While it can be a “boring” food, it is insanely filling.  But the good news is, you don’t have to be boring and eat it plain.  You can add some herbs/spices to it.  Put it in something exciting, and doctor it up to make it fun.

Ground beef/Ground Turkey, 4oz ≈ 160-200 calories, 21-22g protein

You mean Taco Tuesday can be good for you?  Oh yeah, add that ground beef or turkey in your next Taco Tuesday, and this will not only taste great, but get you a shit ton of protein in.

Pork Tenderloin, 4oz ≈ 120 calories, 23g protein

Throw this Bad Larry on the grill with lots of vegetables and a carb on the side, and this is an absolutely ideal fat loss meal.  Have this for dinner, and this will keep you full literally the entire night (and keep the ice cream from whispering your name at 10:30).

Tuna, 1 can ≈ 120 calories, 21g protein

I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest tuna fan.  It smells weird, and don’t you dare put it in the office microwave.  But if you’re one of the people who enjoy it… then this is a great option.

Deli Turkey, 4oz ≈ 120 calories, 20g protein

Let’s make lunch time a good time.  Slap some turkey between two slices of toasted bread, with some leafy green vegetables, maybe a tomato, and heavenly pickles, and you’ve got yourself a high protein, highly satiating lunch.

Eggs, 2 ≈ 143 calories, 12g protein

Breakfast done right, and guess what.  You can eat the yolk too (it’s the best part).  Scrambled, poached, over easy (the best one), in a basket, fry them on your dashboard on a hot summer day, I don’t care.  Eat ’em.

Egg whites, 4oz ≈ 64 calories, 13g protein

So naturally if eggs are good, egg whites are even better.  One of the best ways to make these is by adding them to regular eggs.  If you’re the kind of person that likes the yolk, make an egg or two, and then add some liquid egg whites.  You’ll get fluffier eggs, and pure protein baby.  Or just eat egg whites if that’s how you like to roll.

Salmon or other fish, 4oz ≈ 180 calories, 23 protein

Again, please please please don’t put this one in the office microwave.  But feel free to get creative with your preparation on this.  I listed salmon here, but you can also go with haddock, cod, or whatever type of fish they have in your area.  Remember, this might stink up your house a little bit so open some windows, or grill it outside.  But it is damn good eats.

0% Greek Yogurt, 1 cup ≈ 240 calories, 17g protein

Wow, this is a surprisingly good option and super versatile.  Remember that Taco Tuesday?  Slap a dollop of Greek Yogurt on your tacos, and I swear to you, you won’t be able to differentiate it from sour cream.  Don’t believe me?  Try it, and comment below on how it went for you.  You can also make this a great dessert by adding peanut butter, fruit, or even protein powder.

Shrimp, 4oz ≈ 80 calories, 15g protein

I like shrimp as an option because you can keep a big frozen bag of it in the freezer, thaw it, and just snack on it for a delicious high protein snack.  Only downfall here is it can add up money wise.

Protein Powder, 1 scoop ≈ 150-250 calories, 15-30g protein

There are many different protein powders on the market.  And most of them are pretty decent.  Some are better than others, and some are absolute crap.  I’m a big fan of Legion Athletics for both taste and cost.  This can be in the form of whey, casein, or plant based protein.  All are great sources of protein.  Find which one you like best, and use it.  Remember, you don’t have to just make protein shakes.  You can add it to oatmeal, coffee, you can make protein pudding, and lots of other things.

Note: I am not affiliated with Legion Athletics, I just think they’re an awesome company, and very transparent with their labels.  Also their Cinnamon Cereal protein is the best tasting on the market, bar none.

Tofu, 6oz, ≈ 152 calories, 16g protein

Not going to talk about this one much, because I’ve never ever tasted it.  But if you’re plant based, this should be a go to for you.  From what I hear, you can make this taste like anything you cook it with.

Cottage Cheese, 1 cup, ≈ 160 calories, 22g protein

I know a lot of people find this stuff gross, (myself included), but for those of you out there who like it, you’ll be set up for wild success, because cottage cheese will make you feel full for a long time because of how high in protein it is.

Tempeh, 4oz ≈ 170 calories, 22g protein

Another one I’ve never had, and can’t speak much on.  But this is another high protein food, and if again, if you’re plant based, I want it to be on your radar.

And before you start in with saying yOu DoN’T lIkE VeGeTaBlEs… I’m going to give you some tough love right here.

Too freakin’ bad. You’re an adult, and if you have kids, you probably tell them to eat vegetables, so you should practice what you preach.

If you don’t have kids, then you should tell yourself to eat vegetables.  Look, no one like coffee or beer the first time they drank it.  It’s an acquired taste.  If you’re serious about reaching your goals.  You will find ways to get vegetables in.

Now, if you absolutely hate brussels sprouts for instance, I’m not telling you to go eat them every single day.  Go find some vegetables you can tolerate, and eat them more.  Over time, you may even start to like them.

So let’s get into the why of why you should eat vegetables.  Because we’ve all heard “vegetables are good for you, you should eat them.”  But I’d be willing to bet no one ever told you what makes them “good for you”

From a dieter’s perspective, you can eat a giant assload of vegetables for very few calories.  And if you’re in a calorie deficit, it helps to be able to eat a lot of food.

Think about how much lettuce you can physically fit in your stomach.  The average human stomach can hold about 1 quart of food.  So, you could fill up 2 pint glasses worth of lettuce, and I mean really jam that lettuce in there… eat the whole thing and your stomach would be completely full, for about 20-40 calories.

Now, I’d like you to leave your pint glasses, in the cabinet, because I’m not suggesting you eat that much lettuce every day.  But I do suggest taking a page of out Jordan Syatt’s book, and eating one “big ass salad” a day.

Jordan really popularized this idea as a way to just get more vegetables in, and make you nice and full.  I’d also suggest adding lots of lean protein to that salad (see above), so you can get more bang for you buck.

The only thing that causes body fat gain, is eating more calories than your body needs.  The extra calories get converted to body fat.  It has nothing to do with sUgAr ConTeNt, CaRb CoNtEnT, etc.  Calories.

And AIN’T NOBODY eating over their calories by eating too much fruit.  Because just like vegetables, fruit is very filling for a low amount of calories.  You can eat an ENTIRE FREAKIN’ WATERMELON for about 1,200 calories.

Just take a moment to think about how big a watermelon is, and how much space that takes up.  You will feel full.

I’m not suggesting you eat an entire watermelon.  It can be done, but you’ll probably get a vicious stomach ache, and you may need to run out and buy more toilet paper.

Even just about a pound of watermelon is about 120 calories, and if you’ve ever eaten a pound of watermelon in a sitting, you know how full you feel.  The same applies to things like blueberries, grapes, strawberries, and fruits that contain a lot of water.  Now, these all have different caloric content, but overall, if you include more of these foods, they will help you feel full for longer.

This is one I talk about a lot.  And every time I say it, people still lose their damn minds.

Listen, if you want to stay full, you have to eat enough.  All the vegetables, fruit and protein in the world won’t save you if you are malnourished.  And for the vast majority of people (with a few exceptions for those who are very low weight/height), 1,200 calories is not enough.

The reason we so often see 1,200 calories being eating is because the internet often says that 1,200 calories is the minimum amount of food you can eat and survive.

Read that sentence again.

There’s something really, really scary about that sentence.

Why would anyone want to do the minimum amount of anything to survive??

That’s like saying, “oh yeah, I’ll just take the minimum amount of breaths to survive.”  It’s nonsense.

This comes from a scarcity mindset of how much you can’t have.

But if you were to switch that mindset to that of abundance… how much you can have.  You’ll be set up for success not only physically, but also mentally.

Physically, you’ll be more energetic, won’t feel constantly sluggish, and you’ll be able to give more effort to your workouts too.

Mentally, you won’t feel deprived, you won’t look at food like it’s forbidden, and you’ll have a much easier time just living life to the fullest.

So instead of eating 1,200 calories, eat a number of calories that is sustainable for you long-term.  For help in finding out how much that is, download my Free Fat Loss Calorie Calculator, and use the number you find there.  You can also take a look at my article on How To Track Calories, if it’s something your new to.

I promise you’ll enjoy it much more, and you’ll also have long-term, sustainable results.

But let’s talk about it.

Remember when you were a kid, and it was raining out.

And you saw a really big puddle.

And your parents told you “hey, don’t play in that puddle.”

What did you do?

I know what you did… because I did it too.  We all did it.

Now, if you tell yourself you can’t have cupcakes, donuts, peanut butter, etc…

What’s the first thing you want?

And let’s say you restrict that food for a while.  But then, just like the ice cream that called to you from the freezer at the beginning of the article, the food calls.

And you do not ignore that call.

You go full on raccoon in a dumpster, because you haven’t had the food for so long, and this is “the last time you’ll have it”… so you need to get as much as you possibly can.  And you spiral out of control.  And then next thing you know you’re in a shame spiral.

Don’t do that.

If you get a craving for something, don’t ignore it.

Eat what you’re craving in moderation.

Fit it into that overall calorie budget and you’ll be just fine.

I always say, being in a calorie deficit is simple, but it’s not easy.

The things I’ve listed about make them just a little more easy.

And it certainly helps to work smarter, not harder here.

If you have any questions, you can leave a comment below, or e-mail me at [email protected]

If you’re looking for further guidance, you can always fill out my Coaching Application Form and we can see if we’d be a good fit, and get started working together towards your goals.

Either way, I’m here to help you in any capacity I can.

Talk Soon,

Nick

How Often Should You Eat To Lose Weight?

by Nick Anderson | Jul 31, 2021 | Fat Loss

What is the correct amount of meals per day?

Is it 3?

Is it 17?

Does 6 meals a day actually stoke the metabolic fire?

Okay, what is the “metabolic fire” anyways?  I always get this mental image of little cartoon cavemen looking cells gathered around a fire in your stomach, adding more balls of chewed up food to it to keep the fire going.  The mental image is as ridiculous as the idea that 6 meals a day actually does anything differently to your body as 3 or 17 meals.

But in case you aren’t convinced, let’s deep dive.

Energy Balance

The founding principle on weight loss, weight gain, or weight maintenance, is energy balance.  The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed.  In case you saw the word thermodynamics and said “Ight, I’mma head out”, this will not be a thermodynamics article.

So let’s apply this to food.

The food you eat is converted to energy.  You then use that energy to make your heart beat, your liver function, to walk, or to play unicycle hockey (look it up after reading this, you won’t regret it).

Any food that your body does not convert to energy, gets stored as fat.

And when your body gets less energy than it needs for unicycle hockey, it burns fat to make up for the missing energy.

In short: More energy = stored fat, less energy = burned fat.

So with this knowledge in mind, it stands to reason, that meal timing literally would not make a difference.  BUT, there are ways other than unicycle hockey that your body burns calories.

One of the many ways your body burns calories is through something called the thermic effect of food.  Which basically just means the calories that your body burns through digesting something.  It takes energy for your body to push McRibs down your gullet and through your GI tract (which burns calories, albeit a relatively small amount).  Not all foods have the same thermic effect.  Protein rich foods generally have a higher thermic effect than carb or fat rich.  Ever wonder why the meat sweats are a thing?  There you have it.

So is it possible that more meals = more calories burned from food?

Let’s use some simple math to clear this up.  Don’t worry, you can leave your TI-84 Graphing Calculator in your 11th grade classroom for this.

So let’s take two fictional people, that both eat the same 3,000 calories per day.

Let’s call Person 1 Hagrid, and person 2, Han Solo.

Hagrid eats 3 meals of 1,000 calories each day.

Han Solo eats 6 meals of 500 calories each day.

Let’s assume a generic TEF of 10% (pretty standard).

10% of 1,000 calories is 100, times 3 meals a day (1,000 * 0.1 * 3) =  300 calories burned through TEF each day.

10% of 500 calories is 50, times 6 meals a day (500 * 0.1 * 6)  = 300 calories burned through TEF each day

No matter how many meals you eat per day, the thermic effect of food remains the same.

Now it’s important to note, that the thermic effect of food will increase with more meals at higher calories, but this is only because of the higher calories, and nothing to do with the number of meals being eaten,

So, it seems we’ve reached the conclusion of as for as any metabolic benefits, meal frequency means Jack and shit

But there is one benefit of meal frequency that can make all the difference, and it’s highly individualized.  The major thing that varying meal frequencies will affect, is what you are most apt to stick to.  Whether eating one meal of all your calories is your jam, or if you like to eat 17 small meals throughout the day because you like to snack.  The key takeaway with this is that it has no impact on your metabolism.  But it does have an impact on your consistency.

If you’re a person who likes eating breakfast, intermittent fasting isn’t right for you.

If you’re a person who hates breakfast, then eating less meals may be right for you.

Whatever you will be most consistent with is what you should do.

You can vary that.  What matters most, is that you’re hitting your calorie target.

1. The Influence of Meal Frequency and Timing on Health in Humans: The Role of Fasting <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6520689/>

2. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: meal frequency <https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-8-4>

3. Increased meal frequency does not promote greater weight loss in subjects who were prescribed an 8-week equi-energetic energy-restricted diet <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19943985/>

4. Effect of meal frequency on the thermic effect of food in women <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2387273/>

5. McDonald, Lyle. Meal Frequency and Energy Balance <https://bodyrecomposition.com/research/meal-frequency-and-energy-balance>

How To Lose Body Fat Forever

by Nick Anderson | Mar 19, 2021 | Fat Loss

Talk Soon,

Nick