There is so much confusion about the best method for losing weight (fat) and achieving an improved level of health.
I am surprised by the number of people who stand firm on their method of losing weight.
May it be Paleo, Ketogenic, Vegan, Vegetarian, Carnivore, Weight Watchers, Zone, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Atkins, South Beach, Elimination diets, and many more, you are bound to find those who simply claim that their way of eating is the best.
Most will stay in their diet camp.
I want to make one thing perfectly clear: ALL DIETS WORK (for some time).
The real issues are sustainability and a diet that uses the best science to improve health and fitness.
In addition, I want to emphasize that almost all of the above diets will allow you to lose weight; however, losing weight SHOULD NOT be your only focus. The goal is not only to lose weight and fat but to have a scientifically based program that helps you achieve outstanding positive health outcomes. That would include reversing heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, etc.
Remember, it is great if you lose weight; however, if the diet compromises your health, that concerns me.
I am a research nerd. I dig deep into the medical literature to discover the truth from the fluff. I spend most of my days reading the literature on a variety of health issues, including weight loss (fat).
In addition to my extensive research, I also apply this knowledge to real-time patient cases and seek to obtain the best and most successful outcomes.
Losing weight while improving health has been high on the list of my research for quite some time.
The one important thing I want to make perfectly clear is that I have NO agenda in reviewing the science of losing weight with you.
Unfortunately, there are those who one would call “influencers” who promote their way of losing weight with their special dietary and fitness recommendations, such as the Holy Grail of weight loss.
However, there is one overwhelming caveat: Some have an agenda that puts money in their pockets when they “sell” their way of losing weight. This agenda may include selling supplements, books, or courses aligned to promote their program.
Although that may be ok in some cases, the problem arises if, indeed, the influencer is put in a position to find that their way of losing weight is not supported by the literature or downright wrong, causing harm to the health of the buyers of their programs.
All diets have some truth to some degree, but we must STOP being dogmatic and assuming there is one diet that is the be-all and end-all.
From my research, I can confidently say that each camp has strengths and weaknesses.
The key is identifying which one has the most supported science and which program has the optimal blend of the various diets’ hardiness while continuing to strive for improved health and fitness.
All I ask from you is to please STOP being a hard-nosed devotee of one diet camp.
With the above comments, let’s dive into losing weight (fat), keeping it off, and achieving excellent health outcomes. I am referring to reversing heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, etc.
First and foremost, losing weight, based on the preponderance of clinical evidence, involves simply being in a caloric deficit.
Ditch the concept of intuitive dieting. At least when you first get started on your journey to losing weight (fat)
According to the Mayo Clinic, Intuitive eating is a simple idea. It means that you make peace with all types of food. Unlike traditional diets that restrict or ban certain foods, intuitive eating requires you to stop looking at food as “good” or “bad.” Instead, you listen to your body and eat what feels right.
Again, it would help if you accepted being in a caloric deficit to lose weight/fat.
You must know your metrics!
The following are the MAJOR PLAYERS in losing weight/fat
Here are the metrics everyone wanting to lose weight needs to know successfully.
1: What is your current weight and body fat?
I recommend using one of the following four methods to determine body fat.
a: DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry) scan, also known as a body composition scan, can provide a detailed analysis of body fat, lean mass, and bone density. This is the gold standard in accurately measuring your body fat, but simply not convenient for the majority of people.
b: Bodyfat Calipers– I recommend purchasing Sequoia Fitness Trimcal 4000 Body Fat Calipers. They are inexpensive (Approximately $10.00) but good and can be ordered off Amazon. I recommend the Jackson/Pollock 7 Caliper Method
Use the following online calculators to obtain your body fat:
http://www.linear-software.com/online.html#google_vignette
View the following short videos on accurately measuring the seven sites
http://www.linear-software.com/malesites.html
c: Body Smart scale and bodyfat scale by Withings for less than $100.00
https://www.withings.com/us/en/body-smart
I have reviewed fitness authorities’ claims that the Withings body fat scale is very close to the accuracy of the Dexa Scan.
d: For those who don’t want to go through the hassle of the first three, I have made it super simple for you, and the following male and female photos will show you different body fat percentages. Find the image that best comes close to what you believe is your level of body fat.
The following grid will provide body fat goals based on age. Your ultimate goal is to improve your percentage of fat and NOT be exclusively focused on weight. This shift in focus from weight to body fat percentage is a powerful tool that can empower you to take control of your health and wellness journey. I do want to be clear and encourage you to achieve your ideal weight and your ideal fat percentage.
There are people who one would call Skinny fat.
Skinny fat, also known as thin-fat phenotype, metabolic obesity, or metabolically unhealthy non-obese, is a body type where someone has a regular or underweight weight but a higher percentage of body fat than is healthy. Skinny fat people may also have lower than ideal lean body mass, including muscles, bones, organs, blood, and skin. People with skinny fat may be at an increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
In addition, I want to discourage using BMI as a measure of health and wellness.
It’s important to remember that the BMI does not take into account people who have a more muscular frame and would be classified as overweight or worse, based on the BMI measurement. Being aware of these limitations can help you make more informed decisions about your health and wellness journey.
2: Now that you know your weight and body, use the following formula to determine your starting calories, amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat
To determine your optimal calories to be in a deficit, use the following calculator
https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html
Be sure to take the extra step when using the above calculator and add your body fat for an accurate number.
I recommend a straightforward approach for your daily calories-the 1/2 pound to one pound taper week. This simple method can provide a steady and manageable path towards your weight loss goals.
Another good option is to multiply your ideal weight by 10-12 to find your starting calories to lose weight (fat)
With that in mind, use the following grid, which provides optimal and realistic weight goals based on your frame.
For example, if you are a man at 5’9 and have a large frame, your ideal weight is between 155 and 176 pounds. If we multiply the perfect weight of 176 by 10 to 12, you will see that your starting calories may be in the neighborhood of 1760 to 2112 calories.
For example, If you are a woman at a height of 5’4 with a small frame, your ideal weight is between 114-127 pounds. If we multiply the perfect weight of 127 by 10 to 12, you will see that your starting calories maybe 1270 to 1524 calories in the neighborhood.
You will see that the calculator matches nicely with the above manual option. Either one will work as a good starting point!
If you are looking for an excellent app to track your calories for a least week or so, consider the FREE MyFitnessPal https://www.myfitnesspal.com/
You only need the app with some of the bells and whistles. Get the calorie tracker.
4: To calculate your daily protein intake, use the following formula:
Take your lean body weight and multiply by .7
Take your lean body weight and multiply by 1.3
Example: If you weigh 200 pounds and your body fat is 25%, you would have 150 pounds of lean muscle mass and 50 pounds of fat.
So you would multiply 150 by .7 and/or 1.3 to get your daily protein consumption of 105 grams or 195 grams.
To make our lives easier and ensure we’re meeting our protein needs, let’s start with 1 gram per pound of lean body weight. Based on the above formula, that would be 150 grams of protein per day.
Another simple option is to review the ideal body weight grid based on your frame and use those numbers to estimate your daily protein intake accurately.
For example, a 5’11 man with a medium frame could consider using 154-166 grams of protein per day. For a 5’7 woman with a large frame, consider using 143-163 grams of protein per day.
Let me make a critical comment. Some influencers recommend consuming 1 gram of protein per body weight. This simply does not make sense if you weigh 300 to 350 pounds. That would be 300 to 350 grams of protein a day. Your goal is to fuel the weight that needs to be fueled, the LEAN MUSCLE WEIGHT. Why do you want to fuel the FAT associated with the 300-350 pound man or woman?
The above calculation metrics will allow you to get very close to your ideal daily protein intake.
5: To calculate your daily fat intake, use the following formula
You take your “current weight” multiplied by .3 to obtain your daily fat grams
Example: If you weigh 200 pounds, you would take 200 pounds and multiply by .3, giving your 60 grams of fat per day
You may ask why I would go through the time it takes to identify my calorie, protein, and fat metrics.
I have seen way too many patients not knowing their metrics, eating close to two to five times their optimal caloric weight/fat loss, and being frustrated because they can’t get to their ideal healthy weight.
That is synonymous with someone who runs out of money every month and can not figure out why they are short each month. When the same person decides to be accountable for every penny spent for one month, they soon discover they are spending $500-$1000 over and above their monthly paycheck on STUFF they simply were not thinking about. It could be a special coffee latte at Starbucks (usually between $6 and $8 dollars per day) and just about anything that slips through the cracks.
The great news is you can do the above metrics for a while.
Only after you have locked in your metrics can you incorporate the concept of intuitive dieting.
6: The rest of your calories would come from carbohydrates. This is the MOST essential component of losing weight. You MUST determine your carbohydrate threshold or carb tolerant point to lose weight.
Your protein and fat grams will stay consistent; however, your carbohydrates will be the only item you change to continue working on the caloric deficit plan.
7: After two weeks, you are good if you lose .5 to 1% of your body weight each week. However, if you are not losing .5 to 1% each week, you should reduce your CARBS by 100 to 150 grams daily. If you are still not losing at .5 to 1% after two weeks, drop your CARBS by another 100 to 150 grams daily.
I also want to mention that if you are losing weight too quickly, increase your carbohydrates by 100 to 150 grams per day and try again. You do not want to lose weight quickly, either, because you will likely be losing muscle, not fat.
Many people who lose muscle will soon discover that their weight (fat) loss efforts are halted because their body goes into metabolic compensation, slowing down the metabolism.
The MOTTO is SLOW, and STEADY weight (fat) loss is bound for ultimate success.
Here is another caveat: You MUST remember that your daily calories should be multiplied by seven days of the week to be sure if you go off of your good eating plan on a Friday or Saturday night. Case in Point: If your caloric deficit is 1700 calories per day, that would equal approximately 12,000 calories per week. If you go out for a splurge dinner on Friday night and your daily calories for that day maybe 3500 calories, your weekly caloric intake would be in the neighborhood of 14,000 calories. That is 2000 calories over and above what you need to be in a caloric deficit, likely sabotaging your weight (fat) loss goals. Imagine if you did the same two days a week. You would almost certainly destroy any hope of accomplishing your weight (fat) loss goals.
Does this make sense? I hope it does because, as stated throughout this article, YOU MUST BE IN A CALORIC DEFICIT TO LOSE WEIGHT (FAT). PERIOD!
Now, you may be asking what foods I should be eating and what eating program has the most science to support losing weight (fat) and, most certainly, improving health and fitness.
The answer is the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet)
Numerous studies have linked this diet, which focuses on quality over specific nutrients or food groups, to many health benefits. For example, a 2018 study found that women who followed the Mediterranean diet for up to 12 years had a 25% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The diet is also associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression, and breast cancer. It can also help strengthen bones and promote a healthier heart.
Inspired by the traditional eating patterns of southern Italy and Greece, the Mediterranean diet is deemed “the gold standard in preventive medicine” due to its “harmonic combination” of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, according to a review of studies.
The Mediterranean diet has been ranked the healthiest way to eat by US News & World Report.
This is why Harvard, Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, and most “respected’ health authorities endorse the Mediterranean diet.
Moreover, in the era of assessing overall food patterns, no other dietary pattern has undergone such a comprehensive, repeated, and international assessment of its cardiovascular effects. MedDiet has passed all the needed tests and is approaching the gold standard for cardiovascular health.
In addition to diet, the next important step is appropriate exercise application.
After clearance from your physician, the three exercise patterns recommended include:
1: Zone 2 cardio
https://www.functionalmedicineuniversity.com/public/1967.cfm
2: High-Intensity Interval Training
https://www.functionalmedicineuniversity.com/public/1770.cfm
3: Most important is Resistance Strength Training at least 2-3 times per week
Resistance training, also known as strength training or weight training, can help with weight loss by building muscle mass and increasing your metabolism. Muscle burns more calories at rest than other tissues, including fat, and a higher metabolism means your body burns more calories overall. Resistance training can also increase your after-burn and the calories you burn after exercise.
Minor Players in the Weight Loss World Include:
1: Thyroid dysfunction
2: Hormone imbalance
3: Food Sensitivities
4: Stress
5: Medication Side Effects
6: Metabolic Adaptation
It is beyond the scope of this article to provide details on the minor players in achieving weight (fat) loss and improved health metrics.
Consult with your physician or functional medicine healthcare provider to help you address MINOR PLAYER issues you may be challenged with. They can help you if the MAJOR PLAYER GUIDE above does not help you accomplish your weight loss/fat loss goal.
I will say, however, that the MAJOR PLAYER Information listed above will work for most people.
The MAJOR PLAYERS have been carefully outlined above and provide the foundation to accomplish your weight (fat) loss goals
** One important point that MUST be emphasized is focusing on your fat consumption in the Mediterranean Diet.
Stay within the guidelines outlined above. To obtain your realistic daily fat consumption in grams, multiply your current weight by .3.
To help you obtain a great understanding of the Mediterranean Diet, I recommend reviewing this simple overview
//www.functionalmedicineuniversity.com/mediterranean-diet1.pdf
I recommend watching the following YouTube video on the Mediterranean Diet.
Watch Dr. Gil Carvalho 8 minute video on YouTube on the Mediterranean Diet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAFBqa1WDR4
Gil Carvalho, MD, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and researcher at the Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California. He obtained his Medical doctorate from the University of Lisbon and a Ph.D. in Biology from CalTech. Gil was a lead co-investigator with Antonio Damasio in ‘The Nature of Feelings: evolutionary and neurobiological origins‘. Gil is published in academic journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Reviews and Neuroscience, Trends in Neurosciences, and Current Biology. His work has been cited over a thousand times.
WARNING and DISCLOSURE:
Always check with your primary physician before implementing my recommendations on weight loss and exercise. Also, I want those who have eating disorders to discuss this article with their counselor or physician
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References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9317652/
https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mediterranean-diet/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/mediterranean-diet
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723598/
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.313348
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2819335
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16037-mediterranean-diet