Yep. It’s true. I ate a Salisbury House nip nearly every day for the last 46 days while dropping 12 pounds.
I went from 215.2 to 203 pounds and dropped my bodyfat percentage to under 15%.
Can you really lose 2 pounds a week and still eat your favourite foods?
I want to share a secret with you. Come closer. A little closer. A little closer still.
There’s no one else around. It’s just me and you.
The secret I want to share with you is this: You are being conned.
The weight loss industry cares about making money, first and foremost. So they sell a quick fix in the form of a pill, shake or fad diet.
You might lose a little weight at first (every diet works for a spell), but then you fear it’s only because of the product, not the work you’ve done alongside. You think you need to buy their product every month in order to keep the weight off.
The vicious cycle continues until you get bored of the same old shakes and fall off the wagon. Rinse and repeat.
Instead, the true secret is in finding a plan that doesn’t feel like a diet at all. If that interests you, read on….
My Origins
I was always the big kid growing up.
I was affably known as “Mitch Tits” in junior high (I think you can make the connection as to why)
The moment I hit rock bottom was in high school gym class when an Omron body fat measurement device told me everything I already knew – I was obese.
Fast forward 14 years and I’ve now coached over 350 to similar transformations of their own.
But that’s not overly important here. You’re here to find out how this latest diet worked–nips and all.
Starvation? Amputation? Green coffee bean extract?
No, thankfully, none of that.
Simple math, really.
According to a review on Examine.com, when it comes to weight loss, the most important factor is a calorie deficit.
“Independent of your diet’s macronutrient ratios, a negative energy balance (consuming fewer calories than your body needs) is responsible for weight loss.”
Case in point: Mark Haub, a professor of nutrition at Kansas State University, proved that calories-in versus calories-out is what matters first when seeking weight loss.
Mark Haub limited himself to 1,800 calories a day, eating Twinkies or another treat every three hours instead of meals, while also consuming a protein shake and some vegetables over the course of the day.
Haub not only lost weight but improved all biomarkers of health along with it. His LDL, considered the bad cholesterol, decreased, while his HDL, or good cholesterol, increased by 30%. And he reduced his triglycerides by 39%.
That said, you know there has to be some balance here. The majority of your diet should comprise whole foods, not just for satiety reasons, but nutrition value as well.
Basically, I cleaned up my diet, but that didn’t mean I survived on nothing but chicken boob and broccoli.
I did it in a flexible way.
Flexible dieting sometimes gets a bad rap because people assume from Instagram it means eating nothing but doughnuts, cake, and brownies.
A pop tart may have the same calorie composition of a sweet potato with coconut oil on top, but clearly the latter is going to be more nutrient-dense, full of micronutrients (vitamins).
Anyway, here’s the nuts and bolts of this.
Let’s say you’re a 200-pound man looking for fat loss.
I’d tell you to aim to get your calories between 1,800-2,200 a day and to hit a minimum of 180 grams of protein each day.
Everything else is secondary to those two targets.
Provided you do this, you’ll get great results. It’s easier than ever to track what you eat. I have a custom app I use with clients to track their nutrition, but you can do the same in MyFitnessPal. Barcode scanners and all, it should take more than 5 minutes per day.
My Coaching Clients Eat Their Favourite Foods Because It HELPS Them Lose Fat.
So, here’s your game plan:
1. Focus On Calories First
You need to be in a calorie deficit to lose fat.
If you’re a naturally chubby person who puts on fat easily, start with bodyweight x 10 in total calories. I.E. 200 lb man would eat 2,000 calories.
Keep in mind this is just a starting point, and you may need to adjust your totals up or down depending on how you respond in the weeks ahead.
2. Protein Minimum
This is always hotly contested by those who believe Netflix documentaries, but the research consistently supports protein intake to preserve muscle and increase satiety on a diet. I.E. Any fitness goal worth pursuing.
The general rule of thumb is 1 gram per pound of your current body weight. The body of research supports lower intakes (.8 gram per pound) but I would recommend against going any lower.
200 lb man = 200 g of protein spread over your daily meals. Much easier than it sounds if you have a game plan and supplement accordingly.
3. Resistance Training
This doesn’t necessarily mean you HAVE to use weights. If you’re a newbie, your body can generate plenty of resistance just fine. Make sure you get a sweat going 3-4 times per week.
If you’re a gym goer, a good starting point is 4 training days a week, using an upper/lower split, which means you’d alternate upper/lower days.
I.E.
- Monday-Upper
- Tuesday-Lower
- Thursday-Upper
- Friday-Lower
Frequency is the name of the game. That means training each muscle group about 2 times per week (rather than the conventional body part split of once a week).
4. Establish Good Habits
Habits separate those who succeed over the long haul from those who fail.
I upped my step count and commitment to the gym, scheduling in workouts like job appointments.
Habits are the key.
Ever notice that when you start a new endeavour, you’re incredibly motivated?
But when that motivation fizzles… you jump ship, right?
Every blogger starts incredibly motivated.
However, after one or two posts that no one has read, shared, or commented on— the passion fades.
Think those people would quit if their first blog post had a million views and 600 comments?
Same thing happens with your diet.
But, here’s the thing…
5. Stay The Course
Slow and steady wins. If you try to rush the process, you’ll hit a wall.
If you have a lot of weight to lose, you can be a bit more aggressive with your deficit and not sacrifice muscle or run into the “starvation mode” boogeyman to any great degree.
But you’ll be much happier if you aim for slow weight loss – to the tune of about 1% of your bodyweight per week (i.e. 1-2 pounds per week). This might appear slow, but at 200 pounds, you’re looking at 12 pounds in 2 months. Surely you’d take that? It may come off quicker in the early going and that’s cool, but remember this rule of thumb when the going gets tough.
It’s important to track your measurements and the mirror to give yourself several ways to assess progress apart from the scale.
Be patient. Focus on winning each day. Kick Monday in the ass and then wake up ready to do all you need to do to make Tuesday equally as successful. Ask yourself, “Can I do it today?” The answer is usually yes. Don’t skip 10 steps ahead. Focus on the journey. Change is always an option and often leads to great things! Start your own journey today.
P.S. Whatever you decide I hope this article has shown you why you need to stop following gimmicky weight loss pill companies and crazy diets that are impossible to stick to. Put what I have taught in this article into action and you’ll get the body you want whilst eating the foods you love
With this gameplan, you will finally be able to shed that stubborn belly fat without having to sacrifice your favourite treats – whether that’s a Nip or not.
What To Do Next:
Free Download:Have a fair bit of fat to lose, especially in the belly? Need a place to start in 30 seconds or less? Grab this easily digestible (pun intended) Cheat Sheet, to simplify your diet without fads, quick fixes or calorie counting, courtesy of coach Mitch.
Mitch Calvert is a transformation coach for men and women like his former self, with worse genetics than Chris Farley. Yes, the chubby dude from Tommy Boy.
PS – When you’re ready, here’s how Mitch can help you:
1) Apply for the 6 Weeks to Super Dad Challenge
2) Apply for Fit Mom Makeover