I Abandoned Fitness Books And Opted For a Nutritionist.
Let’s face it—fitness books are often filled with cringe-worthy fad diets or overloaded with scientific terms that only a PhD holder could decipher. If you're like me, you've probably tried every trending diet, only to end up feeling overwhelmed and blaming yourself when they don't work.
When I finally consulted a nutritionist, I accepted that weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. I wanted straightforward, practical steps to reduce body fat—without the fluff.
Here are the 6 essential rules that helped me shed body fat:
Photo by Karolina Kaboompics
Shorter, Split Workouts > One Long Session
Sitting for 8 hours a day does more damage to your metabolism than you might realize.
A single 45-minute workout followed by a whole day of sitting can lower your metabolic rate. But splitting your workout into two shorter sessions keeps your metabolism active, offering two main benefits:
More fat burned (due to enhanced fat oxidation)
Lower insulin levels (which means burning fat instead of carbs)
I shifted to two 25-minute workouts, one before work and one after. They're less intense, but I've noticed a significant boost in my resting metabolism.
Focus on Dilution, Not Restriction
Cutting calories fosters a scarcity mindset and can be toxic. It leads to:
Unpleasant hunger pangs
Nutritional deficiencies from focusing on calories over nutrients
A slower metabolism
Instead, I adopted an abundance mindset by filling my meals with fiber and protein. This way, I ate until I was full without consuming too many calories. Here’s my 3-step approach:
Add more fruits and whole grains for fiber.
Include lean meats for protein.
Opt for low-calorie, high-volume foods.
Lower Carbs During the Week
Here’s a simple rule for carbs: the more active you are, the more carbs you can consume.
Carbs are your body’s quick energy source, but if you're inactive, they become unnecessary. When you’re not moving much, your body doesn’t need the extra glucose and turns it into fat.
Prioritize Gut-Healthy Drinks
Trust your gut—it plays a significant role in fat loss.
Research shows that drinking gut-healthy beverages for just 12 weeks can reduce visceral fat by 8%. Though visceral fat isn’t the same as belly fat, it’s the deeper layer that pushes your belly out.
I incorporated the following foods into my diet, and the results were remarkable:
Kimchi
Sauerkraut
Kombucha
Fermented onions
Pickled asparagus
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Avoid Trans Fats Like the Plague
Trans fats aren’t illegal, just regulated. But even small amounts are harmful. One study found that monkeys consuming 8% of their diet from trans fats gained 33% more visceral fat.
You’ll still find them in common foods such as:
Peanut butter
Baked goods
Snacks
Margarine
To limit my trans fat intake, I:
Read labels carefully
Chose whole foods over processed ones
Cooked at home
Swapped in healthier fats like olive oil, avocados, and nuts
Photo by Nadin Sh
Limit Alcohol to Once a Week
There's a reason it's called a beer belly, not a soda belly.
Frequent drinkers (3–4 times a week) tend to gain more weight, while the healthiest people limit drinking to once a week. With alcohol containing 7.1 calories per gram, it’s easy to see why.
After quitting alcohol for 5 months, I understand why some of the world’s healthiest cultures have low alcohol consumption.
Disclaimer: I’m not a professional—everything I share is based on personal experience.