The Three Approaches to Fat Loss
Find out which fat loss approach is best for you.
I’ve lost 50 kilos, and I’ve also helped clients lose as much as 30.
Today, we will go through three approaches to fat loss: “weight loss,” cutting, and my approach.
We’ll cover each one and by the end, you’ll know which is best for you.
“Weight Loss”
The average person today is overweight, and that’s because of convenience. Our lives are easier and more comfortable, but that also makes us lazy. We’re less active, and we don’t make the right choices because the “unhealthy” options are generally easier. Everyone looks in the mirror and knows they need to change. But few actually do. Those who do though, will usually take this approach.
Weight loss is flexible. You’re trying to lose fat, but you’re not in a rush. It’s more about making gradual changes that last.
Nutrition: You’d make better food choices over time. Let’s say in the morning you currently have cereal, a coffee with two sugars, and a breakfast bar. Instead of cutting that all out completely, you can start by swapping the breakfast bar for a banana. Then use zero-calorie sweetener instead of sugar. After you get in the habit of that, you could swap the cereal for granola.
Training: There’s no particular training routine when it comes to weight loss. It’s just about getting healthier, and you’ll lose fat as a result. So if the gym is for you, go to the gym. If it’s running, run. If it’s playing a sport, play a sport. Just be more active.
The weight loss approach is good for the average person. It’s flexible, less stressful, and the changes you make will likely last. You can go out for meals and skip training days if you’re busy. But you also have to accept that progress will be slow. You might lose 10 kilos in six months, whereas if you were stricter, you could have lost the same in three. That’s where cutting comes in.
Cutting
Cutting is taken from the bodybuilding lifestyle. Bodybuilders spend most of the year bulking to pack on as much muscle as they can. They eat more than their body needs (a calorie surplus) and weight train to do just that. But in doing so, they gain fat as well as muscle. That’s why they spend a few weeks or months cutting before getting on stage.
Cutting is strict. You’re trying to lose as much fat as possible within a tight deadline, so you have to be very precise.
Nutrition: You’ll be tracking calories and making sure you hit your macros. Protein intake will be high, while your carbs and fats will be low. So you’d be eating lean proteins and starchy carbohydrates with high-volume fruits and vegetables. Think porridge with blueberries in the morning, a tuna salad in the afternoon, and chicken breast, potatoes, and spinach in the evening.
Training: You have to weight train. You’re in a big calorie deficit, and you don’t want to lose any muscle. So you’d try to hit each muscle group twice per week in four or more weight training sessions. That tells your body you want to keep your muscle and only lose fat. You’d also have to do more cardio as you go deeper into the cut.
Cutting isn’t fun for most people. You can’t go out for meals because you don’t have enough calories. You’re tired and hungry. You spend a lot of time thinking about food and even more time in the gym. But it’s only temporary. Within 12 weeks, you could lose as much as 12 kilos. Then, after your cut is over, you could go back to your “usual” lifestyle. The issue then, though, is that you risk putting all that weight back on.
My Approach
I’ve always been into the gym, so my approach takes a lot of inspiration from bodybuilding, like the cycle of bulking and cutting. But for the average fat guy, a typical cut won’t usually work. They might be able to lose 12 kilos in 12 weeks, but once most people reach their goal, they fall back into their previous lifestyle and put all that weight back on. That’s because they didn’t give themselves enough time for behaviour change—or they didn’t really want to. That’s where my approach is different.
My approach is for those who want fast but lasting results. To do that, we combine elements of cutting and weight loss. It’s best explained with an example.
Let’s say you want to lose 20kg. Instead of doing that in one go, we break it up into sprints with rest periods in between. So you could do 12 weeks on, 4 weeks off (or whatever works for you). You might do that three or four times to lose the 20kg.
The difference between a sprint and a traditional cut is that you’re not trying to be perfect from the start. In each sprint, you’re trying to push yourself to be better.
Nutrition:
Sprint 1: Just track calories—don’t worry about food choices or macros yet.
Sprint 2: Start hitting your macros.
Sprint 3: Dial in both macros and food quality.
Training:
Sprint 1: Weight training 3x per week, cardio 3x per week.
Sprint 2: Increase to 4x per week for both.
Sprint 3: Ramp up to 6 days per week.
This approach works for guys who are serious because it requires short-term sacrifices. For a while, you might not go out to eat with friends. But that’s a trade-off for long-term results. Because with this approach, you’re not just “acting” healthy for a few months—you’re building habits. So when you hit your goal, you stay there.
Which Is Best for You?
I think my approach is best, but it’s a little more complicated and takes some thinking and planning on your part.
Cutting is good if you think you can dive into the deep end and swim.
I wouldn’t recommend the weight loss approach if you’re someone like me because you wouldn’t get that aesthetic, muscular physique you’re after.
But any is better than none. And if you start on one, at least you’ve built some momentum, so you can easily swap to another approach if you want to.
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