Fat Loss Without Crash Dieting

Common Questions

Why do crash diets backfire after 40?

Eating too little makes your body drop muscle along with fat. Less muscle means a slower metabolism, so the weight comes back and it is harder to lose next time. After 40, when you are already losing muscle faster, that cycle does more damage.

How fast should I expect to lose fat?

A half pound to one pound a week is a realistic, sustainable pace. Slower than that is still progress. Faster than that usually means you are losing water and muscle, not fat.

Do I really have to lift weights to lose fat?

Cardio burns calories, but strength training protects the muscle that keeps your metabolism up. If you only do one, make it strength. The best results come from strength plus daily movement.

What should I track instead of the scale?

How your clothes fit, your energy, your sleep, how much you can lift, and how often you hit your protein target. The scale lags behind all of these and moves for reasons that have nothing to do with fat.

I am on a GLP-1. Does this still apply?

Even more so. GLP-1 medications can cause a large share of weight loss to come from muscle. Protein and strength training are how you protect it. My free muscle calculator shows you what is at stake.