Weight loss advice is highly controversial these days. There's much debate in the medical industry, the fitness scene, and even in the media, and we are bombarded with so many opposing viewpoints that it's easy to become confused and jaded.
Some diets recommend low carb as the way to go, while others recommend eating lots more fat (keto diet). When it comes to eating protocols, there’s conflicting advice there too.
Tons of people recommend intermittent fasting and some even believe that one meal a day (OMAD) is the way to go. At the other end of the spectrum are fitness trainers who recommend that you eat six small meals a day to boost your metabolism and shed the stubborn fat.
What's the best weight loss advice?
So, who’s right? They all seem credible and many people get positive results from all the different methods/tips despite the conflict in opinions/advice.
The answer is staring right in front of you – in the mirror.
You need to do what is right for you.
This makes weight loss a tricky issue. It has to be customised according to your own body and how your body reacts… and there are so many factors involved that you’ll need to be extra vigilant.
If you’re carb sensitive, eating carbohydrates might pile on the pounds. In your case, reducing carbs as much as possible will have the most desirable effect and you’ll shed the pounds rapidly.
You may not even need to consume more fat, as weight loss still depends on that pesky calorie deficit.
Others may not be carb sensitive but just need the body to become fat-adapted. This way it turns to the fat stores for fuel more easily rather than convincing you to eat more and use glucose for energy.
What about meal timing and frequency?
The principles of weight loss will ALWAYS be the same. You need to consume fewer calories than you expend. This will put your body in a caloric deficit, and you will inevitably lose weight.
Too often, people overcomplicate things by trying to speed up the weight loss process with timing hacks and tricks.
Millions of people swear by intermittent fasting, which involves only eating during a six- to eight-hour period and fasting the rest of the day. They believe that the body will go into ketosis and burn more fat. This is true, and it works for many, but mainly because a shortened eating window creates a calorie deficit.
However, the truth is that it has to feel right for you. If you hate the process and feel ravenously hungry during the 16 hours, you may tend to binge-eat once your eating window begins.
The point to note here is that despite the efficacy of any weight loss advice, there will always be some people it’s not right for.
You may follow the conventional fitness advice of spreading your meals evenly every 2 or 3 hours and eating small meals instead of one large one. This method of grazing rather than gorging also works...if it's sustainable for you.
How about exercise for weight loss?
Here too there’s tons of debate. Some people prefer to just go walking, while others swear by high-intensity interval training (HIIT) as the best way to burn fat.
Once again, the advice is subjective. To a 30-year old man who is 30 pounds overweight, HIIT might be an efficient way to get the body in fat-burning mode.
But what happens if it’s a 55-year old man who would rather go slower because he’s less mobile?
In this case, brisk walking would do the job too. The goal is to elevate one’s heart rate and burn calories. Both types of exercise get the job done. HIIT is faster, but it’s a lot more taxing too.
Movement and activity are meant to boost your metabolism and stamina. Your diet will be responsible for most of your fat loss. This is another principle to bear in mind.
As long as you’re eating right and moving whilst in a caloric deficit, you will lose weight.
There are tons of weight loss tips that can be praised and denounced at the same time. The truth is that it all depends on the person using the advice given.
You need to look at your needs and preferences and tailor the advice to suit them. The key to successful weight loss is to abide by the basic principles of eating clean, maintaining a caloric deficit and getting some exercise daily.
How you go about doing it is up to you and should be approached in a way where you can sustain your efforts. Aim for progress, not perfection – and be compliant to the principles.
If you can do that, in about 30 days, or less, you’ll see some weight loss, and if you stick to it till day 90, you’ll look like a brand new you. Do what’s right for you.
