I like to say that losing fat is simple, but not easy.
Simple to understand, but difficult to execute.
Oftentimes client expectations of what a fat loss phase should be like are way out of alignment with what the reality needs to be to ensure high quality fat loss results.
Here are 5 inconvenient fat loss truths that you must understand before embarking on a fat loss diet...
First lets address hunger. You must understand that some hunger is inevitable during a fat loss diet. This isn't to say that you should be starving every waking moment. But you definitely should experience a build up of hunger, especially before meal times.
There are a number of things you can do to alleviate hunger whilst dieting. You can read more on this here.
The second inconvenient truth is that you should not be dieting all the time. This is perhaps one of the most common mistakes I see people making. They are always vaguely following a loose plan. However, in reality they are spinning their wheels, making little to no progress and getting extremely frustrated in the process.
My advice? Set out a pre-determined period of time in which to diet. Have a pre-defined start and end date. Diet for a longer timeframe if you have more fat to lose. Have a post-diet plan for when you finish the fat loss phase to ensure you do not just regain the weight you have lost.
In my personal experience dieting for shorter, but more aggressive, bouts of time tend to work a lot better than long, drawn out, dieting periods.
The third inconvenient fat loss truth is that your training performance will likely suffer during a fat loss diet.
Peak training performance occurs when you can properly fuel your workouts.
However, during a fat loss diet we are deliberately under-fuelling the body in order to tap into fat stores.
So don't expect to set any records in the gym whilst you are dieting. Instead, focus on maintaining your strength and (very importantly) your muscle mass during your diet.
Another thing that may be affected by your diet is your sleep quality.
It will pay dividends to ensure your sleep isn't too affected by your fat loss diet. Read this article for tips on ensuring a good nights sleep.
The final inconvenient truth about fat loss is that there may be certain foods that are 'off-limits' during a fat loss phase.
There may be people who suggest that you can eat whatever you like and still lose fat. This is true if you are extremely good at tracking all the calories you consume with great accuracy and you are able to moderate the foods you love to eat. The so-called 'Twinkie Diet' by Professor Mark Haub is a great example of this.
The truth is, it is extremely rare that people can accomplish this. The statistics on people's ability to accurately report their calorie intake is damning.
In my experience, people do better when they restrict certain foods during a fat loss phase, especially so-called 'trigger foods' that they have a hard time moderating (ice cream anyone?!).
Restricting calorie-dense foods that you have a hard-time moderating doesn't automatically make these foods 'bad' or 'unhealthy'. It means that for a limited period of time you would be better off substituting these foods for ones that better suit your needs.
So to summarise, it is important that before embarking on a fat loss diet you know what to expect to ensure small things don't throw you off.
First, understand that some hunger is inevitable. Set a timeframe for your dieting phase and have a clear plan of action for when you finish. Pay close attention to your sleep quality and understand you probably aren't going to be setting any records in the gym. Lastly, understand that some foods may be off limits for a while, but know that this is a temporary restriction and these foods can be re-introduced back into the diet once the dieting phase is over.
Applying these principles to your fat loss diet will reap huge rewards in the long-term.