What is so Stubborn about “Stubborn Fat”?
We often hear about getting rid of “stubborn fat”.
Read this quote from my friend and fellow coach Josh Hillis:
“Fat is actually the opposite of stubborn. If you think about it from a physiological perspective, fat needs to be maintained. If you don’t constantly feed fat, you’ll lose it. Fat is like a stray dog. If you keep feeding it, it will stick around forever. If you stop feeding it, it immediately goes away.”
This IS true, and since it is, why is it so hard for us to lose? I would suggest it’s not the FAT that is stubborn. It’s you. (and me) We will get to that a little later.
There are three ways food influences fat loss.
Quantity - how much we eat. While it’s sexy to say it doesn’t matter how much we eat, that is just not true. How much you eat is arguably the number one influencer of fat loss.
Quality - Our Jumpstart Nutrition Programs largely focuses on the quality of the food you are eating, and for some it will be a drastic change. That is purposeful during the Jumpstart, because this is a kick in the pants program. But this quote from Josh is so true;
“You need to move through levels of quality. If you’re eating Ding Dongs and Ho Hos every day, that’s the thing to handle. You don’t need to worry about not eating a turkey sandwich because it isn’t what a caveman would eat; you just need to stop eating Ding Dongs.”
In other words make the main thing the main thing, and seek constant improvement.
The last influencer of food on fat loss is Macronutrients. In other words the ratio of carbs, protein, and fat. All “diets” usually have some kind of ratio they focus on. Keto, Paleo, Zone,Sears, etc. all suggest different ratios. The take home here is that we are not all the same, and different ratios work better for different people. So how do you know what’s best for you? Josh says ask yourself;
Do I stay full and satisfied after a meal that’s mostly carbs?
Do I stay full and satisfied after a meal that’s mostly fat?
Do I stay full and satisfied after a meal that’s mostly balanced?
In terms of protein, almost everyone feels more satisfied with more protein in their diet.
What about you?
After which scenario are you “full” and don’t feel the need to eat for 3-5 hours between meals?
Quality. Quantity. Macros.
Those are the key influencers of fat loss. Do you know which one is hindering you? Attack that one first. Don’t know? That’s why your coaches are here.
One more thing. You are not a special snowflake, sorry. 99.9% of the time it’s not your genetics, or your age, or your sex, or any other such factor. It’s the 3 things we discussed above.
And the stubborn part? A quick glance in the mirror is often the answer to that one. Mindset, belief, attitude - when those three are in order, the “fat loss influencers” are a lot easier to handle.
So let’s dig in and think about it.
Which of the three fat loss influencers do you think is your biggest challenge?
What’s your mindset, belief and attitude around food, eating, and your ability to lose weight?
Answer those questions, and you are well on your way to solving the "stubborn fat" problem.
-DC