What Factors are Most Important for Fat Loss?

Summary

The video script emphasizes that calorie intake is the most crucial factor for fat loss, advocating for a calorie deficit to lose weight while preserving muscle mass. It highlights the importance of resistance training to retain muscle during weight loss and suggests a high protein intake for muscle growth and preservation. The script also discusses the roles of physical activity, sleep, and the rate of weight loss, while downplaying the significance of macronutrient ratios and meal timing on fat loss. Practical recommendations are provided for achieving fat loss effectively.

Takeaways

• 🔢 **Calorie Intake**: The most critical factor for fat loss is maintaining a calorie deficit over time, which is the primary driver of weight loss and fat reduction.
• 💪 **Resistance Training**: Engaging in resistance training during weight loss helps to preserve muscle mass, which is essential for maintaining a higher proportion of fat loss.
• 📉 **Protein Intake**: Consuming a higher daily protein intake is beneficial for muscle growth and retention during weight loss, with diminishing returns above 1.5g per kilogram of body weight.
• 🚶 **Physical Activity**: Increasing daily physical activity levels helps to boost energy expenditure and can aid in appetite regulation, though it's less effective than diet changes for weight loss.
• 🛌 **Sleep**: While sleep's importance is debated, chronic sleep restriction may negatively impact muscle retention and increase calorie intake, which can hinder fat loss efforts.
• 📈 **Rate of Weight Loss**: Losing weight at a slower rate (no more than around 1% of body weight per week) can help preserve more muscle mass and increase the proportion of fat lost.
• 🥗 **Macronutrient Balance**: The ratio of carbohydrates to fats in the diet does not significantly impact body composition changes when adequate protein intake and a calorie deficit are maintained.
• 🥣 **Meal Frequency and Timing**: The number of meals per day and their timing have little effect on fat loss when calories and macronutrients are controlled.
• 🧘 **Appetite Regulation**: Physical activity can help regulate appetite, which is beneficial for adherence to a calorie deficit.
• 🏋️‍♂️ **Training Intensity**: High-intensity resistance training can help maximize muscle retention and should be performed with the same intensity as if building muscle mass.

Q & A

What is the most important factor for achieving fat loss while preserving muscle mass?

The most important factor for fat loss is calorie intake. Consuming fewer calories than you expend over time, while maintaining a high protein diet and engaging in resistance training, can help preserve muscle mass during weight loss.

How does resistance training influence the proportion of muscle versus fat lost during weight loss?

Resistance training provides an anabolic stimulus for muscles, which can help retain or even build muscle mass during the weight loss process. This results in a greater proportion of fat loss compared to muscle mass loss.

What is the role of total daily physical activity levels in fat loss?

Total daily physical activity levels play a role in increasing energy expenditure, which can influence the energy balance equation to help promote a calorie deficit. While exercise is effective for weight loss, it is not as effective as diet changes for inducing a calorie deficit.

How does protein intake affect muscle retention and fat loss during a calorie deficit?

Consuming a high daily protein intake is beneficial for muscle growth and preservation during weight loss. It helps retain a greater amount of fat-free mass and therefore increases the proportion of fat mass lost.

What is the recommended daily step count for moderate physical activity to assist with fat loss?

A moderate step count to assist with fat loss is between 5,000 to 10,000 steps per day. Increasing this above 10,000 steps can provide additional benefits, but going beyond 15,000 steps might not be worth the additional time and effort for most people.

How does sleep affect fat loss and muscle retention?

Chronically restricted sleep might have a small detrimental effect on the proportion of muscle versus fat loss during a calorie deficit. Additionally, restricted sleep can lead to higher calorie intake and decreased likelihood or effort of exercise, which are crucial for fat loss.

What is the recommended rate of weight loss for preserving muscle mass while losing fat?

To preserve as much muscle as possible, it is recommended to lose weight at a rate of no more than around 1% of body weight per week.

How does the macronutrient ratio of carbohydrates and fats affect fat loss when in a calorie deficit?

If you are in a calorie deficit and consuming sufficient protein, the exact ratio of carbohydrates to fats does not significantly impact fat loss. However, a higher carbohydrate intake might be beneficial for those performing high-volume resistance training or lots of exercise to support performance.

What is the impact of meal frequency, timing, and distribution on fat loss when calories and macronutrients are equated?

The number of meals consumed per day and when these meals are consumed has very little, if any, effect on fat loss when calories and macronutrients are equated. Individuals can adjust their meal frequency and timing based on personal preference.

What are some best practices for muscle growth training to maximize muscle retention during weight loss?

Best practices include training the muscles with at least 10 direct sets per week, taking each set close to failure with about three reps in reserve, lifting in the 5 to 20 rep range, and selecting exercises that ensure fatigue of the target muscle group is the limiter of each set.

How does energy compensation affect the role of exercise in weight loss?

Energy compensation refers to the involuntary reductions in energy expenditure via other components as we do more exercise. This means we don't expend as much additional energy as predicted, which suggests that while exercise helps burn more energy, it might not contribute as much to weight loss as one might think.

What are the practical recommendations for achieving fat loss while preserving muscle mass?

The practical recommendations include maintaining a calorie deficit, engaging in resistance training, staying physically active with a moderate step count, consuming a high daily protein intake, ensuring adequate sleep, losing weight at a controlled rate (not more than 1% of body weight per week), and adjusting carbohydrate and fat intake based on personal preference and exercise levels.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 Calorie Intake: The Key to Fat Loss

The most critical factor for achieving fat loss is managing calorie intake. Consuming fewer calories than expended, particularly over the course of a week, creates a calorie deficit that leads to weight loss. While losing weight, the primary goal is to shed body fat while retaining muscle mass. Research indicates that without specific strategies to retain muscle, about 25% of the weight lost during a calorie deficit comes from lean mass. High protein diets can help retain more lean mass, but resistance training is paramount for muscle retention during weight loss.

05:00

🏋️‍♂️ Resistance Training: Maximizing Muscle Retention

Resistance training is the second priority for fat loss as it significantly influences the ratio of muscle to fat lost. It provides an anabolic stimulus that helps retain or even build muscle during weight loss. Training with high volume, intensity, and variety is crucial for muscle growth and retention. A meta-analysis showed that combining resistance training with calorie restriction can maintain lean mass, leading to a higher proportion of fat loss. The training approach should mirror that of muscle building, with at least 10 direct sets per muscle group per week, lifting to near failure, and focusing on the target muscle group.

10:01

🚶‍♂️ Physical Activity: Its Role in Energy Expenditure

While physical activity can increase energy expenditure and contribute to a calorie deficit, it is less effective for weight loss than diet changes. Studies show that exercise can lead to energy compensation, where the body unconsciously reduces energy expenditure in other areas. However, physical activity is still important as it helps regulate appetite and contributes to overall energy expenditure. A moderate step count of 5,000 to 10,000 steps per day is recommended, with potential benefits from increasing this count.

15:03

🥚 Protein Intake: Supporting Muscle Mass and Fat Loss

Daily protein intake is vital for both muscle growth and preservation during weight loss. Studies show that higher protein intakes help retain more muscle mass, leading to a greater proportion of fat mass lost. However, there are diminishing returns beyond 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Protein intake should be balanced with resistance training for optimal results. High protein diets should be sustainable and enjoyable, and individuals may need to adjust their protein intake based on factors like sex, body fat percentage, and personal preference.

20:05

💤 Sleep: Its Indirect Impact on Fat Loss

Sleep may not directly impact muscle growth and fat loss as significantly as other factors, but it plays an important indirect role. Restricted sleep can lead to increased calorie intake and decreased likelihood of exercising, negatively affecting fat loss. Studies show that while short-term sleep restriction doesn't greatly impact fat loss, chronic sleep deprivation can result in more lean mass loss and less body fat loss. Sleep also affects exercise performance and perceived effort, making adequate sleep essential for maintaining a calorie deficit and exercise routine.

📉 Rate of Weight Loss: Balancing Speed and Muscle Preservation

The rate at which weight is lost can influence body composition changes. A slower rate of weight loss, around 1% of body weight per week, is better for preserving muscle mass and therefore more effective for fat loss. Rapid weight loss can lead to greater muscle loss. While the rate of weight loss is less critical than calorie intake and resistance training, it's still an important consideration for those aiming to retain muscle mass during fat loss.

🍚 Macronutrient Balance: Carbohydrates and Fat Intake

The exact ratio of carbohydrates to fat in the diet does not significantly impact body composition changes when sufficient protein is consumed and a calorie deficit is maintained. However, higher carbohydrate intake may benefit those performing high-volume resistance training or extensive exercise by supporting performance and indirectly aiding in muscle mass preservation. A minimum of 0.5 grams of fat and 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day are recommended to support essential functions and exercise performance.

🕒 Meal Timing: Personal Preference Over Science

The frequency, timing, and distribution of meals throughout the day have minimal impact on fat loss when calories and macronutrients are controlled. Individuals can choose a meal frequency and timing protocol based on personal preference without significantly affecting fat loss outcomes. Whether one prefers fewer, larger meals or more frequent, smaller meals, adherence to a calorie deficit and adequate protein intake remains the priority.

Keywords

💡Fat Loss

Fat loss refers to the process of reducing body fat while trying to preserve as much muscle mass as possible. It is the primary goal of the video, which focuses on strategies to achieve it through diet and exercise. The script emphasizes that fat loss is not just about losing weight but doing so in a way that minimizes muscle mass loss, as seen in various studies mentioned in the transcript.

💡Calorie Intake

Calorie intake is the total number of calories consumed throughout the day or week. It is identified as the most important factor for fat loss in the video. The concept is central to the idea of creating a calorie deficit, where fewer calories are consumed than expended, leading to weight and fat loss over time. The script explains that adhering to a calorie deficit is crucial for successful fat loss.

💡Calorie Deficit

A calorie deficit occurs when the number of calories consumed is less than the number of calories expended. This concept is essential for weight loss and is a key strategy discussed in the script for achieving fat loss. The video explains that maintaining a calorie deficit over time will result in weight loss, with the goal being to lose body fat rather than just weight.

💡Resistance Training

Resistance training involves exercises that work against an external force to build muscle and strength. In the context of the video, it is the second priority for fat loss because it provides an anabolic stimulus for muscles, helping to retain muscle mass during weight loss. The script cites research showing that combining resistance training with calorie restriction can help maintain lean mass and increase fat loss.

💡Lean Mass

Lean mass refers to the body mass excluding fat, primarily consisting of muscle, bone, and water. The video discusses the importance of preserving lean mass while losing fat. It mentions that without specific efforts, about one-fourth of the mass lost during a calorie deficit is lean mass, but strategies like resistance training can help retain more lean mass.

💡Physical Activity

Physical activity encompasses any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure. The video discusses its role in increasing energy expenditure and thus promoting a calorie deficit. However, it also notes that while exercise is beneficial, it is less effective for weight loss than diet changes and can lead to energy compensation.

💡Protein Intake

Protein intake is the consumption of protein-rich foods, which are vital for muscle growth and maintenance. The video highlights the importance of a high daily protein intake for preserving muscle mass during weight loss. It references studies showing that higher protein intakes can help retain more fat-free mass and lose a greater proportion of fat mass.

💡Energy Compensation

Energy compensation refers to the body's involuntary adjustments to reduce energy expenditure in response to increased physical activity. The video explains that as people exercise more, they may burn fewer additional calories than expected due to this compensatory mechanism, which can affect the overall effectiveness of exercise for weight loss.

💡Appetite Regulation

Appetite regulation involves the body's mechanisms to control hunger and fullness. The video discusses how physical activity can influence appetite regulation, suggesting that moderate activity levels can help regulate energy intake and expenditure, which may indirectly support fat loss by aiding adherence to a calorie deficit.

💡Sleep

Sleep is discussed in the video as a factor that can indirectly affect fat loss through its impact on exercise and diet behaviors. While not directly linked to muscle growth and fat loss, chronic sleep restriction can lead to increased calorie intake and decreased exercise effort, which are不利 to fat loss. The video suggests that maintaining adequate sleep is important for overall health and adherence to fat loss strategies.

💡Macronutrient Profile

The macronutrient profile refers to the proportion of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in a diet. The video mentions that while protein intake is crucial for muscle retention during weight loss, the exact ratio of carbohydrates to fats in a calorie deficit does not significantly impact body composition changes, suggesting that personal preference can dictate macronutrient distribution.

💡Meal Frequency and Timing

Meal frequency and timing pertain to how often and when meals are consumed throughout the day. The video concludes that, in a calorie deficit with sufficient protein, the number of meals and their timing have little effect on fat loss. This suggests that individuals can choose meal patterns based on personal preference without significantly affecting fat loss outcomes.

Highlights

Calorie intake is the most important factor for fat loss, influencing energy balance and weight loss over time.

A calorie deficit is essential for weight loss, aiming to consume fewer calories than expended.

Weight loss should focus on losing body fat while preserving muscle mass.

High protein diets can help retain more lean mass during weight loss.

Resistance training is crucial for preserving muscle mass and increasing fat loss proportion.

Exercise plays a role in regulating energy intake and expenditure, aiding in appetite regulation.

Total daily steps can influence energy expenditure and appetite, with 5,000-10,000 steps recommended for moderate activity.

High daily protein intake is beneficial for muscle growth and preservation during weight loss.

Optimal protein intake for muscle retention during weight loss is around 1.5g per kilogram of body weight.

Chronically restricted sleep may lead to greater lean mass loss and reduced fat loss.

Losing weight at a rate of no more than 1% of body weight per week helps preserve muscle mass.

Carbohydrate and fat intake ratios have minimal impact on body composition changes when sufficient protein is consumed.

Meal frequency, timing, and distribution have little effect on fat loss when calories and macros are equated.

Practical recommendations for fat loss include focusing on calorie intake, resistance training, physical activity, protein intake, sleep, weight loss rate, and macronutrient balance.

Individuals can adjust their diet preferences and exercise levels to best support their fat loss goals.

Fat loss strategies should be personalized based on factors like biological sex, body fat, and personal preferences.

Transcripts

fat loss is achieved by losing weight

while preserving as much muscle mass as

possible there are many factors that go

into achieving this but not all are

equally important so which factors are

most important and which don't have much

of an impact at all the first and by far

the most important factor for fat loss

is calorie intake this refers to the

total number of calories consumed

throughout the entire day and more

importantly throughout the entire week

our energy intake is the biggest

modifiable factor that can influence

energy balance or the net balance When

comparing energy intake versus energy

expenditure essentially we want to eat

in a calorie deficit on average over

time meaning to eat fewer calories than

you expend successfully adhering to a

calorie deficit will result in weight

loss Over time however weight loss

itself isn't necessarily the goal here

the goal here is to lose body fat if we

were to Simply lose body weight we would

certainly see substantial fat loss but

we will also likely lose a decent amount

of muscle mass in the process this was

seen in this research review which

looked at body composition changes with

weight loss this graph shows how much

fat Mass versus lean mass was lost in

various different studies with different

diet strategies and in all cases around

25% of the weight that was lost came

from lean mass while the rest came from

fat Mass apart from the high protein

diet which is something we will discuss

later so as a general rule we would

expect around one4 of the mass lost

during a calorie deficit to be lean mass

and around 3/4 to be fat Mass if there

is no specific effort to enhance muscle

retention although there are other

unmodifiable factors influencing how

much fat-free Mass loss we will see with

weight loss we generally see a greater

proportion of lean mass lost in leaner

individuals compared with those at a

higher body fat and females tend to see

less lean mass losses compared with

males while these factors are

unmodifiable there are strategies we can

Implement to increase the amount of lean

mass we retain during weight loss and

therefore increase the amount of fat

that is lost and this leads us onto our

next priority for fat loss which is

resistance training this has the biggest

influence on the proportion of muscle

versus fat we lose during weight loss

resistance training provides an anabolic

stimulus for our muscles this gives our

physiology a reason for muscle mass to

be retained or even built during the

weight loss process and this will almost

certainly improve the amount of lean

mass we retain during weight loss and

therefore increase the proportion of fat

loss this was seen in this meta analysis

which assessed the influence of

resistance training during weight loss

on body composition changes it was found

that calorie restriction alone is

effective for weight loss but also

results in a little bit of lean mass

loss as we would expect however when

resistance training is implemented

alongside calorie restriction lean mass

can be entirely maintained in some cases

this therefore results in a greater

amount of fat loss as a proportion of

the total weight lost so how should you

train to maximize muscle retention well

essentially you would want to train in

the same way as if you were intending to

build muscle mass here is a general

overview of best practices for muscle

growth training train the muscles you

want to grow with at least 10 direct

sets per week take each set close to

failure at least around three reps in

reserve lift anywhere within the

approximate 5 to 20 rep range and adjust

loads accordingly select exercises and

lift with a technique that ensures

fatigue of the target muscle group is

the limiter of each set the third

priority on our list is our total daily

physical activity levels for the

purposes of fat loss physical activity

has the role of increasing energy

expenditure this can influence the

energy balance equation to help promote

a calorie deficit while this is true

exercise doesn't seem to be quite as

effective as we might think for weight

loss for example this study explored the

effects of a diet or exercise

intervention on weight loss

439 overweight or obese women were

assigned to an exercise and or diet

protocol for one year one group was

assigned to perform 45 minutes of

aerobic exercise five times per week

another group received individualized

nutrition counseling from a dietitian

and the third group were assigned both

the exercise and diet interventions

after after 1 year all groups

successfully lost weight the exercise

group lost around 2% of their initial

body weight the diet group lost around

9% body weight and the combined exercise

and diet group lost the most weight

around 11% so while exercise appears to

be effective for weight loss it doesn't

seem to be as effective as diet changes

one reason for this is likely due to the

concept of energy compensation this

essentially means that as we do more

exercise we see in inv voluntary

reductions in energy expenditure via

other components and as a result we

don't expend as much additional energy

as we might have predicted this idea was

established in this research review

which aimed to explore the influence of

physical activity on total daily energy

expenditure overall the researchers

found that the evidence tends to support

what is known as a constrained model of

energy expenditure this essentially

means that as we burn more energy via

physical activity other components are

downregulated so the net total daily

energy burned follows more of a

diminishing returns response as opposed

to being directly additive however we

don't quite know what exact components

of energy expenditure are downregulated

and to what extent how this changes at

different body fat levels how this

changes as we gain maintain or lose body

weight and whether this is more of an

acute response or a chronic adaptation

in either case exercise does help to

burn more energy but it probably isn't

going to contribute quite as much as we

may think so it shouldn't be the number

one priority when trying to induce a

calorie deficit for weight

loss however there is another way in

which physical activity can influence

the energy balance equation and that is

via appetite regulation This research

review aimed to explore the mechanisms

regulating how much food we eat they

propose that exercise plays a role in

regulating our energy intake if you

exercise very little then there seems to

be a disregulation of energy intake

versus expenditure meaning your appetite

tends to be greater relative to how much

energy you burn but as you become at

least moderately active your energy

intake becomes regulated to a greater

extent meaning your appetite tends to

increase proportionately with the amount

of energy you burn so overall physical

activity is still important for fat loss

just not as important as diet using

total daily steps as a guide we probably

want to achieve at least a moderate step

count to assist with expending a little

more energy and helping to regulate our

appetite somewhere between 5 to 10,000

per day for additional benefits it is

probably going to be helpful to increase

this above 10,000 per day if it is

viable then going Beyond 15,000 per day

might have some small additional

benefits but it probably isn't worth the

additional time and effort required

unless you habitually have a very high

activity level our next priority for fat

loss is another nutrition variable and

that is our total daily protein intake

it is well established that consuming a

high daily protein intake is beneficial

for muscle growth via resistance

training and also to preserve muscle

mass during weight loss this was seen in

this study which compared the effects of

different protein intakes during a

calorie deficit on body composition

changes 39 military personnel from the

US Army performing their regular

physical activity schedule were assigned

to a 40% calorie restricted diet for 3

weeks one group were assigned to consume

the recommended dietary protein intake

of 0.8 G per kogam of body weight per

day the other group consumed double this

amount 1.6 G per kg per day and the

third group consumed triple the RDA at

2.4 G per kg per day after 3 weeks all

groups lost a significant amount of body

weight however the low protein group

lost a greater portion of fat-free Mass

meaning they lost a lower proportion of

fat Mass while the moderate and high

protein groups retained a greater amount

of fat-free mass and therefore lost a

greater proportion of fat Mass however

we should be aware that a high protein

intake isn't a replacement for

resistance training resistance training

is going to have a greater effect on

muscle retention than just consuming a

high protein diet and ideally you would

want to perform resistance training and

consume a high protein intake for the

best fat loss results this was seen in

this study which compared the effects of

protein intake and or resistance

training on body composition changes

during weight loss 100 overweight or

obese adults followed a diet designed to

be 600 calories below their estimated

energy needs for 10 weeks one consuming

a lower protein intake of 0.8 G per kog

per day one consuming a higher protein

intake of 1.3 G per kog per day the

Third consuming a lower protein intake

but also performing resistance training

three times per week and the last group

consuming a higher protein intake plus

performing resistance training three

times per week after 10 weeks all groups

lost significant body weight the low and

high protein intake groups approximately

maintained all their fat-free Mass the

group exercising saw a slight increase

in fat-free mass and therefore a greater

proportion of fat loss and the high

protein plus exercise group saw an even

greater increase in fat-free mass and

therefore an even greater proportion of

fat

loss so how much protein should we aim

to consume well essentially higher

protein intakes tend to be better for

muscle growth or retention but there

seems to be diminishing returns once

protein intake exceeds around 1.5 G per

kilog per day there likely isn't much

additional benefit going higher than

this furthermore this relationship

probably looks different based on

biological sex and body fat females at a

higher body fat likely require a lower

relative protein intake and males at a

lower body fat likely see more benefit

from a slightly higher relative protein

intake check out the video in the

description for more detail on how to

individualize protein intake based on

these factors while a high protein diet

is generally helpful for fat loss from a

physiological perspective a very high

protein diet can potentially be harmful

from a behavioral standpoint in some

cases try to consume a very high protein

intake can make it more difficult to

adhere to a calorie deficit which is our

number one priority this might be due to

a few reasons such as trying to Target a

very high protein intake might result in

you eating more calories than you

otherwise would just to hit a Target if

you were to consume a very high protein

intake and adhere to your calorie Target

this means you will need to consume

fewer fats and carbohydrates which may

make your diet less flexible and

sustainable you may also just not enjoy

eating very high protein low fat and low

carb foods all the time making it less

likely for you to stick to the diet and

lastly high protein foods are generally

the most expensive in our diet which

could make it less sustainable in some

cases the next Factor on our hierarchy

of importance for fat loss is sleep some

may argue that sleep should be higher on

the list of importance and that might be

true however there is simply not much

evidence which directly looks at the

effects of sleep on muscle growth and

fat loss in a controlled setting so it

is hard to justify sleep being of

Greater importance until we have more

clear data to support it so what

evidence do we have well there are two

studies I am aware of which explore this

topic the first looked at the effects of

restricted sleep during a calorie

deficit on body composition changes 36

overweight or obese adults consumed a

calorie intake of 95% of their predicted

metabolic rate for 8 weeks one group

slept normally during the diet which

ended up being around 6 and 1/2 hours

per night the other group were

instructed to reduce their total time in

bed by 90 minutes from their habitual

sleep habits for 5 days of the week and

then sleep as normal on the other two

days this group ended up sleeping for an

average of 5 1/2 hours per night on the

restricted sleep days and around 7 and

1/2 hours on the non-restricted days

after 8 weeks both groups lost a similar

amount of total body weight and in both

cases the proportion of fat mass and

lean mass that was lost was also similar

and the other study we have explored a

similar Concept in this study 10

overweight adults consumed a calorie

intake of 90% of their predicted

metabolic rate on two separate 14-day

periods on one occasion they were

permitted 8 and 1/2 hours in bed and on

the other occasion they were only

allowed 5 1/2 hours of time in bed with

the goal of restricting sleep it was

found found that after both

interventions total weight lost was

similar however the participants lost a

greater amount of fat-free Mass during

the restricted sleep condition compared

with the normal sleep condition this

also meant that when sleeping longer

subjects experienced greater fat loss

compared with when sleep was restricted

so overall if sleep is restricted a

little on some days but you catch up on

other days it doesn't seem to have much

of an impact on Fat Loss however if

sleep is chronically restricted then it

might result in a greater amount of lean

mass loss which would therefore result

in less body fat loss sleep also plays

an important indirect role in The Fat

Loss process too and this is its effects

on exercise and diet behaviors for

example this study explored the effects

of sleep restriction on food intake 12

healthy adults underwent two separate

14-day periods of controlled time in bed

with unlimited access to food throughout

the day on one occasion they were given

9 hours of bedtime and on the other

occasion they were only given 4 hours of

time in bed with the goal to restrict

sleep it was found that during the Sleep

restriction phase subjects ate an

average of about 250 calories more

compared with when they were given more

sleep and in terms of exercise this

study compared the effects of sleep

restriction on exercise performance and

perceived fatigue 10 females with at

least 6 months lifting experience

performed four resistance training

sessions over a 9-day period on two

separate occasions on one occasion they

were given eight or more hours in bed to

sleep as normal on the other occasion

they were restricted to only 5 hours in

bed per night it was found that total

volume load per session was similar

during both phases indicating that

lifting performance wasn't significantly

inhibited however sleep restriction

increased the subjects perceived

exertion of each training session shown

in the orange indicating that it took

more effort to complete each workout and

subjects also reported a greater

training distress score which is a

subjective rating of stress fatigue and

depressive symptoms during the

restricted sleep protocol so in terms of

diet and exercise Behavior restricted

sleep is likely to have negative effects

it can decrease the likelihood of

sticking to a calorie deficit and

increase the perceived effort it takes

to exercise which are the two most

important factors for fat loss next on

our hierarchy of importance for fat loss

is the rate at which we lose weight

while simply being in a calorie deficit

over time is the most important factor

for fat loss the magnitude of the

deficit also seems to influence body

composition changes too eating in a

greater calorie deficit will result in a

faster rate of weight loss while eating

in a smaller calorie deficit will result

in slower weight loss so how does our

rate of weight loss influence fat loss

this was explored in this study which

compared the effects of a faster versus

slower rate of weight loss in a Le

athletes 24 Elite athletes from the

Norwegian Olympic sports center

performed their regular sport training

during their offseason in addition to

four resistance training sessions per

week half the subjects were prescribed

to lose weight at a slower rate while

the others aimed to lose weight at a

faster rate the slow weight loss group

lost 4.2 kg in about 9 weeks while the

fast weight loss group lost the same

amount of body weight in around 5 weeks

and protein intake was the same between

groups at 1 .6 G per kog of body weight

per day it was found that although both

groups lost the same amount of total

body weight the slow weight loss group

resulted in a small gain in lean mass

while the fast weight loss caused a very

slight decrease in lean mass this meant

that the slow weight loss group lost a

little more fat Mass while the faster

weight loss group lost a little less fat

Mass although both groups lost mostly

fat since they were both performing

resistance training and had a high

protein intake so although it isn't the

most important consideration you would

probably want to avoid rapid weight loss

if the goal is to retain as much muscle

as possible as a general rule losing

weight at a rate of no more than around

1% of body weight per week will likely

increase the amount of muscle we can

preserve and therefore increase the

proportion of fat

lost now we are moving on to the factors

which don't seem to be very important

for fat loss the first of which is your

carbohydrate and fat intake in addition

to protein these macronutrients will

make up your total calorie intake if you

were eating in a calorie deficit and you

were getting a sufficient amount of

protein per day the exact ratio of

carbohydrate versus fat doesn't seem to

have much of an influence on body

composition changes for example the

study compared the effects of weight

loss with different macronutrient

profiles on body composition changes 62

subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver

disease were assigned to one of three

different weight loss diets for 12 weeks

these were either a low carb high fat

diet a 52 diet or individualized

nutrition counseling referred to as

standard of care as we can see protein

made up about 20% of total calories in

each diet but the other macronutrients

differed the low carb diet had a much

lower proportion of carbohydrate and

much higher fat while the other two

diets consisted of about 40% of calories

coming from both fat and carbohydrates

after 12 weeks all groups lost weight

with the 52 and low carb diets losing

more weight the proportion of abdominal

adapost tissue reduced similarly in all

groups which was relative to the amount

of weight that was lost and thigh muscle

volume which was the only measure of

muscle mass taken reduced by a similar

proportion in all groups too there might

be however a small advantage of

consuming a higher carbohydrate diet for

those performing lots of exercise this

systematic review aimed to assess the

influence of carbohydrate intake on

resistance training performance overall

it was found that carbohydrate intake

doesn't seem to have a significant

impact on lifting performance in most

cases although performance during high

volume lifting sessions May benefit a

little from a higher carbohydrate diet

so if you were performing a high volume

of resistance training or lots of

exercise in general you might want to

opt for a slightly higher carb hydrate

and therefore lower fat diet to support

exercise performance this might

indirectly influence fat loss by helping

to preserve greater muscle mass via

resistance training as a general rule

you probably want to consume a minimum

of around 0.5 G per kilogram of fat per

day for essential bodily functions and

you probably want to get at least around

1.5 G per kog of carbohydrates per day

to support exercise performance Beyond

these minimum levels you can adjust the

exact ratios of carbs and fats to suit

your diet preferences and exercise

levels

and the last Factor on our list that is

probably least important is the

frequency timing and distribution of

when we eat our meals throughout the day

if you were eating in a calorie deficit

with sufficient protein the number of

meals you consume per day and when these

meals are consumed has very little if

any effect on fat loss in the majority

of cases for example the study compared

the effects of different meal

frequencies during weight loss on body

composition changes 43 overweight or

Beast females were prescribed a diet

containing 90% of their estimated

calorie needs for 3 months the diets

consisted of 55 to 60% carbohydrates 12

to 15% protein and 25 to 30% fat half

the subjects consumed this across three

larger meals per day while the others

consumed this across six smaller meals

per day after 3 months both groups lost

a similar amount of total body weight

with similar proportions of fat mass and

fat-free Mass lost so individuals can

Implement a meal frequency and timing

protocol based on their personal

preferences you could eat fewer larger

meals per day or more frequent smaller

meals as long as you able to adhere to a

calorie deficit and consume a decent

amount of protein with all this

information let's establish some

practical recommendations the most

important factor to achieve fat loss is

calory intake you want to eat in a

calorie deficit to lose weight over time

during the weight loss period resistance

training is going to be the most

effective way to preserve muscle mass so

that a greater proportion of the lost

weight comes from fat resistance

training to retain muscle mass should

essentially look the same as if you were

intending to build muscle mass next we

have General physical activity which is

best Quantified as the total number of

steps performed per day higher activity

levels can help to burn a little more

energy but shouldn't be relied upon as

the primary method of inducing a calorie

deficit being Physically Active also

helps to regulate hunger and satiety

levels which may help adherence to a

calorie deficit next on the list is

protein intake consuming more protein

per day in conjunction with resistance

training can increase the amount of

muscle we preserve during weight loss

more protein generally seems to be

better but there is less additional

benefit as protein intake becomes higher

and higher if possible it would be

beneficial to try and consume 1.5 g of

protein per kilogram body weight per day

or more if it is practically viable the

next Factor on our list is sleep

chronically restricted sleep might have

a small detrimental effect on the

proportion of muscle versus fat loss

during a calorie deficit however the

bigger concern is that restricted sleep

seems to result in a higher calorie

intake and decreases the likelihood or

effort of exercise next on the list is

our rate of weight loss losing weight at

a faster rate tends to result in a

little more muscle being lost in the

process while losing weight at a slower

rate tends to be a little better for

muscle preservation as a general rule

you want to try and lose weight at a

rate of no more than around 1% of body

weight per week next on the list is

carbohydrate and fat intake if you are

adhering to a calorie deficit and

consuming sufficient protein the exact

amount of carbohydrates and fat you

consume doesn't seem to have much of an

impact on Fat Loss a minimum of 0.5 G

per kilog per day of fat is recommended

to support essential functions and a

minimum of around 1.5 G per kog per day

of carbohydrates are recommended to

support exercise performance once these

minimums are met you can decide to

consume a slightly higher carb or higher

fat diet based on personal preference

and lastly we have meal frequency timing

and distribution with calories and

macros equated the exact number of meals

you consume per day and the timing of

these meals doesn't seem to have much if

any influence on Fat Loss therefore how

many meals you eat per day and when you

eat these meals can be adjusted based on

personal

preference thanks for watching and

hopefully you got something out of this

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