Lose Fat & Build Muscle Without The Bullsh*t - Josh Holyfield Podcast Ep 28

Lose Fat & Build Muscle Without The Bullsh*t - Josh Holyfield Podcast Ep 28

If your goal is to lose fat and struggle with your nutrition, then sit down, shut up, grab a pen and paper. Class is in session.

I'm not an expert or anything, but what I'm about to teach you will work for anyone. It's as simple as it gets. It's worked for thousands of my clients over the past five years.

Understanding Your Body's Energy Expenditure

There are three things that affect your body's daily energy expenditure:

1. BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): This is the total calories that your body burns at rest just to keep you alive and breathing. This number varies from person to person and is influenced by factors like your age, gender, activity levels, genetics, muscle mass, hormones, health conditions, and daily habits.
2. NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): This is the energy you expend doing things throughout the day, like brushing your teeth, walking on the beach, or manual work like building and fixing stuff. The more you move throughout the day, the more energy you burn.
3. EAT (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): This is the energy you expend while exercising, such as lifting weights in the gym, playing sports, or doing jujitsu.

The way we give ourselves energy is through the consumption of food, measured in calories. By adding up your NEAT, EAT, and BMR, you get a number called TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

How Weight Loss and Muscle Gain Works

When you use more calories than you consume throughout the day, your body is forced to use fat stores as a source of energy. This is called being in a calorie deficit. Conversely, when you consume more calories than you use, your body stores the extra as fat. This is called being in a calorie surplus.

But when you're in a calorie surplus and lifting weights, your body uses the extra energy to build muscle, which is why bodybuilders eat so much to get big.

Simple enough: eat less and move more throughout the day to lose weight. Adding enough protein preserves your muscles, and weightlifting will not only burn fat but also build muscle. More muscle increases your BMR, thereby helping you burn more calories throughout the day.

Calculating Your Daily Calorie Intake

You might think this information is overwhelming and wonder why I can't just tell you how much to eat. No problem.

There are two methods to determine daily calorie intake:

1. With Training Wheels: Start with a macro calculator, which you can find on my website. Enter data like your age, gender, height, weight, and activity levels, and the calculator will give you your daily calories, broken down into macros (protein, fat, and carbs).
2. Without Training Wheels: Over time, you’ll develop the skill of knowing exactly what your body needs, eliminating the need to meticulously track your calories.

Meal Frequency and Strategies

Many people question about meal frequency and diets like intermittent fasting, keto, or one meal a day. Any coach telling you there's a single absolute best way is wrong. The best way is what works for you.

Align your meals with periods of activity. For many, this means 3 to 6 meals a day, often 5 for a happy medium. Eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks between. Distribute protein evenly across meals and adjust carbs based on activity levels. For example, if you exercise in the afternoons and evenings, a high-carb breakfast can fuel your activities.

Understand that these strategies are simply ways to achieve a calorie deficit. As long as you find a strategy that fits your lifestyle, you'll see results.

Supplements and Final Thoughts

A minimal supplement recommendation is a multivitamin to cover nutritional gaps. If you feel you're in a calorie deficit but still gain weight, it might be that you are underestimating your intake or drinking your calories. Conversely, if you eat a lot but don't build muscle, you may not be consuming more than you burn.

Remember, many fitness gurus complicate things to sell programs or supplements. There's no easy path. Effort is essential. If someone promises results without effort, they're lying.

If you need help, it's likely you lack mental resilience or self-control in your habits. This is a different problem that can be solved with proper coaching, which I offer. Check the description for more information.

Additional Resources

If you have any more questions or want me to discuss specific topics in future videos, drop them in the comments below.

For more detailed information, check out my video on YouTube: Lose Fat & Build Muscle Without The Bullsh*t - Josh Holyfield Podcast Ep 28.

Talk soon.

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