Eating for Fat Loss

We are both Nutrition Coaches who own a small group personal training gym in swords. Most of our clients are general population looking to drop a few pounds, get stronger, fitter and just live a healthier life. Below is the guidelines we would give them when talking about food for fat loss :) When looking at food you have to have your goals in mind. This will help you make informed decisions about your food or meal choices. In order for fat loss to occur you need to be in an energy deficit. You can do this by eating less than you burn, or increasing your energy output through movement and training to bring yourself into that deficit. Once you create the deficit, then its time to look at your macro split. This is the makeup of your calories from protein, Carbohydrates and Fats. Of the three macronutrients, protein is to be prioritised. Why should protein be prioritised? Well, protein keeps you satiated, this is a fancy word for feeling full! It has a higher thermic effect of feeding than carbs and fats which means the energy used to digest protein is more than carbs and fats. Protein has many roles in the body but its main function is growth and repair. So you can probably see why it's important for gym folk to meet protein demands. Once you don't go over your calorie allowance for that day and you meet your protein demands its personal preference where the remainder of your calories come from. We are all about health, so we would advise you to have a balanced diet made up of proteins, carbs and fats while eating plenty of fruits and vegetables to make sure you are meeting minimum requirements of all micronutrients as well. Aiming to have as much colour on your plate as possible in all meals is a good target to have.