I bumped into a member I had not seen in ages last week.
He walked into the gym looking like he had been living on chicken breast and hard work.
Leaner face.
Better posture.
Clothes actually fit him.
I asked what he had changed.
He did not give me some magic hack.
He just said, “Mate, I stopped drinking my calories and started eating proper food, like you said to do. I am eating more now than before.”
That line tells you everything about fat loss.
Most people starve themselves with tiny meals that do nothing except make them miserable.
Then they crack at nine at night and raid the biscuits.
They think the problem is willpower.
It is not.
The problem is food choices that do nothing to fill you.
I learned the same lesson the hard way.
Years ago on one of my own cuts, I kept trying to be clever.
Small meals.
Low everything.
Miserable every day.
Always hungry.
Then one of my old coaches looked at my food diary and laughed.
“You are eating tiny portions of high calorie food. That is why you feel like death. Flip it.”
He was right.
I swapped the snacks and nonsense for actual food.
Big plates.
Simple meals.
Stuff that fills you.
Fat started dropping without the usual drama.
This is where people mess up.
They focus on eating less.
You should focus on eating better.
Not fancy.
Not complicated.
Stuff you can buy in Tesco, Aldi, Asda or Morrisons today.
Here is exactly what I mean.
Stop drinking calories.
If you are drinking Coke, full fat lattes, smoothies or juice, you are wasting calories. Swap it for water, squash, black coffee or Coke Zero. One simple change saves hundreds of calories and you feel no different.
Add protein to every meal.
Not because it is trendy. Because it fills you.
Pick simple things.
Greek yoghurt. Chicken breast. Turkey mince. Tinned tuna.
Make it boring if you want. Boring works. Protein keeps you full and keeps muscle on while fat drops.
Cut the calorie bombs that pretend to be “healthy.”
Nuts. Cheese. Peanut butter. Olive oil.
All fine in small amounts but they stack calories fast. A handful of nuts is the same calories as a plate of potatoes and veg. Most people do not want to hear that. I am telling you anyway.
Load your plate with high volume foods.
This is the difference between being full and being a moody gremlin.
Potatoes. Frozen veg. Beans. Salad. Fruit.
Cheap. Simple. Easy.
And they take up room in your stomach so you actually feel like you have eaten something.
Here is a day built from stuff you can buy right now in a normal supermarket.
Breakfast
Greek yoghurt, a scoop of protein powder, berries from the freezer aisle.
Filling. Quick. Cheap.
Lunch
Chicken breast in a Warburtons low carb wrap with salad, light mayo, salt, pepper.
Four minutes to make.
Dinner
5% beef mince, potatoes in the air fryer, big pile of frozen veg.
Real food. Plenty of it.
Snack
Protein bar or two boiled eggs.
That is a lot of food.
But because it is low calorie and high volume, you lose fat without feeling like you are on some miserable plan.
This is the part nobody wants to accept.
You are not failing because you have no discipline.
You are failing because your meals are tiny and your snacks are high calorie junk.
Swap that around and fat loss gets boring and predictable.
And boring is good.
Boring gets results.
Next time you walk into Tesco, do this one thing.
Put a big tub of Greek yoghurt and a bag of potatoes in your trolley.
Swap your drink for a zero calorie one.
Add a pack of chicken breast.
Add a big bag of frozen veg.
That alone will change your week.
Eat food that fills you.
Not food that tricks you.
You will lose fat.
And you will not hate your life while doing it.
-Ryan
P.S
If you’re sick of starting January already behind, our December 6 Week Meltdown kicks off today!
And you get seven weeks for the price of six, covering that wild Christmas week everyone pretends “doesn’t count.”
Last call.
Once doors shut, that’s it.