How To Lose Fat Fast [And For Good!]

Yep, you read that second part right. You do need a certain amount of body fat to survive as a human being. Literally. You run the risk of serious diseases like osteoporosis, malnutrition, or developing an eating disorder if you become too obsessed with losing body fat.

The total amount of fat in your body is broken into two kinds: essential fat and storage fat. Essential fat is located in your heart, lungs, liver, central nervous system, intestines, the marrow of your bones… see where we’re going? It’s all over your body and is, well, essential for everyday functions.

Storage, or subcutaneous, fat is located around your internal organs and directly beneath your skin. It provides protection and insulation for your body. Storage fat is what most people are trying to reduce when they say, “I want to lose fat.”

Fat provides energy for your body and is also involved in the regulation of some hormones. When your exercise extends beyond 30 minutes, your body taps into fat stores to fuel your workout.

What Is a Healthy Body Fat Percentage?

That will vary based on your biological sex, your age, and your activity level.

Healthy Body Fat Percentages for Women

In general, for women, your body fat percentage should be between 16% and 33%. By age, your body fat should be as follows:

Women will usually have a higher range than men. Because women menstruate and have the ability to bear children, they need a higher body fat percentage to support that process.

Healthy Body Fat Percentages for Men

Again, in general, men’s healthy body fat percentages will fall between 7% and 25%. By age, your body fat should be as follows:

Skin Calipers

There are a few ways to calculate your body fat. The most accessible for the general population is to use a pair of calipers. Skin calipers are a measuring tool that looks a bit like a claw. It’s usually got two arms and a ruler in-between with an indicator.

You can purchase skin calipers at most large chain stores or your local fitness supplier. Once you’ve purchased the calipers, there are a few different methods to determine your body fat percentage:

• The Durnin & Womersley Method: measure your body fat at four sites: bicep, tricep, subscapular (triangular shoulder muscle), and suprailiac (near your hips). Add the total of the four sites together and use this method’s particular formula to figure out your body fat percentage. However, some folks have found it overestimates the result.
• The Jackson/Pollock 7 Method: measure body fat at seven sites: chest, abdomen, thigh, tricep, subscapular, suprailiac, midaxillary (on your torso, below your armpit). Then use this method’s formula, and it will give you a body fat percentage. However, some folks have found it underestimates the result.
• The Henriques 6 Method: measure body fat at six sites: the bicep, chest, midaxillary, suprailiac, abdomen, and thigh. This is thought to be the most accurate. Add the numbers together and use the chart below to determine your percentage:

Technology advancement to the rescue yet again! Devices you can use in the comfort of your home are on the rise. Several brands currently make machines that use infrared light to provide a full-body 3D image. Most come with an accompanying app to track measurements and your body fat percentage.

Most of these machines are almost as accurate as DEXA scans, making them ideal for getting the most precise results. Plus, because you take these measurements at home and track them via an app, you can keep a solid eye on your progress.

The only downside is the upfront price tag. Some machines, like the one from a brand called Naked, will run you about $1000. Others provide their app via a monthly subscription service.

However, suppose you can afford one of these machines. In that case, it’s basically the perfect way to have a reliable, accurate measure of your body fat percentage from the comfort of your home, whenever you want it.

Why Am I Not Losing Fat?

Chances are, you’re not currently losing fat because you’ve got something out of balance. You may be working out too much, not eating enough, overeating, not getting adequate sleep, or not following a nutrition plan.

The truth is, there are many reasons you may be struggling to lose fat. It could be your genetics working against you. It could be that you struggle to stick to your workout routine. Dig into the rest of this guide and compare it to your habits to see where you may be missing something.

How Fast Can I Lose Fat?

Like so many things in the fitness world, the answer is, “it depends.” A wide variety of factors will contribute to how quickly you can lose fat. These factors include body composition, age, biological sex, hormones, and the amount of muscles and fat you start with.

In general, however, you can expect to lose 1–3% body fat per month. To lose more would be unhealthy and risk losing muscle instead of fat.

Should I Count My Calories?

I bet you can guess our answer: “it depends.” First and foremost, it will depend on whether you have a history of disordered eating. If counting calories triggers obsessive behavior for you, you should find other ways to track your nutrition. Try watching your macros instead or working with a personal trainer to find different ways to track what you eat, if any.

If it’s safe for you to count your calories, there are still other options to consider. Do you have the brain space to watch your nutrition, or will it become a chore for you? Doing anything that’s difficult or not an intuitive habit to work into your day makes it less likely you’ll stick with it.

Convinced you’ll be able to count calories and keep it up? Then yes, you should count your calories. The best way to lose weight and make sure it’s fat is to be in a caloric deficit. (This is the opposite of trying to build muscle, where you need a caloric surplus.)

Calories are the energy in food. Your body has a constant demand for energy that it gets from that food. Aim for an approximately 500 calorie deficit when attempting to lose fat.

To make this as easy as possible, use an app. MyFitnessPal is the most famous one, but there are dozens of options. Shop around and find one that works best for you.

Is it Okay to Weigh Myself Every Day?

Congratulations, you’ve found one of the very few questions in the fitness world with a clear and definitive answer: no. Do not weigh yourself every day. Do not measure your body fat levels every day either.

We’re being a bit sarcastic here, folks. Everyone knows you should just be able to eat fewer calories and burn more of them to lose weight. For some people, though, it’s not that simple.

You have something called your basal metabolic rate or basal metabolism. It’s the number of calories your body burns when you’re on a rest day, doing absolutely no exercise. Your body burns these calories by completing regular daily tasks like breathing, keeping your heart beating, thinking, etc.

Again, a wide variety of factors will influence your resting metabolic rate, including your age, biological sex, and your body size and composition. As you age, the amount of muscle in your body tends to decline, meaning you burn fewer calories. We already mentioned how women tend to have a higher body fat percentage than men. Lastly, people with more muscle tend to burn more calories as muscle requires more energy to maintain.

It’s true that the more calories you burn with a higher level of physical activity, putting yourself in a caloric deficit, should lead to weight loss. But the above factors will influence how easy or difficult that is.

Do cut calories and move more, but that’s not all.

Remember that daily basal metabolic rate we just talked about? Find out your specific rate using an online calculator. Once you know your basal metabolic rate, you can subtract the daily 500 calories to start a general deficit.

Or, to get even more specific, use a different online calculator to figure out your exact recommended caloric intake to lose fat. You can also work with a personal trainer or your doctor to find your specific needs.

Find a Nutrition Plan that Works For YOU

Notice how we don’t use the word “diet” here. Diets are something you do for a while and then give up on before going back to your old eating habits. A nutrition plan and healthy habits are going to be key to long-lasting change.

An ideal guideline is to aim for 80% healthful foods and 20% everything else. That 20% of everything else is where you get your freedom, so you don’t feel restricted. Not feeling restricted is key to maintaining a nutrition plan. When you get to eat what you want at least 20% of the time, you’re less likely to feel deprived and binge on those foods or drop your plan altogether.

Whatever nutrition plan you design should be tailored to you. If you hate salads and avocado, don’t prioritize eating them every day. If your energy levels flag when you go low carb, don’t follow that nutrition plan.

Try keeping a food journal for a week or two with your regular eating habits. (Again, only do so if tracking your food is safe for you.) Note down how you physically feel after every meal or snack. Equally important is to note down how you emotionally feel. After all, eating foods that you hate won’t last, and we’re going for long-lasting change here.

Once you know what foods make you feel good physically and emotionally, you can work on finding healthier versions, if applicable. For example, if eating meat gives you energy, try to swap out red meats for leaner options like turkey or chicken. If eating leafy green vegetables makes you feel bloated or gassy, try root vegetables like sweet potatoes or carrots.

See later in the article where we discuss healthful swaps you can make.

Dietary fiber (also called “roughage”) is the parts of plant foods your body can’t absorb. There are two kinds of fiber:

• Soluble: dissolves in water. Helps lower blood cholesterol and glucose.
• Insoluble: does not dissolve in water. Promotes the movement of food through your digestive system.

Consuming enough fiber not only helps you maintain regular bowel movements, but it can also help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer.

Additionally, fiber is what helps you feel full for longer. Adding more fiber to your meals means you’re less likely to feel hungry again shortly after, reducing snacking and grazing.

Nutritious sources of fiber include:

• Whole grains (is there anything whole grain can’t do?)
• Fruits and vegetables
• Beans, peas, and legumes
• Nuts and seeds

Adding fiber to your meals can be as simple as opting for whole wheat bread for your sandwich or sprinkling nuts and seeds on your morning yogurt.

Stress is a hidden factor in fat loss. When you have high levels of stress, your body triggers your fight-or-flight response. This results in a rush of hormones like cortisol, the “stress hormone,” which releases sugar into your bloodstream.

This sugar dump can result in a similar situation as eating refined carbs and sugars. Your blood sugar level spikes and then crashes. For some people, they cope with stress by either overeating or undereating.

Both over- and undereating are problematic for fat loss. Obviously, overeating means you’re not burning more calories than you’re consuming. On the other hand, eating too little means your body thinks you’re starving, so it slows down fat burning. Studies show it’s not just your eating habits—stress also slows down your metabolism.

To prevent this from happening, get a handle on your stress levels. Developing the self-care routine we talked about earlier will help. Also, look for warning signs of stress like muscle tension, feelings of anxiety, or unwarranted irritability.

You can also try keeping only nourishing snacks in your kitchen. That way, if you do stress-eat, at least you’ll be fueling your body with healthful foods.

Try keeping a record of your mood and actions to see if you notice any patterns. For example, if you find yourself feeling extra stressed on Wednesday nights, why might that be? Is there a regular work meeting or a family issue? Figuring out what’s triggering your stress can help you prepare for and handle the situation.

Cardio is about to become your new best friend. Let’s talk about the two types of cardiovascular activity:

• Aerobic: requires the presence of oxygen in the blood and activates Type 1 muscle fibers (the kind that supports long-distance activities). Examples include slow jogging, bicycling, or swimming.
• Anaerobic: does not require the presence of oxygen in the blood and activates Type 2 muscle fibers (the kind for short bursts of movement). Examples include sprinting or lifting heavyweights.

Both kinds of cardio are useful in fat loss. Aerobic exercise results in more fat being used as fuel during your workouts. Anaerobic cardio results in a higher loss of fat in the long-term. Pair both together in your training routine for optimum results.

For example, perhaps one of your cardio days is a long, steady state-run. The other could then be high-intensity interval training.

Don’t Underestimate a Good Night’s Sleep

Your body can’t make any progress doing anything, including losing fat, if it’s trying to recover from poor sleep habits. Studies have shown that poor sleep quality runs a higher risk of obesity. This is because a lack of sleep causes an increase in insulin, which regulates blood glucose levels.

If this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. You can start doing everything we’ve detailed in this guide by enacting small changes, one at a time.

The key is to start small. Really, really small. For example, say you want to start with boosting your protein intake. Break that down into adding more protein into each meal. Then break it down even further into adding a card deck-sized portion to your lunch each day. Once you’re doing that consistently, add it to breakfast. Then dinner.

Starting small enables you to build the habit gradually. It also means you’re more likely to reach your big goals because each “little” win gives you a boost of dopamine, the pleasure hormone. The more you feel successful, the easier it is to keep going.

Draw up a list of little goals to tackle each of the changes we’ve detailed in this guide. Then, add what the next step will be once you’re regularly meeting the little goal. Once you’re regularly meeting one single big goal, start the process over with a second little one.

This part of your fat loss journey is key: you must maintain the habits. If you make drastic, sweeping changes and see results but a month later slide back into your old ways, that’s not sustainable. The entire purpose of this guide is to lose the fat and keep it off for good.