Certain strains of probiotics in the genus Lactobacillus may be especially effective at aiding weight and fat loss ( 45).

And that’s true. How much you eat will dictate the majority of your fat loss efforts, no matter how hard you work in the gym. Even modern advancements in obesity treatment (e.g., bariatric surgery, medication, etc) have a success rate of less than 10% for permanent weight reduction/management. Muscle is one key factor in setting your body’s resting metabolic rate (RMR), or the amount of calories your body burns without you even trying to burn calories. People who talk about having “a slow metabolism” or “a super-fast metabolism” sometimes have actual genetic factors at work, but their lean muscle tissue is also a significant influence on their resting metabolic rate. And here’s why that’s a big problem. Not sleeping enough can make you hungrier, desire bigger portions, and crave higher-calorie foods.

This was when I realised that exercise is really not that effective for fat loss for a lot of people. These players were training hard; undertaking strenuous gym sessions, running extensively during their on-field skills sessions and playing one of the most brutal physical games in the world every week. And yet quite a few of them were still obese and actually got fatter as the season went on even after following a strict nutrition and supplement plan. Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA, Krieger JW. Effects of meal frequency on weight loss and body composition: a meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2015 Feb;73(2):69-82. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuu017. PMID: 26024494. Phil’s fat loss course is without a doubt the most in depth course I’ve seen. If you take the time to really study the information he teaches you, you’ll have the ability to change your life or your clients lives.

Adding cardio to your routine may be one of the most effective ways to enhance fat burning and weight loss. Aerobic training like walking, running, or biking is typically associated with fat loss training. The popular thinking is, if you want to burn fat, you have to do some kind of cardio. And that’s fundamentally correct. What’s more, studies associate diets high in refined carbs with increased belly fat over time ( 27, 28, 29). Low carbs” is typically considered anywhere from 5% to 30% of daily calories from carb sources, or up to one-half (0.5) gram per pound of bodyweight per day.

For extra credit

Conversely, diets high in whole grains are tied to a lower body mass index (BMI) and body weight, plus a smaller waist circumference ( 30). The first stage of weight loss is when you tend to lose the most weight and begin to notice changes in your appearance and how your clothes fit. It usually happens within the first 4–6 weeks ( 1).