Hey There Lovely People,
Hope you're all having a great Sunday!
Let me tell you something most fitness coaches won't admit.
I was skinny fat for years.
Clothes on looked fine. Shirt off different story. Belly fat, low energy, drinking three to four times a week in my early twenties, eating whatever, thinking I was healthy because I trained.
I wasn't.
What changed everything wasn't a magic program or a strict diet. It was two decisions.
I cut excessive drinking at 25. Not completely, I still enjoy a meal out with friends. But I went from drinking three to four times a week to maybe three times a year. The difference was immediate.
Then at 27, colitis forced me to actually learn about food. Macros, protein, carbs, fats, timing, quality. I stopped guessing and started understanding.
That's when my body actually changed.
The biggest fat loss mistake I see constantly
People have no idea how many calories they're actually eating.
That avocado toast with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce you're having for breakfast? Healthy? Yes. Nutritious? Absolutely. But also potentially 800+ calories before 9am.
People eat perfectly Monday to Thursday. Then Friday night comes. A few drinks, a late night burger, some snacks, and just like that they've undone not just the week's work but potentially weeks of progress in one single night.
This isn't about perfection. It's about awareness.
Fat loss vs weight loss, know the difference
This is where most people get it completely wrong.
If you just eat less without training, yes you'll lose weight. But you'll lose muscle along with fat. The result? You become skinny fat. Smaller but still soft. Lower metabolism. Weaker. And the moment you eat normally again the fat comes back faster than before.
The goal is never just to lose weight. The goal is to lose fat while keeping, or building muscle.
That's why strength training is non negotiable when you're in a fat loss phase. Muscle is metabolically expensive. The more you have the more calories your body burns at rest. It literally reshapes your body from the inside out.
Know your maintenance calories
Before anything else, you need to know your maintenance calories. This is the number of calories your body needs to maintain its current weight based on your size, age, and activity level.
From there the rule is simple:
To lose fat: eat 10% below your maintenance calories. Not 30%. Not 50%. Just 10%. Aggressive deficits destroy muscle, tank your energy, and are impossible to sustain long term.
To build muscle: eat 10% above your maintenance calories. Any more than that and the excess goes straight to fat, not muscle.
That's the range. Everything outside it is working against you.
I personally use calorie banking sometimes. During the week I run a slightly larger deficit. On weekends when I'm going out for dinner with friends I eat more. It balances out. I don't feel deprived. I don't undo my progress. And I actually enjoy my life.
Not sure what your maintenance calories are? Calculate yours here Calculate yours here!! (takes 2min only).
Progressive overload, the thing most people skip
Showing up to the gym is not enough.
You need to progressively overload, meaning you consistently increase the weight, reps, or intensity over time. Aim to train at 80 to 90% of your maximum effort or close to muscle failure on your working sets.
That is the signal your body needs to build and protect muscle while you're in a calorie deficit.
No progressive overload means no muscle growth. No muscle growth means a slower metabolism and a much harder fat loss journey. Period.
The non negotiables:
Protein first: hit 1.6 to 2.2g per kg of bodyweight every day. Protein keeps you full, protects your muscle, and costs more calories to digest than carbs or fat.
Strength train: 3 to 4 times per week. Build and protect your muscle while you're in a deficit.
Sleep: poor sleep spikes cortisol, increases hunger hormones, and makes your body hold onto fat. You cannot out-train bad sleep.
Gut health: an inflamed, unhealthy gut affects how you absorb nutrients, how you store fat, and how you feel every single day. Trust me on this one.
Track for 2 to 4 weeks, not forever. Just long enough to understand what you're actually eating. Most people are genuinely shocked.
My golden rule
Learn to love the food you eat.
Don't torture yourself with keto, carnivore, or whatever diet is trending this month. Build a real whole food diet around meals you genuinely enjoy. Prep them in advance. Eat consistently. Adjust the spices and ingredients to keep it interesting.
The fat will come off. It just takes time and it takes showing up every day even when progress feels invisible.
Consistency always wins. Always.
Where are you struggling most with fat loss right now? Hit reply and tell me, I read every single one.
To your strength,
Nabil Bogdan
Online Fitness Coach · Strength & Endurance Specialist · 10+ Years Experience