What should you eat and how should you train when you’re trying to lose weight? Sometimes, as a Lifetime Athlete, you may be wishing to tune up your body composition a bit.
Immediately, there are two critical considerations we must observe. In these types of pursuits, every Lifetime Athlete needs to lose the fat and keep the muscle. Too many weight loss programs gone wrong result in a modest fat loss but significant decrements in lean body mass.
A popular term related to that last point is “skinny fat.” This can happen when diet and training are not optimally applied. A person can look relatively lean, particularly when clothed, but has unfortunately kept roughly the same outward appearance by losing muscle and bone density while keeping or even gaining adipose tissue. My experience is that this is most common in rather severe dieters who don’t exercise. Folks who starve themselves over long periods of time with excessive caloric deficits and poor nutrient density. The situation ultimately results in a dysregulated metabolism and a decline in health and functionality.
We’re not getting into any of that malarkey today. We’re going to focus on body composition optimization in Lifetime Athletes. Diet and training each have two main keys when it comes to fat loss in the Lifetime Athlete. With diet we need not just adequate but optimal nutrition as well as a modest (yet perhaps undulating) caloric deficit. In training, we require a stimulus to maintain muscle and preserve overall fitness.
We don’t really look at training as a way to burn a lot of calories. Even though that happens in extreme cases, we’re viewing training as the conditioning tool that it is. We actually keep our metabolism idling all day with ample amounts of general daily activity (GDA) in addition to our exercise behaviors.
There’s a sweet spot (unique to each individual) with diet and training as well. Eat in excess and you won’t see progress. But restricting calories too much (and too fast) equals bad things (skinnyfatosis) happening. Train too lightly, and you won’t retain muscle. But hammer hard and you risk driving yourself into the abyss of overtraining, injury, and hormonal imbalances.
As scary as all that may sound, it’s actually pretty easy to find and hover near those sweet spots. If we combine a reasonably good diet consisting of mostly whole and very little processed foods with a training program that is sensible and intelligently designed, most people can easily lose a few pounds of body fat (or more in some cases) per month.
Discipline, dedication, and consistency. You hear these words often in the context of today’s discussion. Forming good habits and making processes sustainable and enjoyable (or at least tolerable). All this stuff matters and there are many approaches to the successful fat loss outcome. But if we get back to the nuts and bolts of diet (or nutritional programming) and training (or purposeful exercise), there are 4 different combinations in a 2 x 2 distribution that we’ll discuss.
Within the concept of food, we use the Earth-Based Diet in our Lean4LIFE course, available in the Lifetime Athlete App. We’ll make the assumption that you’re doing that or something similar. As far as training goes, let’s also assume it either emphasizes or at least includes resistance training (the critical muscle retention tool) while staying in the absorbable or recoverable level of workload.
Now, if we break things down further, you can either go Low Fat/High Carb, or High Fat/Low Carb in your diet. Protein must always be ideal, and there’s no compromise on shooting for approximately 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass per day. That alone is a shocker for many who balk like hell at the suggestion, only to be amazed at the results when they finally acquiesce and give their body the protein it needs. Not only does protein build and repair our tissue, it contributes significantly to satiety and appetite control. As long as we dance around that caloric deficit…either of those aforementioned energetic combinations can work. You’ll notice I didn’t give a specific number or percentage of calories below basal metabolic rate plus activity expenditure. I’m not trying to be super specific today.
In training, you can go with a low intensity/high volume model that employs a lot of cardio (aerobic endurance) work yet still retains a baseline level of resistance and agility training. Or you could pick a high intensity/moderate volume model which emphasizes resistance and sprint training with some easy cardio as a secondary or recovery tool. We can simplify further by calling the first training program Endurance and the second one Resistance and Sprint. I’m intentionally avoiding a lot of middle ground interval and conditioning work in this model for three reasons. First, I want to compare dichotomous methods of training. Second, “conditioning grind” style workouts have not been shown to be as effective as the other examples when fat loss is the target. Third and finally, most people gravitate toward one end or the other of this polarized distribution.
Let’s break down the conditions a little further. Our low fat/high carb diet is not a completely fat-free diet. Nor are we setting a carb target as a percentage of total calories. We’re just saying that you are biasing dietary carbs as your primary energy source. Conversely, the high fat/low carb diet (in our example today) is not a ketogenic or carnivore approach in which we go super high on fat and practically eliminate all carbs. We’re just leveraging “fat for fuel” as the primary metabolic mechanism yet still consuming some carbs. However, I’m also not saying that this is 100 grams of carbs per day give or take. The loose definition of a low carb diet in this case is that it is secondary to fat consumption and the exact carb level will be different based on body size and training volume. We probably don’t need to get lost in the nuances of carbohydrate dependency, fat adaptation, or metabolic flexibility. You either eat more carbs or more fat. Pick one.
The endurance training condition for our discussion is one in which the majority of training is low-intensity aerobic exercise (any mode) performed at Zone 1 and 2. This is prioritized and thus comes first in the workout, and the resistance/agility work is tacked on to the end. The main point here is that intensity is low. We’re talking about building the aerobic base and intentionally avoiding doing much of any work in the upper zones. High volume is relative to the individual, as a beginner might be doing 2 hours per week and an advanced trainee 10+.
And if we clarify the resistance and sprint methodology, we’re talking about brief, intense bouts (reps, sets, etc.) of output such as lifting weights and short, explosive efforts on the bike, track, field, pool or various machines. This requires a progressive warmup and activation period that will include agility work. We’ll make cardio an accessory or cooldown application in this arbitrary designation.
Thus, we’ve created 4 unique conditions. They are obvious from the buildup but just for the sake of it, picture a 2 x 2 table. Each cell has one of the 4 possible combinations in it.
| HIGH CARB/ENDURANCE | LOW CARB/ENDURANCE |
| HIGH CARB/RESISTANCE & SPRINT | LOW CARB/RESISTANCE & SPRINT |
Now let’s get ready to compare and discuss the 4 pairings of diet and exercise. Before we get there I just need to point out one important principle. And that is METABOLIC MULTI-TASKING. That is the situation when we are asking our metabolism to prioritize more than one thing at a time. The big distinction here is between performance and body composition. It’s best to just pick one and get comfortable with the idea that it’s the one main thing upon which you need to focus. And for now, in this example, we are going after fat loss. Firstest and mostest. It’s ineffective and potentially frustrating to try to get your best possible results in fat loss and performance at exactly the same time. Almost all pro athletes go up and down throughout the year, experiencing fluctuations in body weight and performance capability. It’s the proven seasonal approach. No reason we Lifetime Athletes shouldn’t follow suit. Avoid the temptation to metabolically multi-task.
Oh, one more thing. I’ve worked in human performance for over 4 decades, engaging with thousands of people on health, fitness, and athletic objectives. When I reflectively focus, there’s been between 750 and 800 clients who have used these training and diet combinations in pursuit of their goals. In the early days (the 80’s and 90’s) most folks, probably due to media influence, preferred higher carb approaches. That’s swung a bit lately. Same goes for endurance training. Most people just gravitated towards the low slow cardio mojo trend and societal messaging was the driver. Now I’m glad to see more people embracing explosive training.
As I describe each of the 4 approaches to weight loss for the athlete, I’ll offer a few pros and cons for each condition. Just remember, any of these options can work. If the caloric deficit is managed well, and the training maintains adequate capacity…success will occur. Honestly, it comes down to the model you believe in. That’s the one you’ll choose. Trying to sell you on something you’re not inclined towards and dragging you kicking and screaming somewhere else…is a fool’s errand. Most people hate change. Can’t and won’t do it. I’m just reporting. Don’t shoot the messenger.
High Carb/Endurance: This approach aids recovery because you have somewhat ample carbs available for refueling and glycogen resynthesis. You’ll experience a relatively high readiness to train without too many flat periods. Just keep in mind you’re not actually trying to smash workouts in this fat loss phase. The downside with this method is that you really need to track calories and macros. You can’t guess. Low intensity endurance training is great for the cardiorespiratory system but in excess it has its downsides. First, it does not produce strong metabolic signaling for muscle retention. Second, it tends to enhance appetite. You have to watch out for “carb creep.” This happens when you forget you’re trying to lose weight and start thinking you need more carbs (more than you actually do) to support all that training. Tracking and portion control are essential. You also benefit from heart rate monitoring and ensuring that you stay under that second ventilatory threshold (sometimes significantly) during your workouts. And make sure you don’t bike or run so much that you’re too tired or out of time when it comes to doing your resistance and agility work.
Low Carb/Endurance: This combination is perhaps the absolute best at developing your aerobic base, or time to onset of fatigue/exhaustion. That’s because it facilitates the aerobic metabolism’s preference to oxidize fat (dietary as well as body fat) for energy. You can essentially make yourself bonk-proof. You’ll probably need more sodium in your diet due to some hormonal changes that increase excretion by the kidneys. Absolute weight loss has been shown to be greatest and most sustainable with this method. But (you knew this was coming), you have to be careful that you’re actually eating enough. Because this diet tends to suppress appetite, you may find yourself just not being hungry and not bothering to eat on occasion. This will seem ironic because you are eating relatively more fat, but the combination of fat and protein will generally suppress your appetite for long periods. This is useful when you have a lot of body fat to lose, but as you get closer to your goal weight or percent body fat, you may need to cycle some more carbs and calories back in so that you don’t start losing muscle mass.
High Carb/Resistance & Sprint: In this condition, you are going to feel powerful with all-around fitness. It is also perhaps the most sustainable approach to a diet/training combo over the long (ish) term. You’re less likely to get into major nutrient deficiencies or overtraining syndromes. As long as you watch the volume in training. Whereas with the endurance work we said don’t raise intensity, here you can depress the “how hard” lever, but you need to be careful not to crank the “how much” dial. Intensity at low to moderate levels is one hell of a vitality injection but in high doses it’s kryptonite. Remember, we’re targeting body comp so don’t confuse this with a peak training phase in athletic preparation. Because you’re getting adequate carbs, your muscles will feel full. This is due to intramuscular glycogen and water storage.
Low Carb/Resistance & Sprint: When you utilize these parameters, you generally get the best body composition outcomes. As in, keeping muscle and dropping fat. That should be no surprise because it’s what bodybuilders have known for many decades. It’s the cutting phase. You’re giving the body very specific stimuli. Keep the muscle, lose the fat. Problem is, this is perhaps the least sustainable method. If you take this too far, you’ll begin to feel flat. Low energy. Maybe not decreased absolute power production, but certainly impaired repeatability. In other words, you can go hard once. But not 5 times. That’s because high output training and competition is highly glycolytic and your levels of jet fuel are suboptimal on this diet.
Now that we’ve described the options in our 2 x 2, let’s discuss how some simple modifications can make any of these models less extreme and thus sustainable for the long term. The examples I provided look like great 3-6 month exposures, we can ease out of any of these conditions and make them our personal baselines. The secret is just to give yourself what you’re not getting, at least for a while. Perhaps in subtle fashion. Your genetics, lifestyle and biases (yes, oh yes) will steer you towards one model as “your way.” You simply adjust it to ebb and flow like the natural world. In this manner we can dance away from a strict body composition focus and orient more towards performance as we restore balance in the diet and training program.
If you’re a carb-focused endurance dawg, back off the volume and treat yourself to a little intensity work. Maybe even reverse the order (power first, cardio second) in some of your sessions. Trade some carbs for fats to make sure your essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamin levels are good.
A fat-fueled endurance critter will benefit from a bump in carbs and calories on occasion. Whether that’s one or two days a week or it’s a block of several months. Watch the scales. Your weight will bounce up a few pounds, but that’s just water and glycogen in most cases. As long as you don’t go whole hawg. You’ll definitely have a better appetite for strength training and you should invest accordingly.
A carb-loving speed cat might need to trim calories and carbs just a little because this combo probably facilitates weight loss the least. Depends on the results you are getting. Trading a tad of heavy loading work for some easy cardio can give the body a break as well.
A power bear on a low carb approach might start getting hangry a little too often. Feed the beast. Just do it sensibly. Make training a bit more restorative and mobility-oriented.
As you can see, the possibilities are practically unlimited when we are personalizing our dietary and training habits. We find the method that fits best for weight management, and we build into it the components that are most important for our specific performance goals. Alternate between tuning body composition (which aids health and performance) and going after big fitness or athletic outcomes. Use a long term view. See the horizon.
We have an immense array of resources available in The Lifetime Athlete App which can help you to design your ideal program. And personal coaching services are available as well. Sign up if you need assistance with your diet and training. It’s fun to figure out the right path and get killer results.