Summary
Want a body you feel confident in? Give episode 39 a listen, where guest expert, Erin Derrick, discusses how you can alter what you’re eating and how you’re working out to build muscle and lose fat. We move on to discuss how we’ve helped out clients with their goals, as well as how Erin has personally been on this journey over the last year.
Key Takeaways:
- When you eat less, you have less energy and less recoverability
- What a cheat day really is and when to incorporate it in a calorie deficit
- How long you should stay in each phase to achieve the most results
- Why you should track your workouts as well as your food
- How your fitness regimen affects your perception of performance
- Use objective resources to see your progress: measurements, inbody scans, photos, etc
- How season of life determines whether you should cut versus bulk
- The truth behind calories in vs calories out
How long should you stay in a calorie deficit before taking a break?
Most coaches cap it around 8-12 weeks max, often shorter (4-8 weeks). Staying in a deficit indefinitely means your body eventually adapts to eating less and just learns to survive on that amount, which stalls progress and makes everything harder long-term.
What's a "reverse diet" and why would you increase your calories on purpose?
It’s slowly raising your calories (small increments like 50-100 at a time) after a deficit or period of chronic undereating, to rebuild your metabolism up to a new, higher maintenance level. The point is giving your body time to adapt and use the extra food efficiently instead of storing it, so you eventually have more room to work with before your next cut.
Does it matter if my calories come from whole foods versus fast food?
Yes, even at the same calorie total. Whole, minimally processed food tends to be more filling and satisfying in smaller portions (a baked sweet potato vs. sweet potato chips, for example), while processed food is easier to overeat and doesn’t fuel recovery or performance the same way, especially during a deficit when your body already has less energy to work with.
Related Episodes
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Ep. 113 Everything you know about nutrition is wrong with Dee Jackson
Ep. 46 The different types of fasting
Ep. 41 Eat and Train Like a BodyBuilder with Pro BodyBuilder, Dee Jackson
Ep. 43 Anti-diet approach to a healthy lifestyle with Sarah Mlnarik