Presenting fat loss: brought to you by a 90-day calorie deficit

Jordan Syatt is not your average strength and nutrition coach. But that’s the point. I discovered him through his appearance (actually, multiple appearances now) on the Diet Starts Tomorrow podcast, and I was immediately drawn to his refreshingly realistic, relatable and compassionate approach to fitness and nutrition. Plus, he’s super funny!

Jordan is all about helping people build healthy, sustainable habits around food and exercise without restriction, which is really what drew me to him. For at least a few years I contemplated trying a diet like Whole30 or Atkins, but I never could actually bring myself to try one of those. Why? Well, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to stick to it. And I didn’t want to set myself up for failure. 

Enter Jordan’s YouTube documentary “I Ate One Big Mac Every Day for 30 Days and Lost 7lbs (Here’s How).” It changed everything for me and made me believe in exactly what he set out to prove: that anyone can and will lose fat, as long as they eat in a calorie deficit. 

What does it mean to be in a calorie deficit? How do you even determine that? Glad you asked. This video explains it all!

I watched a few more of Jordan’s videos, took notes and did a bit more research so that I’d be fully prepared for what I was diving into. Then on May 2, at 183 lbs, I set out to eat in a calorie deficit of 1,980 calories each day for the next 90 days. My goal weight is 165 lbs. 

*VERY IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER!*

I originally wasn’t going to share those numbers because 1) I was nervous about fat-shaming and 2) I definitely didn’t want someone to compare where they’re at in their journey to where I’m at in mine. Of course, I never want that comparison to happen.

However…

I’m putting it out there because I’m trying to care less about what people think of me. I want to be vulnerable, because oftentimes it helps others know it’s okay to be vulnerable too. And the way I see it, we’re not afraid to reveal our height, right? How about our shoe size? Shirt size? All of these are merely data points, and our weight is no different. True, it’s a more private data point, but when you stop and objectively think about it… I mean, why should it be?

Anyways.

The best part is, I can eat and drink literally ANYTHING I want — carbs, dairy, sugar, gluten, alcohol, you name it — as long as I don’t go over 1,980 calories. While I intend to be 100% consistent, Jordan understands that weddings, birthdays, Taco Tuesdays with chips and margaritas, and nights of takeout will happen. In fact, he expects them to happen and wants people to enjoy those occasions without holding back. Jordan says as long as at least 72 of those 90 days do not exceed your calorie deficit (that’s 80% consistency), you WILL lose fat!

This is what’s happening on the daily to track and reach my goals:

• I’m weighing myself first thing in the morning, after going to the bathroom (gross but true, it makes a big difference LOL)
  
  
• I’m measuring out everything I eat and drink and logging it into my LoseIt! app
  
  
• I’m incorporating lots of fruits and veggies into my meals and snacks
  
  
• I’m aiming for about 125 grams of protein a day (the amount depends on the individual)
  
  
• I’m making sure I’m drinking enough water to stay hydrated
  

Now that might look and sound like a lot, but I promise you it’s honestly not (and you know I would tell you if it was)! If anything, it just takes a little bit of awareness and effort. 

And just so you know…

To keep myself accountable and to let you in on how it’s going, I’ll do my best to keep up with posting on here. Before I sign off today though, I wanted to share this:

I’m doing this for my body, because I love my body and want to take care of it. And I want other women (and men, but especially women) to know that truly prioritizing your health is meant to be celebrated, not ridiculed or criticized. It sounds obvious, but believe me, I see people all the time tearing down others for wanting to eat better, exercise better and get stronger (just look at the Instagram comments and tabloid articles about Adele and Rebel Wilson’s recent weight loss). There’s already so much judgment in this world that shouldn’t be there in the first place, so let’s not add to it!

Thanks so much for reading and following along, I’ll be back soon 🙂