Read this on Healthyandwholeyou.com
Read Time:  12.5 Minutes

Hey friend,

I did something last week I always said I’d never do...

I started running.

I’ve tried it once or twice in the past and absolutely HATED it. But instead of working to get better, I cooked up some limiting beliefs and convinced myself running just wasn’t for me.

I used to say, “I’m flat-footed, so I can’t run long distances.”

Then recently I read a couple of books from guys that run ultra marathons like David Goggin's Can't Hurt Me and Cameron Hanes' Undeniable.

After hearing the way they talked about how much running changed their life, I decided I needed to put my limiting beliefs to the side and give it a try.

Well, I actually think I'm falling in love with it now!

The difference is… I’m not running for weight loss like I was back then.

I’m running for better health. For the challenge. For the mental benefits.

I know now with years of experience and a clearer lens, that running isn’t an effective tool for fat loss, but a lot of folks still don’t know that.

Like I was, they run for the wrong reasons.

Which brings me to today’s Tuesday Deep Dive…

Today, I want to break down the 10 most common tools people use for sustainable weight loss...and how and why to use them properly.

I'll explain each tool, which ones matter most, and which ones aren't so great for fat loss.

Because when you use the right tool, for the right reason, at the right time, that’s when you get the best results.

Let’s get into it. 🤓

10 Tools For Sustainable Weight Loss (And How To Use Them Correctly)

Note: These are not in order of priority, just in order of the best way I can explain them and how they relate to each other. 

Tool #1: The Food You Eat

When it comes to fat loss, the most important thing is creating a consistent calorie deficit in a way that feels sustainable.

That’s why food is priority #1.

We all know how easy it is to undo a whole day’s worth of exercise with just 5 minutes of eating.

Example: Yesterday I ran 2.32 miles in 27 minutes, burning 301 calories in full sun and heat — MAXIMUM EFFORT 💪🏻😂

But a single piece of restaurant pizza? 250–600+ calories. And who eats just one?

So with just ONE piece of pizza I can undo all that work I did in that run!

Here's the proof...

You can’t outrun, outwalk, or outlift a poor diet.

Ironically, as the owner of a 24/7 gym, I’ve seen people bust their butt for years in the gym trying to lose belly fat, never making progress because they never addressed their food.

Put most of your focus here FIRST, because otherwise the rest won't matter. 

Now, let's move on to the next tool which is the second most important. 

Tool #2: Walking + Low-Intensity Movement

The second most effective tool for fat loss is simple: walking.

It surprises people, but it’s true.

Watch the treadmills at Gold’s or Crunch Fitness, you’ll see shredded bodybuilders walking, not running.

Why? Walking burns almost as many calories as high-intensity workouts without spiking appetite or draining recovery. It’s low impact, sustainable, and doable even at 80+ years old.

Plus, walking primarily burns fat for fuel, while high intensity exercise primarily burns carbohydrate for fuel.  

Again, walking wins.  

Your sweet spot: dial in food and hit 8,000 steps per day.

That’s literally the magic combo that will take care of 90% of your weight loss rate, which is why these are the two things we focus on almost entirely with our clients in the first 4 to 6 weeks.

Tool #3: High Intensity Exercise

Running, HIIT, CrossFit, these high heart rate / high intensity forms of exercise are not great for fat loss, but amazing for health, performance, and longevity.

These workouts burn a few more calories, but they also increase appetite, require more sleep and nutrition for recovery, and tax the nervous system.

That’s why I usually recommend saving higher-intensity training for maintenance, when your body can handle more food and recovery.

That said, if you love these and can manage your appetite, go for it! Just use it for the right reasons. 

Do it for better heart health and endurance.

Do it for longevity and performance.

Do it for the mental health benefits.

But don't do it to chase scale drops.

Tool #4: Strength Training

Strength training won’t speed up fat loss much directly, but it’s absolutely essential for preserving muscle and metabolism during a calorie deficit.

Without it, your body will break down more of your muscle along with the fat, slowing metabolism and making it harder to maintain weight long-term.

Plus, if you lose all your muscle tissue you won't look, feel, or function the way you want at your goal weight.  

Losing tons of muscle when losing weight is how people end up with the dreaded skinny fat look instead of the nicely toned look that they actually wanted.

Think of your muscle mass as precious cargo. If your body doesn’t think it needs it, it’ll toss it overboard to stay in a deficit.

More muscle = higher metabolism = more food 🍽️ = better quality of life.

We recommend strength training 3x/week, for 30-minute strength sessions. 10–15 reps per set, 3–4 sets per exercise, 3–4 exercises per muscle group each week. Just enough to send the signal: “Keep this muscle.”

We use our app to help our clients track workouts no matter where they train.  Simple and sustainable.

Frankly, it doesn't matter much to the average person exactly what workout program you are doing or where you are doing it.  

It can be bodyweight only, with dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, machines, bands...it really doesn't matter.  

What matters most is that it is challenging you, aka it's not too easy, and that you are staying consistent with it.  

It's a bonus if you find a form of strength training that you enjoy. 💪🏻

Tool #5: Protein Intake

Preserving muscle also requires eating enough protein.

Without it, you’ll feel tired, hungry, and lose lean mass. One of my clients recently said she’s never felt so satisfied after eating, because she’s eating more protein than ever.

We aim for 35–50% of daily intake from protein. Or about 0.75–1 grams of protein per pound of goal body weight per day.

Most people fall short, especially women, without guidance.

One new client I spoke with was frustrated with the plan her dietitian gave her before joining Healthy & Whole. She was eating only 25% of her calories from protein, and all the food she was eating was really boring.

 No wonder she wasn’t making progress.

Once we bump that up to 40–50%, she’ll feel more full, more energetic, and it will protect her muscle mass during weight loss.

Now let's talk about the next tool which is how we make eating enough protein DOABLE for the average person...

Tool #6: Healthier Processed Foods

Getting enough protein used to mean eating tons of chicken, beef, turkey, pork, fish, or eggs all day.

Now? You’ve got many more fun options.

Whole foods are still the best foundation, but today’s market includes high-protein, low-carb foods that make hitting your goals easier and more enjoyable.

Example: Lewis Keto Hawaiian Bread is over 60% protein and 0 net carbs per slice.

And it's bread! Diabetics can eat foods like this with minimal blood sugar impact.

It is products like this that help clients like David here fully reverse their Type 2 Diabetes and come off of all diabetic medications, all while enjoying their meals.

Here are 3 of my favorite high-protein “fun” foods right now:

1. Real Good Chicken Nuggets or Tenders (about 75% protein per serving)
   
   I cook these in the Ninja Foodie Air Fryer Oven for 22-25 minutes at 350 and they are SUPURB!  I love to toss them in Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce which is 0 calories, or G Hughes Sugar Free Teriyaki Sauce which is only about 5 calories per serving.  
   
   
2. Ghost PB Cereal w/ Kroger Vanilla Fat Free Ultra Filtered Vanilla Milk (about 46% protein when paired together)
   
   
3. Legendary Foods Protein Pastries aka protein poptarts (about 40% protein)
   
   

Of course, I recommend eating lots of whole foods with protein as well, but these make it easier to hit your protein targets, without burning out and feeling like you might turn into a chicken breast.

Tool #7: Optimal Sleep

Sleep won’t increase fat loss directly, it's your calorie deficit that does that.

But good sleep makes EVERYTHING easier.

Poor sleep raises stress, appetite, irritability, and brain fog, while tanking your energy.

So essentially when you're not sleeping well, you are trying to do all these different things right to get results, all while your body and mind feels exhausted.  

And here’s something most people don’t know:

You burn fat all day, but shed the water weight at night when you are sleeping. That’s why the scale often drops in the morning, and why lack of sleep can stall it temporarily (even when fat loss is happening).

It will catch up eventually, but poor sleep can cause what we call false plateaus on the scale causing you to get discouraged and self sabotage, when in reality it was working all along.  

For most people 7-8 hours in bed is a good goal to shoot for.

Frankly, most people would be SHOCKED at how different they would feel if they just went to bed earlier, woke up earlier, and had an effective morning routine to prime them for the day.  

Consistency is extremely helpful here, going to bed at the same time, and waking up at the same time if possible.  

It's not sexy, but boy does it make a massive difference, expecially if doing better in this area forces you to stop doom scrolling for junk dopamine hits every night instead of giving your body what it really needs.  

Better sleep = a better life.

Tool #8: Intermittent Fasting

Fasting isn’t for everyone, but it’s an incredibly useful tool.

At its core, intermittent fasting is just going for a period of time each day where you greatly reduce or limit calorie intake. You have a fasting window and a feeding window.

Most people when they start fasting prefer to skip breakfast and morning snacks just opting for hydration, coffee, and other low calorie drinks until lunch time.  

It's the most simple way to start fasting each day.  

Purists say you can’t have anything during a fast. I think that’s nonsense.

I still put creamer in my coffee and add flavorings to my water that have a few calories and I do great.  Same with our clients.  

What matters is training your body to go without significant amounts of food or calories for a few hours.  

This gives you a TON of flexibility and helps you navigate situations where there are no good food options available, and where you would otherwise feel like you had to eat something "off plan".  

For many like myself, it also makes being in a calorie deficit feel a lot easier.

I prefer fewer, but larger meals, so I skip breakfast and morning snacks and roll those calories into a larger lunch and dinner, and evening snacks. It’s more satisfying for me, and much easier than eating frequent small meals that never fully satisfy me.  

A lot of people think that intermittent fasting flips some magic fat burning switch in your body, but in reality that isn't really the case.  

The real "magic" is the flexibility it can give you to do what really matters, which is to add flexibility and make it feel more enjoyable to stay in a consistent calorie deficit to get the results you want.  

Tool #9: Supplements

I’ve got strong feelings on supplements.

Too many coaches and companies claim their magic pill is the reason behind client transformations.

In reality, it’s always the basics: nutrition, walking, strength training, sleep, protein, etc.

That said, supplements can help fill nutritional gaps created by dieting and food limitations.

Instead of overthinking every vitamin and mineral and trying to eat this food for that nutrient, I recommend these three basics for most people:

1. A quality multi-vitamin
   This covers most of your basic micronutrient needs.
2. Vitamin D3 / K2
   If you check your bloodwork and your Vitamin D3 levels are still low even with a multivitamin, this will help get them back in line.
3. Quality Omega 3 Fish Oil
   Most people these days do not get the omega 3 fatty acids they need through food intake, especially when in a calorie deficit, so a high quality fish oil makes a lot of sense for most people.  

These basics will make sure that your body has what it needs to thrive so you aren't dealing with unnecessary symptoms of low energy, brain fog, or even mental and emotional issues simply because you are low on key nutrients.  

Cover your nutritional bases, but don't get swept up by marketers selling miracles with their supplements.  

Tool #10: Daily Weigh-In's

This one can be triggering, but that’s exactly why it matters.

At Healthy & Whole, we teach clients how to read and understand the scale, not fear it.

Weight fluctuates like the tides. It can stall for weeks even while you're doing everything right. That’s normal.

It's caused by hormonal fluctuations in both men and women in response to the stress of a calorie deficit.  

Women actually have it a little worse if their monthly cycle lines up with these other hormonal fluctations and it can seem like you haven't seen new progress in a month...even though you're burning and losing fat the whole time.  

It's just masked by water retention.

Daily weigh-ins give us a long-term graph. One client, Dan, has dropped 75 lbs in 5 months as of today. His graph? Full of ups and downs, but the trendline keeps dropping.

In maintenance, daily weigh-ins are like driving with your eyes open.

You would never pull out onto the road in your car and shut your eyes, so why would you stop looking at the only piece of data that tells you if you're maintaining well just because you hit your goal weight. 

The goal isn't to just visit your goal weight and regress backward.  It's to stay there for the rest of your life.

Without consistent weigh ins in maintenance, you miss the feedback you need to adjust when necessary, drift off track, and regain weight before you realize it.

Don’t use daily scale readings to judge success or failure. It's the 3-4 week trends that really tell us what is going on.  

Collect the data points every day and zoom out and look at the long term 3 to 4 week trends and use THOSE to decide if you need to move more, eat less, etc.  

Make peace with the data, and it will be one of your strongest allies.   

Remember...sustainable weight loss and lifestyle change is a learning and skill building process.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by all of the tools and all of the things that there are to learn on the way to sustainable results and lifestyle change. 

But all significant things in life require time, repetition, and learning.  

High school is a 4 year journey.  

Undergraduate college...4 year journey.  

Most of life's journeys to becoming capable of something meaningful take anywhere from 1 to 4 years...not 1 to 4 months.  

So, settle in and just start.  

Be patient.  Focus on learning.  And remember that we're here to help if you need it.  

- Matt

When you're ready, here's how I can help:

If you're looking to lose weight sustainably while building a flexible lifestyle that you enjoy, I can help.   Apply for coaching here in the Healthy & Whole Mentorship Program.  

Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.