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We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

This Coach Shares 10 Do's and Don'ts That Actually Keep Fat Loss Off Forever

One coach gets real about losing fat and keeping it off.

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Do you want to burn fat and keep it off? Riva Siggins is an online coach who “loves food and movement.” She regularly shares tips on the best ways to burn fat and build muscle with her hundreds of thousands of followers. In a few new posts, she goes over the do’s and don’ts for sustaining fat loss. “It’s been over 5 months since I was in a deficit, yet I’m feeling the best I have and have been able to navigate out of a deficit whilst still maintaining the results I achieved, so I wanted to share some tips to help you maintain the results you achieve in a fat loss phase,” she writes. She also notes that “you shouldn’t be in and out of deficits all year round, it’s simply not healthy or optimal for your body.”


Do Reverse Diet

Her first tip? She suggests reverse dieting. “Work out your new maintenance calories and then reverse out of your fat loss phase properly,” she says in her post, “up to your new maintenance.

Do Increase Food, But Only the Healthy Kind

Next, eat more, but don't eat unhealthy food. “As your food increases, don’t just add in lots of processed foods and foods high in saturated fats (these are fine in moderation, but try and prioritize more whole foods, complex carbs, lean protein, and healthy fats,” she says. “These will leave you feeling fuller for longer, and you’ll likely find you feel super hungry for the first few weeks coming out of a deficit.”

RELATED: Woman Lost 125 Pounds After Making These 10 Simple Changes

Do Maintain Exercise

Also, don’t stop moving. “Still keep a good baseline of movement in; don’t just stop going out for walks or doing any cardio. These things are good for your overall health and also help increase your NEAT and daily output,” she suggests.

Do Keep Prioritizing Protein

“Keep prioritizing protein,” she says. She adds protein powder to her oats every morning, “which means I’m starting my day with over 30g protein,” she says. She also prioritizes lean protein sources like chicken breast, white fish, and 5% fat beef mince. “It’s the most filling macronutrient and the building block of new muscle,” she says, “and coming out of a deficit and into a maintenance phase means you’ll be in an optimal place to build some new muscle.”

Don’t Skip Meals

In another post, she goes over 6 things she had to stop doing – even when she was trying to drop fat fast. The first no-no is skipping meals. “This is just going to increase hunger and make it harder to stick to a deficit. Prioritize 3-4 meals a day for stable energy levels across the day,” she recommends.

RELATED: Coach Lost 56 Pounds With These 5 Supplements and 6 High-Protein Meals

Don’t Label Foods as Good or Bad

Next, don’t label foods as good or bad. “All foods serve a purpose,” she says, explaining that “you want the large proportion of your daily calories to come from high-quality foods where you get more nutritional benefits and volume, e.g., complex carbs, lean protein, and healthy fats.” However, “that doesn’t mean you can’t have processed foods and sweet foods in moderation” and “you’re not a bad person for eating a chocolate bar, and if you fit these foods into your deficit calories, you’ll still drop weight.”

Don’t Only Do Cardio

Don’t rely on only cardio. “To drop body fat, you need to be in a deficit, but you want to try to retain as much muscle as possible,” she says. “If you just do cardio, you’ll lose a lot of muscle, and it’s not necessary. I always recommend proper resistance training and then having a weekly step and cardio goal to help increase daily output.”

Don’t Copy Influencers Calories

What works for someone else probably won’t work for you. “Copying other influencers' calories” is another no-no. “Everyone is unique, and the calories you should be eating will depend on your individual factors, e.g., height, weight, age, gender, activity level, and the goals you want to achieve,” she says.

RELATED:8 Tips to Make Losing Weight Feel Effortless, From Proven Experts

Don’t Train Every Day

Training every day is also not something she recommends. “Rest and recovery is just as important as sticking to your calories and training. If you’re overtraining, you risk injury burnout and will feel constantly fatigued,” she points out.

Don’t Neglect Carbs

Neglecting carbs is another big mistake. “Carbs do not make you gain weight. Eating in a surplus does,” she says. “Carbs should actually take up the biggest proportion of your daily calories even when your goal is fat as they are our bodies preferred energy source and complex carbs like brown rice, pasta, oats, and potatoes take a long time for your body to break down so will give you energy for a longer period of time.” And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

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Riva Siggins rivafitness
Coach Reveals the 5 Basics of Weight Loss
Copyright rivafitness/Instagram
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Are you trying to lose weight? Keep it simple, says an expert. Riva Siggins is an online coach who “loves food and movement.” She regularly shares tips on the best ways to burn fat and build muscle with her hundreds of thousands of followers. In a recent post she shares “5 simple tips” to burn fat and lose weight. “These tips may sound simple, but often, fat loss is overly complicated. Nail the basics, and you’ll get results,” she says.

Make Protein Your “Best Friend”

Her first tip is to )make protein your best friend. “Not only will it help you retain more muscle as you lose body fat which will contribute to a leaner physique but it is also the most filling macronutrient so will be sticking to a deficit easier,” she said. “Utilise lean protein sources as well such as chicken breast, beef mince, turkey means and white fish.”

RELATED:30 Best Protein Foods That Melt Fat Almost Instantly

Get Enough Sleep

Next, “stop underestimating how important sleep is,” she writes. “Lack of sleep can increase hunger as your hormones ghrelin and leptin which send signals to your brain telling you when you’re hungry/satiated don’t work as efficiently when you’re sleep deprived and this can result in your feeling hungrier, food focus being higher and more cravings which can make sticking to a deficit a LOT harder.”

Do Cardio Plus Weight Training

Next, she recommends prioritizing weight training while utilizing cardio “as a tool instead of solely doing cardio,” she says. “Weight training will help you maintain more muscle so as you drop body fat you won’t just get smaller and flatter, you’ll maintain shape and have a lean, strong looking physique. Cardio can be utilized to help increase your output but if you just do cardio you’ll lose a lot of muscle which you don’t want.”

Eat Whole Foods

When it comes to diet, prioritize whole foods. “200 calories of potatoes is going to give you a lot more volume compared to 200 calories or chocolate, include the foods you enjoy in moderation of course as this’ll help you stick to it but if you’re sensible with your food selection you’re going to feel like you’re eating a lot and by prioritizing food sources such as complex carbs, lean protein and fruit/veg you will be left feeling fuller for longer too,” she says.

Take Things One Day at a Time

Tip five is to take things one day at a time. “If you go over your calories or have a day where you fall off track so what? Just pick yourself up a go day, it isn’t about perfection every day it’s about consistency over time,” she writes.

RELATED:10-Min Walking Workout Burns Fat at Home, Says Coach

Dial in Your Nutrition

In another post, she offers more tips. One thing she did was dial into her nutrition more than ever. “Around 90% of my calories come from whole foods and I feel so energised, I’m able to push harder in my sessions because I’m fuelling correctly, I’m not having energy dips throughout and I’m recovering well,” she says.

She Started Drinking Less Alcohol

She also started drinking less alcohol. “For the last few years I’ve not been a big drinker but even more so recently, I don’t know when I’ll drink again because I can have such a good time socially without it so I’ll only drink alcohol if I feel it will enhance the experience and there’s very few times I feel like that nowadays,” she writes.

EMOMs and AMRAPs

She also changed her training approach. While “the foundation of my training stays the same eg my strength work as progressive overload is key but I have different conditioning finishers each week from EMOMs and AMRAPs to threshold sessions and timed rounds, this is to test my aerobic and anaerobic capacity in different ways,” she says.

RELATED:17 Pre-Meal Foods That Burn Fat Like Ozempic, According to an Expert

Prioritizing Herself

“I am prioritizing me more than ever before,” she continues. “I’m not afraid to say no to plans if I need time to rest, I’m not worried about people thinking I’m boring or saying yes to things to be a people pleaser. I’ve found a perfect balance with training hard, recharging and doing things that make me feel good in my spare time so I’m not burnt out or constantly feeling tired.”

Water

She also says that water has “become an absolute non-negotiable” in her plan. “4l of water a day,” she says. “I need to perform and recover my best.” And if you enjoyed this article, don't missthese 8 High-Protein Foods with Nearly Zero Calories That Melt Fat.

Emma Storey Gordon esgfitness
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Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Are you trying to lose weight but can't seem to sift through all the fat loss facts versus myths? Emma Storey Gordon is a fat loss coach and social media influencer who helps her clients lose fat and keep it off. In a new social media post, she pops the lid on a few weight loss myths circulating on the web. “3 fat loss myths that will help you lose fat,” she writes. “There are a lot of myths around fat loss & many of them stick around because they do work. Just not for the reasons being claimed,” she explains.

Starvation Mode

The first myth is the starvation mode. “This is the idea that you can eat too little to lose weight. On a physiological level, this isn’t true…if it was, then no one would starve,” she writes. “But on a behavioral level, this can certainly be true in the sense that setting your calories too low inevitably ends in you overeating and/or giving up and thus not adhering to a calorie deficit long term. If people believe in starvation mode, then they will often eat more, adhere to the diet, and get better results.”

RELATED:10-Min Walking Workout Burns Fat at Home, Says Coach

You Aren’t Losing Weight Because You’re Building Muscle

Myth two is that you aren’t losing weight because you’re building muscle. ”The truth is that although some fat loss can be masked on the scale by muscle building, if you are losing a significant amount of fat you will lose weight (long term),” she writes. ”This is because your rate of fat loss is going to be faster than your rate of muscle gain. Even if your fat loss is pretty slow! e.g you are certainly not going to be building 0.5lbs of muscle every week (sorry, this information is painful for me too) This myth is useful as it stops people freaking out about the scales!!!”

You Shouldn’t Eat After 6 PM

The third and final myth? You shouldn’t eat after 6 p.m. “Food has the same caloric value before and after 6 pm,” she says. “However, the evening is also the time that most people go off track with their diet. So having a rule of not eating after 6 p.m. will likely help you stick to your diet and avoid mindless eating in front of the TV.”

And, to Reduce Calories Without Tracking, Don’t Drink Your Calories

In another post, she reveals 6 ways to reduce your calories without tracking. ”You don’t NEED to track calories to lose weight. Here are some quick and easy wins,” she says. The first? “Reduce liquid calories from drinks - that means milky/fancy coffees, fizzy drinks, ALCOHOL.”

Swap Out Your Starch

She also recommends swapping out carbs. “Swap half your starchy carb portion for salad or veg - This will save you calories without dropping food volume,” she writes.

Swap Sauces for Spice

Don’t fall victim to high-calorie sauces. “Swap sauces for spices,” she suggests. “No need to have bland food but mayo/ketchup/sweet chilli sauce can add a shed load of calories toy our meals if you aren’t careful,” she writes.

Eat Slower

Don’t eat so fast! “Eat slower,” she advises. “Maybe use chop sticks or have water with each meal and remove distractions!”

Cook Your Own Food

Eating out usually results in consuming more calories. “Prepare your own meals” at home, she recommends. “That way you know what is in them.”

RELATED:30 Best Protein Foods That Melt Fat Almost Instantly

Cook with Spray Cooking Oils

“Cook with spray cooking oils” is her last tip. “Oil is 100% fat and is so easy to over consume, using 1 cal cooking spray can easily save you 100 odd calories. You can easily create a big enough deficit to start losing fat by making these swaps.”

lois hughey coaching
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Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Are you overcomplicating weight loss, stunting your results? Lois Hughey is a weight loss warrior and coach who lost 15 pounds and kept it off. Now, she makes it her mission to help women over 50 “simplify nutrition and fitness” and regularly offers tips for sustainable fat loss in menopause on her social media feeds. In a new post, she reveals that fat burning and muscle building don’t have to be complicated. “I wish more women over 50 understood that losing fat and building muscle is as simple as these 3 things,” she says. “There is a lot of noise around what to do and what not to do in mid-life, but these 3 simple things will make a huge difference,” she adds.

Spend Less Time Doing Cardio, and More Time Building Muscle

Her first truth is you need to spend less time doing cardio and more time building muscle. “You don’t have to stop doing cardio, but it’s not helping you build muscle… and neither is yoga or pilates. You have to lift some heavy things. Even if it scares you. The body you want has muscle on it,” she writes.

Building Muscle Will Help You Burn Fat While You Are Doing Nothing

“Perimenopause is a season of rapid muscle loss if you aren’t doing something to maintain and build it. Women with muscle live longer and reduce their risk of heart disease,” she continues. “I’ll say it again and again… muscle is metabolically active. If you want to burn fat lying on the couch, start building some muscle.”

Stop Under Eating

Next, stop under eating. “You can’t keep eating less and less. Your body is smart and will eventually just learn how to use less energy, which is going to make fat loss really hard. Eat enough food for YOUR body. This is going to be specific to YOU, so be careful about anyone who tells you that all women need to eat more than 2,000 calories,” she says.

Under Eating Will Not Serve Your Fat Loss Goals

“Most women in their 50s who have been dieting their whole lives are going to struggle with 2000 calories unless they are very active. But your maintenance calories are almost certainly higher than you think they are. Under eating is not serving your fat loss goals,” she continues.

Don’t Be Afraid of Carbs

Her third tip? Don’t be afraid of carbs.”Not all carbs are created equal, so be smart about the ones you choose. Whole food carbs have the benefit of fiber, which you definitely need, so look for whole grains, fruit, and both starchy and non-starchy veggies. If your goal is to calm cortisol, have more energy, and get your metabolism working the way you want it to, you need some carbs!” she writes. “Obviously not a comprehensive list, and a (strategic) calorie deficit is needed for fat loss.”

Extend Your Time Line

“The bonus piece is always to extend your time line,” she adds at the end of the post. “If you have been chronically dieting or moving your calories all over the place for decades, you need to be willing to give yourself at least a year of consistent action before you even consider a calorie deficit.” And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss 40 Health Symptoms That Can Be More Serious Than You Think.

Dillon Swinney builtbydillonn
I'm a Coach and These 10 Fruits Will Help You Burn Body Fat
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Are you trying to blast belly fat? It might be time to infuse some new habits into your routine. Dillon Swinney is an online fitness coach who helps his clients burn fat and build lean muscle, eating foods they love. In a new post, he reveals the habits that helped him blast belly fat more quickly. “These 10 things were crucial and really helped my progress with losing belly fat,” he writes in the post.

Cutting Out Alcohol

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Putting down the bottle and cutting out alcohol was instrumental in Dillon’s fat loss – and not just because of the calories in booze. “This was a game-changer. Reducing alcohol intake helped my body recover and shed fat faster,” he writes.

Stick to a Plan

His next healthy habit was sticking to a plan. “I stayed committed, even when it got tough. Pushing through the hardest part—those first two weeks—made all the difference,” he writes.

Prioritizing Sleep

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Prioritizing sleep was also key. “Getting 7-8 hours a night helped my body recover and kept my metabolism running smoothly,” he says. According to the Sleep Foundation, getting enough z’s is a mood booster, promotes heart health, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function, restores your immune system, helps relieve stress, and aids in weight loss.

RELATED:30 Best Protein Foods That Melt Fat Almost Instantly

Walking

Person walking to Freedom ConceptShutterstock

“Walking instead of doing intense cardio” was also surprisingly helpful. “I kept it simple by walking regularly. It was easy on my body and helped burn fat consistently,” he says. Going for a daily walk can be a game changer, especially at a brisk speed. One study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that walking at a brisk pace for about 30 minutes a day reduced the risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia, and death, compared with walking a similar number of steps but at a slower pace.

Patience and Consistency

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Habit five is “staying patient and consistent,” he says. “Results take time, and consistency was key. I stayed focused even when progress seemed slow.”

RELATED:8 High-Protein Foods with Nearly Zero Calories That Melt Fat

Following the 80/20 Rule

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Dillon makes sure to eat healthy most of the time, focusing on an 80/20 approach. “I didn’t deprive myself. I made sure 80% of my meals were healthy, and allowed myself flexibility in the remaining 20%,” he says.

Decreasing Inflammation

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He also prioritized decreasing inflammation, especially regarding nutrition. “I focused on eating anti-inflammatory foods that helped reduce bloating and belly fat,” he writes.

He Found a Plan

Woman,Making,Meal,Plan,In,Kitchen,fridge,cooking​Meal PlanningShutterstock

There should be no winging it, Dillon says. “I found a plan that worked – Instead of feeling lost, having a structured plan to follow kept me on track,” he writes.

RELATED:12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster

Hydration

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He also prioritized hydration by drinking more water. “Staying hydrated helped with digestion and energy, which fueled my workouts,” he says. According to the Mayo Clinic, hydration is essential for various reasons. Water helps eliminate waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature regular, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues.

Food Tracking

Healthy diet. Male hands holding a smartphone and keeping track of the calories of his food with a fitness appTrick 2: Strategic Food Tracking for SuccessShutterstock

His last belly fat-blasting habit? “Tracking my food,” he writes. “Keeping track of what I ate made me more mindful and helped me stay on top of my goals.” And if you enjoyed this article, don't missI’m a Nutritionist and Here Are 25 Weight Loss Truths You Need to Hear.

Mahtab Ekay fitbymahtab
I Lost 20 Pounds as a Coach and Here Are My 6 Secrets to Losing Weight Fast and Not Gaining It Back
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Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Do you want to lose weight fast without gaining it all back? According to one expert, it’s possible if you have the right tools. Mahtab Ekay is a fat loss coach and social media influencer who has lost over 20 pounds and helps others do the same. She reveals a few game-changing hacks for sustaining weight loss in a new post. “If you want to lose weight safely by summer 2025 and not gain it all back, here are 6 things you need to do,” she writes.

Start Every Meal with Veggies

Her first tip? Start every meal with veggies. “I know, I know—veggies first isn’t the most exciting, but trust me, it works! 🥦 Starting with veggies fills you up with fiber and nutrients and it will help with preventing glucose spikes and your tendency to binge later,” she says. Some tasty veggie ideas: green salad, edamame, baby carrots, or bell peppers. “Your future self will thank you!)”

Stop Snacking

Her second tip: Stop snacking. “If you’re craving something sweet, save it for dessert after your meal. 🍫 Snacking on an empty stomach can mess with your blood sugar and lead to overeating later,” she writes.

RELATED:5 Walking Techniques That Burn More Fat Than Running

Walk It Out

You also need to start walking. “Walking is a game-changer for fat loss, and there are so many easy ways to add steps,” she says. Her suggestions? Walk your dog, play with your kids, get a walking pad for your desk, go on walking dates or hangouts, or walk while you chat on the phone.

Lift Weight

“Start lifting weights,” she continues. “Not just to burn calories—but to build muscle! The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Plus, you’ll look toned and feel stronger!”

RELATED:The Only 4 Exercises You Need for Total-Body Fitness

Hydrate

Tip five, “hydrate, hydrate, hydrate,” she says. “Drink half your body weight in pounds in ounces of water. Staying hydrated keeps you full, helps with digestion, and supports your energy levels. Pro tip: grab a cute water bottle to keep you on track!”

Sleep

Finally, get your sleep in. “Aim for 50 hours of sleep per week. If your schedule doesn’t allow 7 hours per night (shift workers, I see you!), just focus on getting enough over the week. 💤 Sleep is a game-changer for fat loss and mental clarity,” she writes. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Denise Hamdan denisehamdan
I Lost 30 Pounds While Eating These High-Protein Foods
Copyright denisehamdan/TikTok
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Denise Hamdan (@denisehamdan) is a food and fitness influencer on TikTok who regularly shares her tricks and tips on weight loss with her 71,000 followers. Hamdan lost a whopping 30 pounds by following a healthy diet and exercising. In a recent clip, she reveals her diet. “Hey y'all, here's everything I ate in one day to stay lean as someone who lost 30 pounds,” she says, revealing that she eats 1829 calories and 147 g of protein per day. Body Network’s Resident RDN, The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies, also weighs in.

Breakfast

“I started my morning with my breakfast cocktail of oxygen and creatine. I just added the products to my showcase. So go check them out. I have my cocktail with Greek yogurt with strawberries and blueberries and a drizzle of granola,” she says. The total calories equal 157 and 14 g protein.

Lunch

“I'm in this phase where I eat nearly the same thing every day, and that's been scrambled eggs with cheese and spinach and some turkey bacon on the side,” she says about her lunch. “And honestly, I'm not complaining because it hits every time. Her total calories are 562 and 52 g protein.

Green Smoothie

Sometimes she will have a smoothie instead. “I made a cute little green smoothie and it was a little messy, but it was good regardless,” she says.

Pre-Workout Snack

“Later, for a pre-workout snack, I made some cute little tuna crackers with the green onion and bell pepper,” she says about the snack totaling 430 calories and 28 g protein.

OxyShred and Pre-Workout

“Then I got to the gym and made my OxyShred and pre-workout combo before hitting cardio and abs,” she continued. “It had me sweating.”

Protein Bar

“Right after my workout I had my favorite dark chocolate pretzel protein bar,” she continued.

Dinner

“And finally for dinner I made this super easy teriyaki chicken bowl over brown rice,” she said, adding that the 560 calorie and 52 gram protein meal is “so delicious and the macros forward are amazing.”

Dessert

“Lastly, for dessert, I had some chocolate 'cause I cannot end the day without a little sweet treat,” she said about the 120 calorie sweet treat.

RDN Weighs in

tara collingwoodI'm a Nutritionist and These 9 High-Protein Snacks Keep My Clients Full While Losing 50 Pounds

Copyright Tara Collingwood

“1800-1900 calories seems like a good amount for her, but I don’t know her exact age, height, weight, or exercise level,” says Collingwood. “147 grams of protein is probably more than she needs, but it is not dangerously high.”

Try Eating More Vegetables, Expert Says

“I see a little bit of fruit on the yogurt and a tiny bit of spinach in eggs and peppers in tuna but overall not much veggie intake (green smoothie was green powder and not real whole veggies) which is proven with only 16 grams of fiber for her overall day,” Collingwood continues. “I would recommend increasing veggies to aim for 25 grams of fiber each day.” She also likes how often she is eating with the meals and snacks in between. “I do worry about the OxyShred. I couldn’t find on their website anywhere exactly how much caffeine is in it and having it later in the day could definitely impact sleep since caffeine has a 5 hour half-life,” she points out.

💪🔥Body Booster: How much protein should you consume per day? Aim for 0.8 to one gram per pound of bodyweight. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week

Sophie van Oostenbrugg gainsbybrains
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Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Do you want to get your glutes sculpted for summer? Sophie van Oostenbrugg is a fitness trainer and the founder of the Gains with Brains app. She regularly shares workouts with her 2.4 million Instagram followers on how to burn fat and build muscle. “I grew up hearing that women should be as small as possible. That’s why I loved being able to share my bulking journey on social. I’ve done 2 bulks so far.. and I was thinking about starting and sharing a 3rd one,” she wrote in a recent post. She also revealed her “medium leg day” workout, which will help you tone up fast.

She Does Multiple Leg Days a Week

“I have good news today..it’s a medium leg day!!!🫣🤭sooo I split my leg workouts & currently have lighter, medium and heavier days. this helps me with recovery, train through a variety of rep ranges and make it more enjoyable,” she explains in the post.

She Does 8 to 12 Reps of Each Exercise

In the video she explains that she has “multiple leg days per week.” She goes onto reveal all of the exercises she does with “rep ranges from 8 to 12.”

RDLS

“I started with RDLs, four sets of eight,” Sophie reveals. To do Romanian deadlifts, start with both legs pressed evenly on the floor. “Slightly bend knees while bending over,” says The Body Network’s Resident RDN, The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian. “Keep your arms pointing down toward the floor and lower with you almost touching the floor. Keep hips and shoulders square facing forward throughout the exercise. Return to standing.” She suggests repeating 10 to 12 times with the right leg and repeating on the left side. “Progression includes holding a weight in the arm pointing toward the floor,” she adds.

Sumo Squat with Kettlebell

“Then I moved on to a sumo squat with kettlebell. You know the deal, form over everything, so go slow and control the weight,” she says. Sumo squats are similar to regular squats, only you point your toes outward.

Glute Bridges

“Then I did glute bridges,” Sophie continues. You can do glute bridges with or without weights.

Cable Step Up

Next up? Cable step ups, using an exercise block. “These are great as they help with balance and therefore they're easier to overload,” she says.

Seated Leg Curl

She sits down at a machine. “Then I did a seated leg curl,” she says.

Core Exercise

“I finished with some core exercises,” Sophie concludes. “I want to get my core as strong as humanly possible so I can keep recording more intense ab workouts.”

💪🔥Body Booster: Try splitting up your workouts into light, medium, and intense days to allow your body ample time needed to recover.

Joyy Maria joyymaria
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Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

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Do you want to accelerate your weight loss? Go on a hot girl walk. Joy Maria (@therealjoyymaria/video) is a weight loss influencer and mother who lost 70 pounds in less than 11 months. One of her secret weight loss weapons? “Hot girl walks,” she reveals in a video. “Walking is a thousand percent, the most underrated way to lose weight,” she adds, “and one of my favorite things to do is walk.” Here is everything you need to know about how she lost weight, including some great walking tips.

She Recommends Walking After a Workout to “Cool Down

“I love walking after training because it's low impact, and my trainer's pretty intense. So it's just kind of like my cool down. I can listen to podcasts, I can answer emails, I can talk on the phone, scroll on TikTok, whatever. So get to walking, sis,” she says.

Calorie Deficit

In another video she details “exactly” how she went from 230 pounds to 160 pounds in 10 to 11 months. “If somebody is telling you that you can lose weight without being in a calorie deficit run because they're lying,” she continues, calling it “the most important step” to losing weight. “I know you guys have heard the saying, you cannot outrun a bad diet, and it's so true. Google, TDEE calculator. From there, put in your information. I'm gonna tell you exactly how many calories you need to eat. I ate about 1600 to 1800 calories daily, just depending on my activity level for the day. If I did two workouts that day, I would eat closer to 1800. If I had a more sedentary day, I would eat closer to 1500 to 1600.”

Meal Plan

Next she recommends a meal plan. “I have a seven day meal plan available at the top of my profile. It just makes it really easy when you're going to a grocery shop, when you're first starting out, when things are structured, it's gonna make it a lot easier to follow and just to stay consistent, not skipping breakfast, especially if we're exercising.”

Here Is What She Eats in a Day

Her favorite breakfast is “avocado toast on sourdough bread, one hard boiled egg,” which she seasons, adding truffle hot sauce, two pieces of bacon, and one piece of sausage. “High protein, good, healthy fat, and a healthy balance of carbs,” she says. “This can also be a breakfast or a lunch because it is super filling.” Another favorite is yogurt bowls made with Dannon Light and Fit Greek yogurt with granola blackberries and blueberries. She also likes tunacado sandwiches with sourdough bread, cheese, tomato, avocado, and pesto basil spread. For dinner she might have a small bowl of Turkey chili.

Hydration

She also drinks “a ton” of water, “like a gallon of water a day,” she says. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that men should drink about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day and women about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids. Why is hydration so important? Water helps get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues, according to Mayo Clinic.

Working Out

Working out is the “second most important part,” she says. “I was taking group classes when it first started. They were high intensity bootcamp. From there, I got a trainer at the same gym. I also work out on my own. If the gym intimidates you, I strongly recommend you guys try some group fitness classes. They're a really great way to hold yourself accountable because you're in a group setting and the people around you can motivate you,” she adds. “I incorporated Pilates about nine to 10 months into my fitness journey, and I wish I would've done it sooner.”

💪🔥Body Booster: If you are working out but not seeing the weight loss results you desire, add walking to your routine every day.