Ah, Christmas; a time for joy, family, and let’s be honest, more than a few extra servings of puddings and cheese…there’s just so much good stuff around at this time of year! You might be slipping into those leggings again feeling a little more friction than usual, meaning your mind is turning to thoughts of how to lose this weight as quickly as possible…\
The First Rule: Don’t Panic
Weight fluctuations are normal, especially after the a cosy Christmas break. A lot of that extra weight isn’t body fat – it’s water retention from salty snacks, glycogen from carb-heavy meals, and maybe a bit of bloat. For many, simply returning to your regular training and eating patterns will naturally level things out.
If, however, fat loss is a genuine goal, which has been evaluated with the right perspective and the right help, to improve your performance or feel better, here’s how to approach it in a sustainable, athlete-friendly way.
Key Principles for Healthy Fat Loss
1. Maintain a Healthy Relationship with Food
Binge-starve cycles are the enemy of long-term success and performance. Athletes thrive on consistency, not extremes. Think of food as fuel, not a reward or punishment.
- Focus on performance: The goal isn’t to eat less; it’s to eat smarter.
- Avoid food guilt: That festive feast was part of your life, not a mistake.
2. Sustain Your Training Energy
Fat loss shouldn’t come at the expense of your workouts. Sluggish sessions are a sign you’re cutting too much.
- Carbs are still king: Periodise your intake around sessions to fuel hard efforts and make sure you have enough energy on board to get the benefits from your training.
- Protein is your ally: Aim for 1.6-2.2g of protein per kg of body weight daily to maintain muscle.
3. Accept Your Natural Rhythms
For many athletes, post-holiday body fat naturally decreases as training volume and intensity return to pre-season levels. Not every fluctuation requires intervention.
Practical Steps for Athletes Focused on Fat Loss
If focusing on fat loss is really going to benefit you (make sure you’re really making this a considered, mature and balanced decision, not just acting on a short term anxiety…), then you need to have some numbers to experiment with. While we know calorie counting isn’t all that accurate, it’s the place we need to start and it can give us good relativity that we need to utilise when it comes to burning fat effectively.
1. Calculate Your Baseline Energy Needs
Use the following formula to estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE):
- Resting Energy Expenditure (REE): Multiply your body weight in kg by 22 for females or 24 for males.
- Activity Factor: Multiply REE by your activity level (1.4 for light activity, 1.6 for moderate, 1.8 for high training loads).
Example: A 70kg female athlete with moderate activity:
- REE = 70 × 22 = 1540 kcal
- TDEE = 1540 × 1.6 = 2464 kcal
To lose fat, aim for a 10-20% calorie deficit (e.g., 2464 × 0.8 = ~1970 kcal/day).
For most athletes, you will be somewhere around the 1.6-1.8 activity factor once you’re back to your normal training routine. The reason I prefer the activity factor instead of tracking calories burned in exercise, is that as we’ve said above, tracking isn’t all that accurate, it’s the deficit or excess over time that matters. This will be good enough to get you going and start moving the dial where you need to without obsessing over every calorie you think you’ve burned according to your Garmin.
2. Track Without Obsessing
Keep tabs on your intake using apps like MyFitnessPal, but don’t aim for perfection. Think of tracking as a tool, not a ruler to beat yourself with.
3. Prioritise Nutrient Density
Your calories need to work for you, so focus on foods rich in nutrients:
- Lean proteins: Chicken, fish, tofu, eggs.
- Complex carbs: Sweet potatoes, whole grains, oats.
- Healthy fats: Nuts, seeds, avocados.
- Micronutrients: Fruits, vegetables, and colorful salads.
Choosing these foods not only maximises your chances of reaching your nutritional needs for the day, meaning you stay healthy and able to really optimise your benefits in training, but also helps you stay aware of and working with your hunger and fullness much better.
4. Monitor Progress Appropriately
Use performance markers and how you feel during training as primary indicators. Scale weight is just one data point and doesn’t define your success. There’s no point in losing weight if it’s sacrificing you success in sport!
When to Rethink Fat Loss
It’s essential to recognise that not everyone needs to focus on fat loss. If your energy levels are great, your performance is improving, and your health markers are good (think blood work and screening here), there’s no need to fix what isn’t broken. Trust that natural rhythms often take care of post-holiday “weight gain”, relax and re-evaluate in 6-8 weeks time.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple and Sustainable
The best approach to fat loss is the one you can stick with. It’s not about suffering or chasing the lowest number on the scale. It’s about feeling strong, performing well, and maintaining a healthy, sustainable relationship with food and training.
This year, ditch the crash diets and aim for balance. Your body and your performance will thank you.