Private and personal thoughts.
Why do I have belly fat? How come I can’t get rid of it? What does this belly fat say about me? Do I take in more than I output? Do I consume more than I produce? Will I ever have the Spider-Man body I dreamed of as a 12-yr-old kid, drawing pictures of Spidey?
Despite how hard and consistently I worked out, I just couldn’t seem to get rid of the fat around my belly. For the last couple of years, certain unhealthy thoughts started queuing in my mind. “Did I miss my window, and am now too old? Am I just genetically doomed to be skinny-fat? Time is running out…”
That last thought haunted me. Time is running out. If I can’t at 35, how can I at 40? And if I wasn’t able to at 40, how am I going to do it at 45? This became an obsession.
For the last couple of years, I’ve been averaging 3-5 workouts a week. Since January, eight workouts a week: four weights, four cardio.
In mid-March, my midsection was no better than when it was when I was working out less. In fact, I found a photo of myself from when I was 26-27, with my shirt off, and I had significantly less fat around my stomach, and I can tell you, I was not working out nearly as much. Yikes. Age is a real thing.
With failure looking at me in the mirror, I had to be honest with myself: am I really doing everything it takes? Like, everything? Like, full-on, 100% my best?
No. There was one thing I wasn’t doing as well as I could…
So, with that thought, I went to Jamaica with my family to an all-inclusive. I smoked weed, drank alcohol, and ate to my heart’s desire. My thinking was: Fuck it. Let’s just eat and fatten up. When I get back, I’m-a-fuck this (regimented approach) up.
March 22, 2025: Check-in photo sent to my trainer. I had gotten plump. 170.5 lbs
I did the thing I needed to do.
April 22: 162.9 lbs. Down a significant amount of fat. Retained muscle.
May 22: 156.3 lbs
June 19: 153.4 lbs. Less fat, more muscle.
See before-and-after body composition photos.
What did I learn? What do I know? What are my thoughts?
Fat is nothing but stored fuel.
Fuel that’s in reserve, unused.
How much do I need to store?
If I were living in the wild, the more the better. But when the next fuel-up is at arm’s reach, in the fridge, perhaps a couple hours away from my next big meal – do I really need to store fuel in reserve? Simply: no.
At rest, I use a certain amount of fuel a day. This is called the resting metabolic rate (RMR). At play, I use more.
Budget
I have a calorie budget.
If I want to lose weight, I eat under my budget.
If I want to maintain weight, I at my budget.
If I want to gain weight, I eat above my budget.
There are simple formulas to determine your calorie budgets (RMR), based on your height, age, and sex. Google it.
For $75-$100 CAD, you can have a DEXA scan, which will give you even more detail and provide measurements of your fat, muscle, and bone.
Once you know your budget, to decrease weight, you simply eat fewer calories.
To cut fat and maintain muscle (and perhaps increase it). This is where the science matters and the measurements count.
- Carbs are not your enemy.
- Protein is non-negotiable.
- Fat is abundant.
Carbs. Protein. Fats.
If you don’t get enough (good) carbs, your energy levels drop. You’ll feel sluggish. You won’t want to work out. That said, not all carbs are the same. Bread is a disaster on your energy levels, whereas steel-cut oats are amazing. It’s worth learning how carbs and sugars affect your blood glucose levels.
Not enough protein in your diet and you’ll lose muscle mass. You simply cannot build muscle without protein and EAAs. Carbs give you energy, and protein builds muscle. Why does muscle matter? Google it. The short of it is: more muscle = higher RMR, better protection around your bones, less likely to have severe injuries, greater vitality, look better, and so much more. As you age, it’s harder to keep muscle. Thus, you need to go out of your way to build, if not maintain.
Fats are abundant in our society. Fats are in our meats, nuts, and are an essential ingredient to cook with, among other things. By going out of your way to avoid fat, you’ll land in the range of an acceptable amount of consumption. And remember, you also have an incredible amount of fat reserves. You can easily dip into that!
With all that said about food, I also eat whatever the fuck I want. Now, I didn’t eat everything all the time. But if I want a pizza, I’ll figure out a way to include it in my daily and weekly macro goals. Additionally, there are many low-calorie, high-protein options. For example, I successfully cut (lost fat) while ending most of my evenings with a big bowl of dessert. How? Halo Top ice cream with chunky protein bar chunks and peanut powder for that extra peanut butter taste. In total, only about 240 calories — and +20 grams of protein! See image below.
You can eat a lot and lose weight.
You can eat very little and gain fat.
What you eat, surprisingly, matters way more than I had ever imagined.
A small bowl of Harvest Crunch cereal is great for you. It’s also about 600 calories and not satiating. It’s a snack, one that spikes your blood sugar and leaves you hungrier and more tired a couple of hours later.
A massive bowl of vegetables, fruit, and chicken breast is also about 600 calories. It’s not a snack, but a meal. It’ll keep you satiated for a long while, while also creating an intense amount of energy.
I love nuts of all kinds. I have a new name for nuts: Crunchy Butter. I had no idea how many fatty calories are packed in a small handful of nuts.
I don’t actually shit out calories and fat, as much as I piss and breathe it out. I’ve gone a couple of days of travel without a bowel movement, but have lost pounds. Thus, action and breathing, water and pissing, are my primary calorie-release mechanisms.
We’re meant to be a little hungry.
We’re not meant to be full, and definitely not often.
In the state of slight hunger, the body vibrates with exhilarating energy. The mind is sharp.
In the state of fullness, the body is sluggish. The mind is cloudy.
