hack1
/hak/
any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life
fat loss hack1
/hak/
any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that aids the pertinent behaviours that lead to fat loss
This extensive list of ‘fat loss hacks’ aren’t here as a substitute for hard work, patience, perseverance, and following entrenched fat loss principles, of course.
But executing each one will lead to convenience, ease, and simplicity to perform the appropriate behaviours and skills required for fat loss.
You should know by now there are no ‘shortcuts’ when it comes to successfully dropping body fat and building muscle – no, a 28-day juice cleanse won’t lead to sustainable change (we’ve been through this before) – but implementing short, easy-to-use tactics to make things just that little bit easier will change the game.
From training, to nutrition, to mindset, to general health, these quick-fire hacks will bring just a little bit more success to the fat loss process.
1 Use Screen Time on your phone
Shutting down your apps and screen time before you go to bed will not only be great for your mental health but sleep quality as well
2 Use Oddbox
Get a pre-made, reasonably priced box of fruit and veg delivered fresh to your door, taking away the effort of sourcing your own and saving the environment along the way
3 Buy your own barbell clips
Instead of wasting half your session looking for the clips to go on the end of your barbell, buy your own (e.g. Rogue Fitness, York Fitness, Milter, ALLOMN)
4 Pre-portion out chocolate/crisps/other snacks
If you’ve only got half a bar of chocolate to eat or half a packet of crisps in front of you, chances are you’ll probably only consume that much
5 Use high-protein yoghurts
Low-calorie, high-protein yoghurts are easy to store, transport, and consume (e.g., Kvarg, Arla, Skyr, Grahams)
6 Use the app Waterlogged
Fill up a big water bottle (instead of having to refill a glass every time), carry it around with you everywhere you go, and track your consumption
7 Prep your meals for the week
Cooking, prepping, and portioning meals out ahead of time means you don’t have to worry about thinking, measuring, cutting, cooking, and wasting time when motivation is low or you’re lacking time
8 Use whey protein
A quick scoop of whey accompanied with water is the easiest way you’ll get a low-calorie, high-protein hit
9 Use Nudgemail
Send Future You (the lazy one) a pre-written email so he or she will be reminded to track their food, go for a walk, exercise, or complete any other relevant task
10 Set a timer to ensure you eat slowly
Eating slowly keeps you more satiated, allows you to enjoy your food more, and is more beneficial for the digestive system
11 Eat at the dinner table
Eating at the table means you’re focused on eating and only eating, with no distractions such as your phone, the TV, or the relationship problems in that magazine you’re reading
12 Use the app Sleep Cycle
Sleep is just as important for fat loss as anything else, so tracking your current sleep patterns and quality will enable you to make sufficient changes to the time you go to bed, what you do beforehand, and what time you wake up
13 Use a meal prep service
Using a meal prep service will take the stress of planning away from you, as you’ll have calorie and macronutrient-organised meals delivered straight to your door (e.g., Macro Meals, Muscle Food, Balance Box, Gousto)
14 Use roasting bags
Stick your meat, fish, and veg in one of these easy-to-use roasting bags to retain moisture and flavour while keeping your oven clean and prep to a minimum
15 Buy a decent toastie machine
Sandwiches are great and, when done properly, can be a superb easy-to-make, nutritious meal to have
16 Buy a smartwatch
Tracking your step count, heart rate, and exercise will enable you to keep on top of staying active (e.g., FitBit, Apple Watch, LETSCOM, Garmin)
17 Use protein porridge
Look no further than a simple protein porridge sachet if you’re struggling for breakfast ideas (e.g., Quaker Oats, Oomf, Bulk Powders, Fuel 10k)
18 Split your meal into two to make it look like seconds
Trick yourself into believing you’re eating more food when you’re simply spreading the same amount you’d usually have, just over a longer period of time
19 Wash up straight after cooking
A clean kitchen will not only inspire you to make healthier meals next time around but gives you more headspace to make better decisions when in the kitchen environment
20 Use the app Headspace
Spending a few minutes each day with this guided meditation will enable you to relax, reduce stress, and improve your focus
21 Use Wi-Fi food scales
Gain accurate food quantity measurements that automatically sync with a food tracking app on your phone (e.g., FITINDEX)
22 Use a NutriBullet
Any device that speeds up the blending, mixing, and food processing process is worth the investment
23 Pre-enter load and reps into your training log so you’re forced to lift that amount
If you’ve already written down ‘Deadlift, 120kg, 6 reps’, you’ll be more likely to deadlift 120kg for 6 reps
24 Use a blue light filter on your phone
Reducing the glare from your screen (phone or laptop) just before you hit the pillow will save your eyes and improve sleep quality (e.g., F.LUX, Night Shift, Twilight)
25 Read a physical book before bed
Or just read a book period to reduce stress, improve concentration, and enhance sleep quality
26 Use Eat Lean Cheese products
High-protein, low-calorie cheese alternatives
27 Push your first meal back to later in the morning
You’re less likely to snack in the mornings, so by pushing your ‘eating schedule’ back a few hours you’ll be less inclined to succumb to the usual 3/4pm chocolate and crisp craving
28 Use readymade protein shakes
UFIT, Nutramino XL, and Grenade are all tasty options that take the hassle out of creating your own
29 Buy a resistance band
Easy to store, travel, convenient to use, and makes training that little bit more beneficial than jumping around performing 10-minutes of burpees and whatever God-awful exercises your favourite fitness influencer tells you to do
30 Use a slow cooker
Pop your food in the slow cooker before you head to work so you don’t have to worry about getting busy in the kitchen when you come back home and you’re tired, stressed, and just want a takeaway
31 Buy a comfortable pillow
Debilitating neck and shoulder pain often arises from sleeping on a crappy pillow (e.g., Tempurpedic Tempur-Neck Pillow, Brooklinen Down Pillow, SleepEasy EasySleeper pillow)
32 Have a selection of microwave meals ready
No, they’re not always the devil and on the odd occasion can be an easy, convenient way to minimise the number of calories you consume (e.g., Balanced For You, My Goodness!, and Beautifully Balanced)
33 Unfollow people on social media
Gawking at topless photos of men and women is only garnering unrealistic expectations, ruining your self-confidence, and damaging your mental health
34 Have a portfolio of meals you enjoy making and like eating
Create a notes section in your phone detailing recipes you enjoy making and like eating – separate them into ease, number of ingredients required, duration, and enjoyment so you can select an appropriate recipe for any occasion
35 Perform a daily mobility routine
No one likes getting injured, so perform a simple five-minute mobility routine when you wake up or halfway through the day (e.g. RomWod)
36 Use creatine monohydrate
One of the very few well-researched and completely safe supplements out there, creatine will increase strength, muscle mass, and has even been found to improve memory
37 Have a Diet Coke
Or any zero-calorie beverage for that matter, to suppress cravings and increase enjoyment without gulping down a 500-calorie beverage (no you won’t get cancer and die)
38 Don’t train with your phone
When you’re training, training is the only thing you should be doing; a phone will not only distract you but ruin the intensity of your session
39 Listen to music to when training
Some studies have shown listening to music can increase motivation (just make sure it’s not the terrible stuff your gym usually plays)
40 Buy a decent cookbook
Instead of trying to wing a new recipe every night, buy a decent, easy-to-follow cookbook that you can revert to for inspiration at any point
41 Stick a meal planner on your fridge
Having some semblance of a plan for your breakfasts, lunch, and dinner will provide some structure to your week and displaying it for you and the whole family to see every time they pass the fridge will make it more likely you’ll stick to the plan
42 Fill out a gratitude journal every night
Gratitude will improve physical and psychological health, increase mental strength, and boost self-esteem
43 Purchase a good set of cooking knives
A good knife will make the cooking process so much easier and more enjoyable (e.g., Wusthof Classic, Mercer Culinary Genius, F. Dick 1905, Zwilling Pro)
44 Use a Brita Filter
Filtered water will remove impurities and ensure those all-important minerals are retained
45 Use readymade protein bars
Easy, on-the-go, (sometimes) tasty protein bars can be a gamechanger (e.g., Grenade, Quest, MyProtein)
46 Use spray cooking oils
Instead of dousing your food in high-calorie oils (you’re not still using coconut oil, I hope), turn to one-calorie sprays to reduce excess calories
47 Buy blackout curtains
Sleeping completely in darkness will enhance quality by blocking out light from the sun or streetlamps
48 Use implementation intentions
Telling yourself ‘when situation X arises, I will perform response Y’ is effective for sticking to goals and habits (e.g., ‘IF someone offers me a drink, THEN I will always follow it with a zero-calorie beverage’)
49 Buy a good pair of gym shoes
Waltzing around the gym in your Nike high-tops that are probably better suited to a nightclub dance floor isn’t going to help maximise performance (e.g., Nike Metcon, New Balance Minimus, Reebok Nano X)
50 Hire an online fitness and nutrition coach
51 Have a bowl of fruit on the coffee table
Chocolates are out, fruit is in – if something is there in front of you, you’re more likely to eat it
52 Have a clean fridge
Like a clean desk or clean car, a clean fridge will put you in a better headspace to make better decisions without having to navigate cluttered shelves full of packaging, boxes, and jars
53 Buy a decent meal prep bag
If you’ve made meals ahead of time, you’re going to want to transport them as effectively as possible (e.g., FXF, RitFit, Wholesale, Fine Dine)
54 Use a SAD lamp
The light produced from a ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ lamp will increase the production of melatonin and serotonin, increasing energy levels and mood along the way
55 Buy an adjustable kettlebell or dumbbell set
If you’ve got limited space but want a variety of weights to lift with, purchase an adjustable kettlebell or dumbbell set that enables you to change the load with ease without taking up too much room in your house (e.g., Strongology, ISOGYM, Vital Gym)
56 Order your food shopping online
I know you get distracted by the bright lights of fancy packaging and special offers so avoid those temptations by ordering online
57 Use habit stacking
Habit stacking (After/Before [Current Habit], I will [New Habit]) will enable you to pair new habits you want to form with old habits already built into your brain (e.g., Before I boil the kettle, I will perform ten press-ups)
58 Use smaller plates
Smaller plates and crockery give the illusion you’re eating more
59 Buy a good pan
A good pan will save on washing up, dirt, having to buy a new one every few months, and time (e.g., Le Creuset, Cuisinart, Calphalon, Ninja Foodi)
60 Use herbs and spices
Instead of dousing your meals in calorific condiments, take the time to experiment with flavoursome herbs and spices that will save on time and calories
61 Brush your teeth straight after dinner
Minty fresh crisps, popcorn, and snacks don’t taste as good as you’d like to believe
62 Follow the ‘one drink on/one drink off’ method
Every time you have a calorific alcoholic beverage, follow it with a zero-calorie drink to save on calories, to fill you up, and keep your bank balance happy
63 Buy a whiteboard
Physically writing out – and looking at – your goals and upcoming obstacles, and subsequently ticking them off and fashioning plans to overcome them, will work better than simply keeping them in your head
64 Buy some decent gym clothes
The PE top from high school and tracksuit bottoms you picked up from Sports Direct while you were at uni aren’t doing you any favours when it comes to wanting to exercise (e.g., Gymshark, Nike, Universal Standard, Patagonia, Under Armour)
65 Use Tim Ferris’s Index Card method
Each morning, take an index card, write down the two things you absolutely must get done that day (of course, make it related to healthy eating and exercise behaviours) and when you feel stressed or lacking motivation, look at those cards and realign your actions with those tasks
66 Lemon juice that fruit bowl
You know you want to keep a bowl of fruit on the coffee table instead of the Pick ‘n’ Mix, so squirt a little lemon juice on your collection to keep your fruit from browning
67 Make extra for dinner so you’ve got lunch for tomorrow
Lunch ready to go means you won’t be tempted to head to the pub with the rest of the team
68 Use a productivity planner
If you don’t have time to go to the gym, you probably just need to improve your productivity (e.g., Intelligent Change, Papier, MiGoals 2021)
69 Look up the restaurant menu beforehand
No one likes the person who always says ‘omg, just come back to me, I’m so flustered I don’t know what I’m having’; pre-plan what you’ll have so a) you’re not that person and b) you can still enjoy eating out while planning for any calorie or macronutrient targets you’ve set
70 Save useful information on Instagram or Twitter
Come across an absolute health and fitness-related gem on Instagram and then can’t for the life of you remember where you found it? Save or bookmark those posts as soon as you read them so you can revisit them at any time
71 Pop a 1.25kg plate underneath your barbell to strip your plates
Instead of spending half your session looking like a drunk elephant trying to wiggle the plates of your barbell, elevate them onto a small 1.25kg plate and slide them off with ease
72 Get a good coffee subscription
Instead of wasting time and calories picking up the latest pineapple-infused cinnamon-based gingerbread latte Christmas edition from Starbucks, pick up a coffee subscription and take a pre-made cup into work instead (e.g., Grind, Uncommon Coffee, Caravan Coffee, Square Mile)
73 Buy a decent egg poacher
Everyone who knows me knows this is to my life what your smartphone is to yours
74 Video yourself performing an exercise
Trust me, you don’t look as elegant performing those walking lunges as you think you do; take the time to master your technique by looking back at how you complete each exercise
75 Buy my book
76 Track your food and habits for the following day the night before
Stop trying to wing it on the day and have a plan in place – structure breeds freedom after all (e.g., MyFitnessPal, MyMacros+, Nourishly, Fresh Tri)
77 Close the kitchen
As soon as you’ve finished dinner and cleared everything away, you’re now going to ‘close the kitchen’ – it’s off-limits like a closed restaurant, not for a cup of tea, a quick peek in the fridge, a small tiny teensy-weensy biscuit, or a glass of water
78 Cycle your carbs
There’s nothing magical about using this technique, but allowing yourself more carbs on a ‘training day’ may boost motivation, increase adherence, and improve your relationship with food
79 Start the weekend with the same breakfast as you would during the week
Weekends are when people tend to veer completely off course so, by starting the weekend with exactly the same decision you’d make during the week, you’ll be more inclined to follow suit for the rest of the day
80 Put your fork down between bites
Similar to timing yourself when eating, consuming food slower and savouring each mouthful will ensure you become fuller quicker whilst enjoying your meal more
81 Use towels for home workouts
No equipment? Use towels for battle rope replacements, makeshift TRX straps, and an opportunity to practice isometric holds
82 Use eccentrics for bodyweight exercises
If you can’t perform chin-ups, press-ups, or dips, simply focus on the eccentric portion of the movement (the lowering phase) to gain strength, movement quality, and muscle growth, without performing crappy reps that make you look like you’re humping the floor
83 Use a microwave
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with sticking a pre-made pack of rice or a piece of salmon in the microwave – it saves time, mental capacity, and occasionally money
84 Use the app Fabulous: Self-Care
‘Self-care’ is the latest buzzword to traverse the health and fitness industry but using this app’s holistic approach to focusing on you, will work wonders for motivation and health
85 Use the app Drinkaware
Alcoholic calories are the devil when it comes to sustained and straightforward fat loss; this app will provide you with details about different beverages along with your drinking patterns and spending habits
86 Use photos and measurements to check progress
While the scales can be an indicator of progress, they aren’t the be-all and end-all; use photos and measurements instead to gain a more visual understanding of whether you’re dropping body fat and/or building muscle
87 Use zero-calorie syrups
If you want to sweeten up your meals without indulging in unwanted calories, use zero-calorie syrups (e.g., The Skinny Food Co, Waldens Farms, The Protein Works, MyProtein)
88 Leave your gym clothes out the night before
Instead of wasting valuable time – and self-control – searching for something to throw on to train, have everything laid out beforehand ready to go
89 Fill your bowls and utensils up with washing up liquid straight away
Those extra licks and bites all count – if they’re already soaking in the sink you’re not going to be tempted
90 Add your whey protein to your yoghurt or porridge
If you can’t stomach downing another shake, sprinkle your whey protein on your yoghurt or porridge
91 Buy a decent gym bag
If you’re still using Sainsbury’s plastic bags to cart your water bottle and gym plan around with you, I’d strongly suggest purchasing a bigger, better, nicer-looking gym bag
92 Steal fruit from the breakfast bar while on holiday
Yes, be that person who sneaks as much into their pockets from the breakfast buffet while on holiday – it’s better to snack on fruit than ordering four cocktails, a round of nuts, and another large bag of crisps isn’t it?
93 Wake up using a sunrise lamp
The sound of an alarm will undoubtedly put in you a bad mood before you’ve begun, so let light wake you naturally (e.g., Philips Sunrise Lamp, Lumie Bodyclock, Spekii Sleep, Amara)
94 Use Yumi Melatonin Gummies
An easy way to supplement with melatonin to aid sleep
95 Ask to ‘hop in’ with someone if they’re using the piece of equipment you want
Asking politely if you can ‘jump in’ with someone usually results in a positive response (unless, of course, they’re a grade-A douche, which I’ve been known to meet on more than one occasion)
96 Pay for your petrol at the pump
Paying by your car means you’re not tempted to succumb to the temptations of those crisps, chocolates, and biscuits they conveniently place next to the till
97 Use ‘lite/light’ options
Yes, using a calorie-reduced alternative can be a lifesaver (just don’t make an infographic of it and put it on Instagram)
98 Stockpile some ‘emergency meals’
Having a few go-to meals ready in the freezer for when you’re tired or the kids have run riot in the house again, will ensure you’re able to stay on track without having to worry about cooking from scratch
99 Use the smith machine as a coat rack
This is definitely a joke but I’m tired and couldn’t think of any more hacks and if you made it to the end of the list you definitely deserve to laugh
How To Win At Fat Loss
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