THE ULTIMATE FAT LOSS GUIDE | skinny fat, calorie deficit, tips & tricks

Hey everybody! Today I’m bringing you the ultimate fat loss guide. We’ll discuss the current recommendations for body fat, what body fat is, and then my top tips as a coach regarding fat loss. Enjoy :)
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#fatloss #weightloss #skinnyfat

[@emilyymarie90]

You're filling a natacha oceane shaped hole in my heart 🫶

[@JustinaErcole]

awww what a lovely compliment!

[@Amyjwashere]

can I get an amen! That’s why I follow coaches like you bc while you try and break the cycle of body shaming and stigma (towards both fat and skinny people) you give valuable information. We are improving as a society but we still need to do better. ❤

[@JustinaErcole]

AMEN!

[@kimu.6227]

Sleep: hormones, yes. But also, I make better decisions in all areas of life when I am rested. It’s easier to be in tune with stress, triggers, and the desire to snack. Why do I want a snack? Am I hungry or am I stressed? Am I just bored? Am I just thirsty and I should drink some water? When I’m tired, I have a harder time recognizing and questioning why I feel the way I feel.

[@JustinaErcole]

Yesss 100%

[@moonfelled]

Early engagement! Now to actually watch it :) Edit to add great video, solid info as always. People often get frustrated when I use the word "guesstimate" with TDEE calculators and fitness watches and such, but I remind them that at least it gives them a place to start and that's very useful.

[@JustinaErcole]

Thank you for watching!!

[@avany6552]

i've often been frustrated by the inaccuracy of the online calculators, so I get it. That's solid advice to try for a week and see how you feel, people sometimes just want a one size fits all aproach and anything to do with the human body, will need ajustment, my relashionship with food and weight loss change a lot for the better once I understood that. Thanks again for the great video Justina

[@hals999]

This is needed in a saturated market of people screaming at us to do this not this and don't do that do this! You laid out the facts.

[@jackielin3152]

I just want to say that you have helped me so much in healing the part of me that used to work out strictly for aesthetics. I have no problem with people who do it either but for me it was a toxic mindset to be in and i love being able to listen to what my body needs now instead of constantly pushing it to extremes. always love the content you put out!

[@reagyeggy207]

I really appreciate your content. You have a very logical approach to fitness that is really lacking from a lot of fitness content. As a young woman I feel constantly pressured to be my thinnest self and I am always worried about gaining body fat. I need to work on these deep rooted beliefs I hold, and it really resonates with me when you say we should separate aesthetics from health. Thank you for always making such informative videos!

[@JustinaErcole]

You’re so welcome!

[@nataliekunkel4136]

Love this! Your videos help me feel better about myself when I get discouraged from some water weight gain or my arms looking bigger from lifting heavier weights.

[@JustinaErcole]

I'm so glad!

[@goiurillanos]

One thing that I think it's important to remind everyone when starting a fat loss process is that scales that calculate body fat % and BMI are highly flawed and folks who weight train will likely not see realistic numbers that would give a real idea of their body composition. For example, I'm 1.61 cm and I weigh 63 kg. I've been weight training for 3 years and I can see some ab and shoulder definition and my quads are quite big (thank you genes!). However, my scale says that my body fat is 32% and my BMI is 24.8, just 0.2 away from overweight. What I'd recommend if anyone wants to track progress is taking pictures and feeling the way clothes fit. They give a totally different read on the whole process.

[@JustinaErcole]

Yesss great advice!

[@victorialim1480]

Glad I watched this before I made the commitment to buy a fitness watch/tracker - was debating getting one to track my step/calorie expenditure count but really appreciated your advice on the inaccuracies and trying to be more attune to your own body and it’s needs!

[@victorialim1480]

Thanks for sharing the calculator - will definitely be using it as a guide!

[@LUVBUG24K]

Praying you get millions of subscribers asap! You’re amazing!

[@JustinaErcole]

aw thank you!

[@ellajaymass]

great video as always!

[@JustinaErcole]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@amberc9053]

All of these are such great tips!

[@JustinaErcole]

Glad you like them!

[@75JayLady]

Great video, I love my weekly education sessions!!

[@JustinaErcole]

Great to hear!

[@joloshawn]

i totally agree with the thoight of calorie tracking being an impermanent tool. learning bodily hunger cues, and normal ways to measure foods is the way to go for the long term. also its crazy how messed up the womens side of fitness is, coming from a males perspective. the fixation on skinniness and sport reducing fst and finding so many ways to hate your body, its really upsetting my heart goes out to all of you. 24.7.6

[@pegasus2516]

I can always count on you for a great video 🎉

[@JustinaErcole]

thanks so much!

[@cjsfunbun]

Great video again!

[@JustinaErcole]

glad you enjoyed!

[@annescholten9313]

Interesting, realistic info, thanks Justina.😊

[@JustinaErcole]

My pleasure!

[@bhavikashah7065]

I've been stuck in a plateau for weeks. Looking forward to making some changes and kickstart my fat loss journey!

[@JustinaErcole]

You got this!

[@books_and_ki]

I love the hand method!

[@JustinaErcole]

Me too!

[@SelfAbridged]

Another thing that makes me sad about the skinny-fat trend is that I'm seeing it pop up in feeds that seem to predominantly target young *men.* In those cases, both of the words are pejoratives - guys aren't "supposed to be" skinny OR fat, and a lot of teenaged boys are falling victim to body dysmorphia and PED use. This was not the gender equality I was hoping for. :|

[@jessicakoneful4795]

Great video!

[@JustinaErcole]

Thanks!

[@kierstenborkert7717]

this is perfect timing for me, was just about to do a deep dive on your channel for fat loss tips! wondering how to transition out of a caloric deficit/fat loss training program once you've lost the weight though?

[@JustinaErcole]

slowly add back in your calories over a few weeks to work back up into maintenance!

[@jlh5310]

Really needed this motivation and information… thank you. I’m at my heaviest weight thanks to being in a wheelchair post surgery for 2 months. I’m uncomfortable now that I’m starting to move again. There’s only so far I can walk without pain while I’m healing - (about .75 mile). I definitely have always relied on exercise to keep my bodyweight down, because I enjoy snacking too much. 😂 So, forcing myself to not snack is not fun, but it’s empowering to make the decision to have will power and not eat more than I need. The “baby steps” comment was also perfect because post knee surgery, baby steps is all I can do physically… why not take that advice for everything else?! 😊

[@JustinaErcole]

You got this friend!!!

[@christey123]

Genuine question here! If you lose the fat you want by calorie deficit, does that calorie deficit now become your maintenance? How do you know how many calories to consume for maintenance once you reach your goal?

[@JustinaErcole]

No your deficit shouldn’t become your maintenance. If it does, you’ve probably been in your deficit too long. And you figure out maintenance the same way you figure out your deficit! Trial and error :)

[@joyyboyy1]

Great video ❤

[@JustinaErcole]

Thank you!

[@Diana-qp2rw]

I hate the term “skinny fat”. It’s usually used for people with a completely normal, healthy body fat percentage that is just on the higher side of the range. Yes, some (or most) of them would benefit from building some more muscle mass, but they don’t need to lose fat to be healthy if they already have a healthy body fat percentage. It’s mostly an aesthetic thing, and while it’s okay to have a preferred look for your own body (I definitely do), I don’t like how it’s implied that you need to lose as much fat as possible. No, you don’t, your most important goal should be to have a healthy body.

[@nat4465]

There’s a medical term to it I believe it’s called sarcopenic obesity. She also explains here why it’s unhealthy to have high amounts of fat and low muscle mass. 7:50 If they have good muscle mass and not excess fat then they wouldn’t be considered skinny fat. For someone who falls under “skinny fat” if the aesthetic part gets them to start to make a change and build muscle and get rid of the excess fat, why not?

[@liapetrozziello6695]

Thank you!

[@JustinaErcole]

You're welcome!

[@WittyKitten]

This couldn't have come at a better time! I used to be a fit gym girl for 3-4 yrs, fell off track the past year due to school. I got back to regular gym sessions a month ago, along with calorie deficit, to lose the 20 lbs I gained. Currently doing push/pull/2x legs split and cardio 3x a week, but I haven't lost any weight! Super discouraging, any advice would be appreciated!!

[@JustinaErcole]

Hey! If you haven't lost any weight in a month, you may not be in a deficit. I'd get a little more strict with tracking (if you're not already) and reassess. But I also recommend using a few different methods of tracking progress. For example: how your clothes fit, energy levels, sleep quality, etc.

[@KatieStAmand]

The one thing I’d add about calories expended through exercise is that if you’re basing your calorie deficit on your BMR, you should adjust up a few hundred calories if you’re engaging in moderate to vigorous regular exercise :)

[@jasdawn5]

If a person exercises for 1 hour everyday, wouldn't you essentially be eating back your exercise calories? This seems like a blanket statement that would depend on a lot of factors, specifically individual metabolism, length of workout, strength training vs cardio, etc.

[@JustinaErcole]

That can work for some people, but I don’t typically recommend relying on eating back exercise calories. I have people pay attention to their hunger levels instead. I find it sets them up better in the long term!

[@sarahmilner8483]

I genuinely think we live in an age that has NEVER been so accepting about ANY body type. Sometimes even to the extreme to be honest. I don't see any body shaming going on. Go back 10 or 20 years and compare what it was like then!

[@JustinaErcole]

Absolutely! But there's still way more progress to be made :)

[@sarahmilner8483]

@@JustinaErcole I guess you see a lot more than I do too😁

[@gloRia-gv4eg]

I just discovered your channel today and I wonder why the damn KZbin algorithm didn't let me get to know you sooner😣 Anyway I'm trying to catch up on the videos but just wanted to tell you that this was the channel I needed, quindi a bug big grazie!!!

[@JustinaErcole]

better late than never! so happy to have you here :)

[@brandym2099]

Can you recommend a natural way to sweetened coffee. This is where I struggle I have to have my coffee but I add a lot of creamer and sugar. What is a healthier way I can make my coffee

[@oedalis]

I don't keep sugar around and use a stevia/erythritol substitute called Truvia. There are also sweetneners that use monk fruit.

[@usernameclayful]

my friend started out by adding less sugar until just cream was okay and then reducing the cream until she was used to black coffee

[@JustinaErcole]

Hey! What do you mean by natural? I use monk fruit syrup sometimes in iced coffee, but not sure if that fits your needs.

[@brandym2099]

@@JustinaErcoleyea that’s what I meant like a natural sugar alternative without the weird aftertaste like with most sweeteners. Thanks everyone for the suggestions

[@Pink_Torch]

For the algorithm ✨️

[@JustinaErcole]

Thank youuuuu!

[@emilyng2523]

Hi Julia, thank you for all the info in this video. I wanted to ask if there is research on minorities as well in regards to body fat. Are there any differences, do dofferent races lose fat differently or is it the same? Etc. but seriously thanks for this vid!

[@darkroots64]

❤

[@frankquinn6872]

If only this was the standard advice on social media then we would all be a lot better off / happier 👍 (“skinny fat” = “bad person” is too often the message unfortunately). Also, a Big Mac in 3 minutes? I would have 2 and a half minutes left over at that rate 😂

[@JustinaErcole]

Hahahahaha

[@oedalis]

fat = bad person ftfy Regardless of size, society vilifies fat.

[@sherryg1838]

I agree with you, skinny fat has always seemed to me like a passive aggressive way to put someone down. Regarding step counts, are step counters accurate? I have a cheaper one from Amazon, and it and my iPhone don’t seem to match my steps when I test them. But better than nothing I suppose!

[@Diana-qp2rw]

I think iPhone is less accurate, at least that’s what I noticed comparing it to my Apple Watch. It’s not attached as closely to your body and can’t measure everything as perfectly. My Apple Watch does a pretty good job, I tested it while counting steps. It’s not always perfect, but it’s pretty accurate with steps and I don’t think a few dozen or even two or three hundred more or less matter.

[@sherryg1838]

@@Diana-qp2rw That’s what I thought, plus it’s inconvenient to carry a phone everywhere. I also think my stride is shorter than the standard measurement. But I didn’t want to spend the money on an Apple watch or Fitbit. I guess I can use the clip on step counter and just adjust for the inaccuracy.

[@JustinaErcole]

They’re getting more accurate as the technology advances, but I always think of it as an estimate :)

[@gloriam9443]

The problem with strength training for fat loss is that I’ve gained a lot of muscle but the fat is still there so now I feel like I look uglier and bulkier. I want to see what I look like WITHOUT that fat and then keep building muscle from there. And that’s where I’m stuck

[@JustinaErcole]

Hey! That’s why I recommend focusing on your nutrition for fat loss. Strength training has a host of benefits, but it’s not a large enough calorie expenditure for most people.

[@user-bd4td3ih5d]

Can you do a video on Bloom products?????

[@JustinaErcole]

I did one on greens powders last year that included Bloom!

[@JazzySaint]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@Blindfold-Me]

If you have coach recommendations I’d love to hear. Been in the fitness game a long time but can’t seem to get it together

[@JustinaErcole]

I’d love to recommend some people! Shoot me an email with more info on what you’re looking for (goals, training style, etc)

[@Amy-jj8gy]

It’s not just you. 🍔 😂

[@user-iq7yf9jh3p]

Kinda off topic. I have a fitbit. I am addicted to numbers when it comes to steps. I do weight training 4 days a week 2 upper 2 lower I do the treadmill twice a week upper body days I do 30 minutes and my two lower body days I do 20 minutes plus I make sure I get 10000 steps a day and it's became obsessive where I have to get at least 6000 by 7am before work. It's insane and if I don't I want around my house is so stupid and I'm trying so hard to lose weight and still struggling. I'm so stressed and not getting proper sleep at all. Is it even necessary to have a watch like that or should I get rid of it and listen to my body..Forgot to ask I've been doing this weight training split forever what's your thoughts on full body. I want to work on my glutes and slim my thighs and tighten up my arms but also lose some of the muscle in my arms any tips

[@JustinaErcole]

Hey! So first of all, if you’re feeling obsessive about the numbers then it may be helpful to ditch the watch for a bit. It sounds like it’s affecting your sleep and stress, which are incredibly important parts of your health. In regards to your goals: Work on your glutes: I’m not sure if you mean strength or grow (two different things), but you’ll want to make sure to hit them 2-3x per week. Doing this in a full body session is totally fine. Slim my thighs: unfortunately you can’t spot reduce fat, so this comes down to your genetics. Lose muscle in arms: stop training upper body. BUT, I never ever recommend this because functionally you’ll have issues down the line (lifting your kids, putting your suitcase overhead, etc), and you’ll be way more prone to breaks as you age.

[@user-iq7yf9jh3p]

@JustinaErcole I'm looking to grow my glutes and I do carry more fat in my lower body. Is one day full upper body enough to maintain/ lean upper body but not build. And what about cardio

[@JustinaErcole]

@@user-iq7yf9jh3p One upper body day is enough to maintain as long as your volume is sufficient. And in regards to cardio, the current minimum recommendation is 150 min of moderate activity per week. Some of that will overlap with your strength work too. Is there something specific with cardio you have in mind as a goal?

[@user-iq7yf9jh3p]

​@JustinaErcole i just worry if I don't do any cardio or my 10k steps I'll gain weight to be honest. So I rewound just want to figure how much cardio would be good.

[@JustinaErcole]

@@user-iq7yf9jh3p Unfortunately the only way to figure that out is through trial and error. Sorry I'm not more help!

[@jasdawn5]

Is 2 weeks really enough to see if you are in a deficit, given that the average healthy weight loss is only 1 to 2 pounds per week (depending on the deficit) and body weight naturally fluctuates daily by a few pounds?

[@oedalis]

While bodyweight fluctuates daily, if you are always weighing yourself around the same time under the same conditions (before breakfast or after dinner), you can use that number to track a trend of weight gain or loss. At the end of two weeks, that's definitely enough time to notice a distinct trend or pattern pointing to weight gain or weight loss. Then you just adjust your calories and keep tracking.

[@usernameclayful]

if you menstrate, consider where you are in your cycle. I gain a lot of weight in bloat just before my period

[@JustinaErcole]

Great question! It depends on how much you have to lose (larger bodies tend to drop more weight quickly), but I would also recommend having other ways to measure progress. Sleep, energy, how your clothes fit, etc.

[@MissHallikeri]

I have African body fat

[@williamehlers5158]

I ate two donuts while watching this. 🙈

[@JustinaErcole]

I’m jealous!

[@luciboop51]

Let's just say healthier 😅

[@fuzzycatbutts]

As opposed to...?

[@JustinaErcole]

Yes!

[@katemiller8428]

“Woman with traditional reproductive anatomy”. What does that mean? Thanks

[@JustinaErcole]

It means women born with a uterus, ovaries, cervix, fallopian tubes, and a vagina. If you’re missing any of those, your body could potentially function differently or store fat differently.

[@bbappzz98]

There’s an easy phrase for that - cis women

[@katemiller8428]

@@JustinaErcole Interesting, I didn’t know that. Thanks

[@JustinaErcole]

Actually not necessarily. I’m a cis woman but don’t have traditional female reproductive organs.

[@girlypopgay]

I’ve been hearing skinny fat, and I don’t like it.

[@girlypopgay]

I worked out, ate a 1000 less calories. After two I weeks I started GAINING. I was weighing myself everyday. I don’t recommend. So then I just didn’t do anything for two weeks. And suddenly. I’m down ten pounds. Like. Idk. Fuck scales.

[@oedalis]

Did you take your rest days? 😂

[@girlypopgay]

@@oedalis …maybe not…

[@JustSheilz]

Great video!

[@JustinaErcole]

Thanks!