The 3 secrets to eating more food to get leaner
Read this on Dango.co One of the biggest lies about weight loss is that you must eat less to lose weight. While no one is above the laws of thermodynamics, we have a different philosophy in our private coaching practice: To lose weight you must learn how to eat more. Something you may not know about me is that I struggled with my weight throughout childhood into my 20's. I tried every diet under the sun, from drinking protein shakes all day to fasting to flexible dieting, until one day, I found a fitness mentor who told me something that blew my mind, "Dan, all the stuff you're doing works, but only in the short term. If you want to lose weight you must learn the art of eating more." It sounded absurd but I was willing to try anything. He taught me 3 keys to eating more while losing weight:
I applied these 3 principles, and after a few weeks, I noticed changes. I felt more energetic, my clothes fit better, and the scale showed progress. After 16 weeks of following these strategies, I got into my leanest shape ever: Eating more to weigh less wasn't just some fad; it was a revelation. I realized that the solution to a problem is sometimes hidden in the most unexpected places. In this article, I'll discuss the 3 pillars I used to eat more to get leaner. The 3 Secrets to Eating More and Getting Lean#1 - VolumizationAlright, here's the deal. We've been conditioned to think that losing weight means eating less, right? Starve yourself, suffer, rinse, wash, and repeat. I'm here to tell you that's hogwash. Enter volumizing your food. An example would be comparing yogurt-covered raisins to Greek yogurt and fruits: As you can see from the image, you have a similar amount of calories, but it's obvious that the yogurt and grapes will leave you feeling more satisfied. Volumizing emphasizes the consumption of low-calorie, high-volume foods that are high in water and fiber. The main idea is to enhance one's feelings of fullness and satiety while minimizing calorie intake. Imagine your stomach as a gas tank: If you fill up the tank with junk (aka cheap gas), you will burn through the tank and damage your engine in the long term. But if you fill it up with nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods (aka premium gas), guess what? You’ll be full, satisfied, and not constantly craving junk. The best ways to volumize your food:
Foods that contain the most volume:
Adding volume to your foods is great and should be used with every meal, but eating more to get lean would not be complete without the next pillar: #2 - TEF aka. The Thermic Effect of FoodThe thermic effect of food is a hidden gem in the world of weight loss no one talks about. Something you have to understand about the body is that it uses calories to digest what you eat. Some foods take less calories to burn while others take more. This is all to say that NOT all foods were created equal. There is a thermic effect to each food you eat. Proteins, in particular, are the rockstars of TEF. They demand a lot of energy to break down with 20-30% of their calories going into digestion alone. Compare that to fats, which only use up about 0-3%, and carbs, which use around 5-10%. By loading up on protein, you’re making your body work harder and burning more calories even when you’re not doing anything. This is why we place a massive emphasis on a high-protein diet in our coaching programs and Lean Body 90 course. When combined with volumization, food's thermic effect turns your body into a calorie-burning machine while keeping you stuffed. You’re eating and enjoying your meals, and at the same time, you’re torching calories. It’s a win-win. This leads to the final point that almost puts getting lean on autopilot: #3 - The Circadian Timing of MealsThe most underrated aspect of getting control of your eating is through timing. Your body isn’t just some calorie-counting machine; it’s a complex, well-tuned organism that responds to natural rhythms. Circadian rhythms are your body’s internal clock, regulating everything from sleep to metabolism. When you align your eating patterns with these rhythms, you work with your body’s natural processes rather than against them. There are 4 reasons why this can help you get lean:
From my experience working with thousands of clients, I've found that everyone has a unique eating rhythm that works for them. Once someone finds their natural eating rhythms, it makes sticking to a diet significantly easier. I wrote an entire article on how to eat according to your circadian rhythms, which you can access here. This is how you eat more to lose weightBefore closing this off, I need to mention that this is not a diet. Think of these strategies as tools in your toolbox to get the most out of the foods you eat. You will be surprised at how much easier eating to get lean becomes when you use some (or all) of these strategies in your nutrition toolbox. Onwards and upwards 🚀 - Dan When you're ready, here is 1 way I can help: 1. Promote yourself to 330,652+ subscribers by sponsoring this newsletter.
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