Fat loss is one of the most miserable experiences I’ve been through.
I’ve done it thrice. First time in 2017, second time in 2020, and then a mini-cut in 2024. It has been miserable every single time, although the first time was the worst. Anybody who says fat loss is easy is either genetically gifted or doesn’t know what they’re talking about, or simply trying to get money out of you.
When I say fat loss, I mean holistic, healthy fat loss. Not some hacky weight loss. Fat loss means preserving muscle and getting rid of fat. Yes, you lose some muscle along the way, but the goal is to lose as much fat as possible while preserving as much muscle as possible. That means training hard, eating enough protein, and not starving yourself.
As I mentioned in my year-end post, 2025 was a terrible year for me on the health front. I worked hard and partied hard, and I’ve accumulated tires around my gut. Having always identified as a strong, fit man, I’m extremely ashamed of it. So here I am in my third week of an aggressive cut, and I must say I’m feeling the nostalgia. Not in a good way. This is going to be my last fat loss phase. I genuinely do not enjoy this process. I feel objectively miserable during it. I would rather live in maintenance year round than ever have to go through this again. That means this time I finish it properly and then never let myself drift this far again.
I wouldn’t recommend an aggressive cut to anybody. It’s not sustainable in the long run, and it’s not for everyone. I do it because that’s the only way it works for me. I go for a 30 percent calorie deficit for four weeks, then a 5 percent surplus for one week. Repeat. Most people I know go for a 15 to 20 percent deficit with a few cheat days. Many protocols exist on the internet - do what you think you’ll be able to sustain long term. Because fat loss is a long game. There are no shortcuts. And that’s probably the most challenging and the beautiful part of it.
I’m writing this post to document some things one must know before starting a fat loss journey. Knowing the rules of the game is important before you play it. Knowing what to expect makes tackling the challenges much easier.
1. Early progress, then a plateau
You’ll see great results in the first 2 to 3 weeks. Then progress will slow down over the next 2 to 3 weeks. You’ll stop seeing visible changes. This was the hardest phase when I was starting out the first time. I pushed through those brutal initial weeks, and four weeks in I had lost maybe 0.7 kg in the previous two weeks. It is extremely annoying.
What happens is that the body starts lowering its metabolism because it thinks you’re not getting enough food. It goes into a kind of battery saver mode. To break this, it helps to have a couple of days of minor calorie surplus, just to signal to your body that things are fine and we can return to normal functioning.
2. You might look worse before you look better
There will be a time when you’ll look worse than when you started. You’ll look somewhat like a squishy ginger. This happens because of temporary water retention and hormonal shifts during fat loss. As fat cells shrink, the body can hold onto water. You end up looking soft and squishy even though you’re losing fat.
It’s a weird transient phase. Just have faith. This phase passes. And then suddenly you start looking leaner and tighter.
3. Loss of focus, libido, and motivation
Work days feel longer. Efficiency goes down. The body is operating in battery saver mode. You might get brain fog. Things that felt easy and obvious feel slightly harder. Libido drops. Enthusiasm dips. You feel irritated, fight with friends. You’ll want to quit.
I haven’t fully figured out a workaround for this. It’s just the brutal truth of being in a deficit. When energy intake drops, the body conserves energy. But that drop of energy intake is what allows fat loss to happen.
4. Sleep goes to shit
Sleep is the most important part of fat loss. You lose fat consistently only if you sleep well.
The funny part is that it becomes harder to sleep when you’re in a caloric deficit. The body doesn’t want to rest when it’s underfed. I’ve found that eating 4 to 5 hours before sleeping improves sleep quality. I also take a ZMA supplement about 30 minutes before bed, and that helps significantly.
5. Your mind will try to trick you
I know it sounds funny and try-hard, but you need a higher purpose for losing fat.
It cannot just be “getting healthy” or “getting in shape.” It has to be something deeper. Maybe you’re doing it for your 70-year-old self. Maybe you want to live longer for your family. Maybe you want to hold higher physical standards for yourself.
If you rely only on willpower or motivation, you will lose the battle with your own mind. It will find every excuse to relapse.
“This one time is okay.”
“I trained so hard, I deserve this.”
I’m not saying you don’t deserve cheat meals. They just shouldn’t be impulsive. Fighting the mind is the only hard part about fat loss. Everything else is simple.
6. It Is a Simple Game
Fat loss is not rocket science. Calories in must be less than calories out. That is fucking all there is to it!
You can try OMAD, keto, warrior diet. If it works for you, great. But simple approaches are usually more sustainable for most people. I like intermittent fasting. I eat within a 12 PM to 7 PM window. It works for my lifestyle because I have not-so-consciously done it all my life.
As I said before, the most brutal and the most beautiful part about fat loss is that there are no shortcuts. And it is immensely rewarding if you stick to it. A lean body changes a lot. You feel more energetic. Clothes fit better. You can move freely. Productivity goes up. You give yourself better odds at living more of the human experience.
There is nothing fancy about it. Just do it.