The Easiest Way to Gain or Lose Weight – a Simple Habit

If you’re trying to get fit,  you’ve probably thought about what kind of supplements would help you reach your goal much faster.

This has been a debate among my friends.

The real question is – why is this one of the first questions that many of us have when it’s time to get fit?

Do supplements really help you, and what’s more, is there a faster, easier way?

Thankfully, there’s a strategy that works much better – and is infinitely less complicated.

The Fistful Strategy

Figuring out what, when, and how much to eat has never been a complicated problem in the millions of years of human history.

It’s not a difficult issue to figure out. Let’s keep this in mind.

I’ve gotten a bunch of questions from readers wondering what the “#1 thing would be to change their body.” Most often, young men want to get more muscular, to gain weight. Women, on the other hand, typically want to lose weight.

That’s a very generalized look at what people are trying to do with their physical goals. Both of us want to be toned though and look and feel a certain way (see my article on getting toned up here).

I use a very simple process that deals with these challenges. It has something to do with portion control, and it will help you whether you’re looking to gain some pounds or lose weight.

Drumroll please for my secret, ninja, incredibly complicated, forbidden technique…

It’s called “The Fistful.”

The Fistful strategy is based on one very simple thing: adjusting fistfuls of either veggies or carbs.

You may have heard of adjusting carbs a LOT.

And you’re probably tired of it. Just hear me out for a moment because this might be *the* only meal plan I’ve seen that lets you eat all food groups, without deprivation or some extreme, cardboard-tasting diet.

The first step is to break down your meal into three parts – the macronutrient breakdown. That means looking at veggies, protein, and carbs as the major constituents of your meals, and then adjusting the veggie and carb proportions based on your goals.

If you need inspiration, take a look at some of the meal breakdowns that I’ve done previously.  Take for example, the Mediterranean meal:

To Gain Weight – The Simple Habit

If you want to gain weight in a healthy way, add a little bit more carbs to each meal. Once you do that consistently, over the weeks and the months, you’re going to see yourself putting on the healthy weight that you want from the added calories.

To Lose Weight – The Simple Habit

If your goal is weight loss, take away one small handful of the carbs and then replace them with veggies.

It’s super simple, no complexity here. And certainly no PhD required. Either way, you’re still eating carbs. You’re not removing any food group entirely, so you still get all the good stuff.

One thing I’ve found working with clients is that any time one entire food group is removed (with the exception of veggies, hehe) people feel deprived, and it won’t work for more than a few months.

Stop Measuring, Counting, Depriving, and Making it Difficult

There’s no measuring required here (besides intuitive portioning), no calorie counting, and no tracking. I’m keeping it super simple today because it’s easier to get things done this way than overanalyze things and never begin.

The irony is that the people that are the best at what they do often keep things incredibly simple.

These people have so much experience that they understand how to put key lessons into very succinct, quick habits. You can tell an amateur by the time they spend on over-intellectualizing and over-confusing things.

So… thus far, has your approach been simple, like that of a pro who cuts right to the chase, or the amateur who over analyzes and fails to take action?

Weight loss, just like any goal, comes down to doing very simple habits, repeatedly, over time.

Most of the grit comes down to persistence – the consistency, and the discipline, of seeing these things through over the days, weeks, months, and years.

The way to your ideal weight can be simple.

I know you’re thinking  – no carbs!?

That’s not what we’re doing here.

You might also be thinking isn’t there another way?

Well, yes, about a thousand other ways. But why not just follow one proven method that works?

Adjust your carbs. Add a fistful if you want to gain weight, and replace a fistful with veggies if you want to lose weight. Or if you’re more concerned with your health, obviously go towards a more veggie-based diet along with some protein.

That is the simplest way I have seen to adjust calories based on what your goals are.

Have you personally done something incredible unhealthy to “look” fitter? Comment below.

-Alex