10 Steps to Getting Lean

Getting lean isn't complicated — but it does require doing the right things consistently. Here are the 10 steps I give every client starting a fat loss phase.

1. Track your weight and your visuals

Weigh yourself every morning after you use the bathroom — that's your most accurate reading. Also take progress photos: fasted, the same day each week, in the same place. The scale tells one story; photos tell another. You need both.

2. Track your food

If you don't know how many calories you're consuming daily, log it. Eat mostly whole, single-ingredient foods — they keep you fuller for longer. And don't forget to track your sauces. A few tablespoons of the wrong sauce can add hundreds of calories you're not accounting for. You can't manage what you don't measure.

3. Get your steps up

Keep daily activity high through a step count target. Steps accumulate no fatigue — unlike cardio — so they're one of the most efficient tools for burning more. Aim for 8,000–12,000 a day.

4. Aim for a sustainable rate of loss

Target 0.5–1kg per week. Extreme diets and hours of cardio don't last. High cardio from the start builds up fatigue and inflammation — start with a baseline and build from there. Cardio is a tool, not a punishment.

5. Prioritise sleep

Poor sleep will create a major roadblock for fat loss — it affects hunger hormones, recovery, and energy. Aim for 7–9 hours. Cut water 2 hours before bed so you're not waking up through the night. Sort your sleep before expecting your results to follow.

6. The leaner you get, the harder it becomes

Be honest about this from the start. As you lean out, food goes lower and output goes higher. You will feel hungry. Energy will dip. That's part of the process — not a sign something's wrong.

7. Build discipline, not dependence on motivation

The people who stay in shape year-round aren't more motivated than you — they've stopped waiting to feel like it. They train, hit their steps, and stick to their nutrition regardless of how they feel. Build the habit. The results follow.

8. Keep training hard

Log the weight you lift for each exercise. Next session, match it or beat it. What built your muscle will retain it in a deficit — so don't let the training slip. Performance shouldn't drop until the very end of a fat loss phase.

9. Cut the alcohol

If you're drinking every weekend and wondering why you're not seeing results — there's your answer. Alcohol is calorie-dense, wrecks your sleep, and kills recovery. Cut it during your fat loss phase.

10. Build the habits around it

The daily stuff that separates people who get results from those who don't:

• Drink 1–2 litres of water before any caffeine
• Push your first meal out as long as possible
• Space meals 3–4 hours apart
• Set consistent sleep and wake times
• Phone down at least an hour before bed
• Train a minimum of 3 times per week
• Prep your meals in advance — it leaves no room for error
• Reduce carbs on rest days when your output is lower
• Hold yourself to a high standard