About Fat
I've got good news and bad news.
The good news is – you don't own your fat.
Truth is, all of your fat is rented.
The bad news is, you really enjoy paying the rent on it.
You fat has rent. You pay the rent with calories. You pay the rent with crap food.
If you stop paying rent, then your fat gets evicted.
About Muscle
Muscle also needs rent.
You pay the rent with food and smart work.
The biggest benefit to having muscle is it gives you can eat more food – You can pay rent on muscle instead of paying rent on fat.
The next biggest benefit of muscle is that it's more expensive than fat.
That means that if you have more muscle you can eat more, and you'll be smaller and leaner.
5lbs of fat is way bigger, and way jigglier, than 5lbs of muscle.
The (kinda) bad news about muscle – you may get to pay more rent, but it has to be higher quality.
The reason I say "kinda" bad news, is because if you aren't eating good food now, you'll be amazed at how much better you feel, how much more energy you have, and how much hotter you look when you switch to good food. So it's actually good news.
You can eat way more food, but it has to be better food.
This is ALL Good News
A lot of people have a story that fat is stubborn.
Trust me, I know. Helping clients get rid of stubborn fat is my specialty.
The truth is, there's nothing stubborn about it.
You don't own your fat. If you've ever made payments on a car, it's just like that.
If you stop making your payments, they come and take your car away.
Stop making payments on your fat, and you won't be allowed to keep it either.
If you're making payments on your house, guess what happens if you skip a few payments?
How Often Do You Make Payments on Your Fat?
I grade my clients' food logs.
I add up the number of meals they eat in a week.
I check how many meals include protein and are made up of good whole foods like fruit, vegetables, or brown rice.
Then I check how many "crap" meals they ate. How many meals included sugar, alcohol, processed food, soda, fast food, ect. These are the payments you are making on your fat.
Notice I don't use the word "free" anymore. I don't say "free meals!" There's nothing free about Taco Bell. It's crap food, I call it as I see it.
So we find out the percentage of "crap" meals in a week. How many payments.
If 90% of the meals were rockstar fuel - lean proteins and good whole foods like fruits and vegetables… They get an A.
If 80% of the meals were rockstar fuel - lean proteins and good whole foods like fruits and vegetables… They get a B.
If 70% of the meals were rockstar fuel - lean proteins and good whole foods like fruits and vegetables… They get a C.
If 90% of your meals are rockstar fuel, and 10% of your meals are crap – you're doing awesome! You're not making enough payments on your fat to keep much around. In fact, you probably look like a rockstar.
It's about that simple.
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Josh News:
I got promoted to Master Trainer!
I train at 24 Hour Fitness in Denver Colorado. Actually, I train out of the busiest gym in all of Colorado. I love the energy.
A lot of people are surprised that I don't own my own studio, or run a full blown gym. Truth is, I don't want to deal with any of that. I like to show up, train my clients, and go home.
And that leaves me time to work on other projects – like writing about fitness. New books. Seminars. Studying fitness. Everything that's fun for me.
So I train with 24 Hour Fitness. In the time I've been here I've gone from Trainer Fit Pro 1 to Trainer Fit Pro 3, and then Trainer Fit Pro Elite. And now, Master Trainer.
So I'm really, really stoked. Master Trainer is the highest level of trainer in the organization.
I'm really proud to be acknowledgment of my education and experience. I already was Master Trainer. It's awesome now to be recognized.
I think that's how most everything works. You have to be it first for a time. You have to produce consistent results.
Then, formal recognition catches up with who you've already been being and the results you've already produced.
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By Josh Hillis
Author of How To Lose The Stubborn Seven Pounds
Josh is currently finishing up his second book Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss
Josh is a fat loss expert, a kettlebell instructor and personal trainer in Denver, Colorado. Josh helps women and men lose stubborn fat.
© Joshua Hillis 2008
Congratulations Josh. That’s great news…and a great article!
Congrats Josh! Keep up the good work and the informative blogs.
Just seeing that photo is mind jarring.
Talk about a wake up call.
Thanks Josh you rule!
You are the best trainer I have ever worked with! Congratulations on the formal recognition.
congrats on recieving your master trainer status. great article regarding fat loss. i never thought about “paying rent” to my fat, unique outlook. thanks.
Craig, Chris, Diana, Pam, thanks so much!
Hi Josh,
First I want to say how much i love reading your articles, just when i thought there was no such trainer around that was an expert in the kind of fitness issues i was having i came across your site and I’ve been a fan ever since.
I have a question about working out, a few years ago i got down to my goal weight using billy blanks tae bo dvd’s and counting calories. I have since put the weight on and am lost about how to lose it. I don’t like gyms, is there a routine i could do from home? How long do i need to spend a day and for how many days a week?
Thanks
Talitha
Congratulations Josh! It’s always awesome to be recognized for your accomplishments!
It’s kinda funny you were talking about Taco Bell…I remember eating Taco Bell with you back in “the day”. Can I even say that here?
Keep up the great work!
I love the “rent” analogy, thanks Josh.
Hi Josh,
Congrats! You’ve been an inspiration to me; I am just beginning my career in personal training. It was because of this blog that I became interested in kettlebell training, and I love it! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. One day I would love for you to have a guest post on my blog, if you are interested or have time to share some short thoughts with my readers!
Keep up the great work and the “rent” analogy is priceless!
Jay
http://jlyoung23.wordpress.com
Hi Talitha!
First off, take a look at what worked for you before – high intensity workouts and counting calories. I’d just add in strength training, and you’re good to go.
Sonja!
What’s up homegirl! It’s kick ass that you’re still running and doing triathalons and stuff. I’m going to have to “submit my product for review” on your website! =)
Hey Lady G!
I’m glad you like it! Also I liked the post about “saying it” vs. “tracking it”.
Jay!
I’m stoked I’ve inspired you! And it’s really cool for you to let me know. It’s a gift. ‘Cause I’m sure you inspire all of your clients too. I know I forget the impact I have on people sometimes, and it totally makes my day to have someone remind me. It’s really a cool life we have, being trainers, to get to inspire people and make an impact on their fitness.
(yes Im catching up :))
I really REALLY like this.
adore your NO BS approach.
I know Im just echoing what the masses hath said—but Im saying it anyway 🙂
Wow, all those pictures just kept me reading all the comments:)
I enjoyed the metabolism illustration. As you pointed out, metabolism is our body fuel. The more intense the workout is,the more our fuel is increased.
Whooooh congrats Josh!! So stoked for you! I didn’t know you worked through 24 hour Fitness. Love. That. Gym.
Coincidentally, I am going to aggressively look for membership sales positions at some of the 24’s when I’m back. Been debating if Alameda would be best since it’s so outrageously crowded, Yale because it’s NOT, or Tiffany Plaza because it is huge and new and beautiful. Hmmmmmm. I will keep you posted if I get ridiculously lucky and they hire me right away with enough pay to stay in Colorado. So nervous!!