Fat-Loss Program

The hierarchy for fat loss: nutrition sets the deficit, resistance training keeps the muscle, cardio adds expenditure. Training alone rarely out-runs diet for fat loss, so this template is built around the nutrition layer.

Nutrition (the driver):

• A moderate energy deficit — commonly ~500 kcal/day for roughly ~0.5 kg/week loss (see negative-caloric-balance, safe-deficit-rate, fat-loss-nutrition).
• Higher protein to preserve lean mass in a deficit (see protein).

Resistance training (muscle retention) — the priority training stimulus:

• 3–4 days/week, full-body or upper/lower, ~6–12 reps, compounds first. Keep loads near pre-diet levels — maintaining strength is the signal that muscle is being retained. Volume can be trimmed toward maintenance (see volume-landmarks) since recovery is reduced in a deficit.
• Core lifts: back-squat/leg-press, deadlift/stiff-legged-deadlift, bench-press, bent-over-row/lat-pulldown, military-press.

Cardio (added expenditure):

• Meet/exceed the aerobic minimum; add steady-state and/or intervals to widen the deficit without slashing food too far. Cardio is a tool for expenditure and health, not for "fat-burning zone" magic (see cardio-for-fat-loss-vs-fitness).

Progression & monitoring: track bodyweight trend (weekly average) and lift performance; ~0.5–1% bodyweight/week is sustainable. If strength craters or weight stalls for weeks, adjust the deficit before adding more training (see monitoring-and-adjustment). The resistance scheme is essentially the muscle-hypertrophy-program run at maintenance volume in a deficit.

• Hierarchy: nutrition (deficit) > resistance (retain muscle) > cardio (expenditure).
• Moderate deficit ~500 kcal/day ≈ ~0.5 kg/week; higher protein to spare lean mass.
• Resistance 3–4 d/wk, 6–12 reps, compounds first; hold loads to prove muscle retention.
• Cardio adds expenditure — no special fat-burning intensity zone.
• Monitor weekly bodyweight trend + lift performance; ~0.5–1% bw/week.

• negative-caloric-balance, fat-loss-nutrition, safe-deficit-rate, protein — the nutrition driver.
• cardio-for-fat-loss-vs-fitness — cardio's real role.
• muscle-hypertrophy-program — the resistance scheme this borrows at maintenance volume.
• hybrid-concurrent-program — managing the strength+cardio combination.
• monitoring-and-adjustment — adjusting the deficit on stalls.