When it comes to losing weight, you can find plenty of complicated programs that involve long, intense workouts and strict calorie-counting diet plans. But my guest today takes an approach to fat loss that's awesomely simple, and even more effective because of that fact.

His name is Dan John and he's a strength coach, a competitive thrower and weightlifter, and the author of many books about health and fitness, including Fat Loss Starts on Monday. Today on the show, Dan talks about the importance of not only picking a specific number where you want your weight to be, but enriching that goal so that it lights up multiple parts of your brain. We then discuss how and how often to measure your weight, how to deal with setbacks as you shed the pounds, and Dan's uncomplicated approach to eating. Dan also explains why he recommends drinking hot water with lemon, practicing intermittent fasting, and working out in a fasted state. We go over the "Easy Strength" exercise program he suggests for fat loss, and why these short weightlifting sessions are always followed by a walk. We end our conversation with how to break through a weight loss plateau by doing something called "reverse rucking."

Resources Related to the Podcast

• Our previous episodes with Dan John:
  • #354: Brains & Brawn — Tips and Inspiration on Being a Well-Rounded Man
  • #655: Excuse-Busting Advice for Getting in Shape
  • #678: Physical Benchmarks Every Man Should Meet, at Every Age
• AoM Article: 6 Ways to Measure Your Body Fat
• MyoTape Body Measuring Tape
• Clarence Bass
• AoM podcast #581 on tiny habits with BJ Fogg
• Rusty Moore's Fat Loss Boost
• AoM Article: How Much Protein Do You Really Need?
• Pavel Tsatsouline
• AoM article and podcast about intermittent fasting
• AoM Article: The Spiritual Disciplines — Fasting
• 5:2 fasting
• AoM Article: Cardio for the Man Who Hates Cardio — The Benefits of Rucking

Connect With Dan John

• Dan John University (use code "artofman" for a discount)
• Dan on Instagram
• Dan's Website