Eat Like Ruby

Fat loss series, episode 3 - Q&A (going from a surplus to a deficit!)

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DISCLAIMER
The Eat Like Ruby podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or dietary advice.
The advice given in this episode is general in nature and should not be used to treat any medical conditions, health conditions, illnesses, injuries and/or any nutrition related conditions, deficiencies or similar.
This podcast is not to be used as, or in place of, medical advice or dietary advice.
Please consult your health care professional before implementing any of the advice, information or protocols discussed in this episode.

SPEAKER_00

Welcome back to the Eat Like Ruby podcast, guys. G is on the mic today with Rubes, and we have a QA from you guys that you've sent in. And Rubs are gonna give you. I'm gonna ask the Q's and she's gonna give you the A's. Hello! Ruby is here. I haven't hijacked it yet.

SPEAKER_01

I tried to say hello and then he kept going.

SPEAKER_00

I was like, all right, we're on. She's on. So second week in the deficit. Obviously, a little bit too early for updates, which we'll do next week.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, next week we'll do like a proper just update, progress, how's it feeling? How's it going, etc.? Because by that point, I should be, I can't even work it out. You try and work out when we record versus when they come out. But we are recording quite close to real time.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, so should be in the fourth week when we do that.

SPEAKER_00

So far, you're feeling fired up.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

You want to hope so? We just did a whole app last week of you being like, I'm ready to lock in. Like a bull, what did I say? Bull out of the gate. Yeah, pull in the gates.

SPEAKER_03

Let's go.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, the bulls out of the gate. Guys, you've sent in a bunch of cues, which is awesome. Thank you so much. If you haven't sent your cue in yet, we have a form on the Eat Like Ruby website that you can go on, pop your question in. Um, because we'll do another one of these, right?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, well, I just thought we can just keep an eye on that and if somebody like anything that comes through, like it might not even be a QA yet, but it might just be like, oh, someone asked about this, let's talk about it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, cool.

SPEAKER_01

Cool, cool, cool, cool.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so we've got a couple rapid fires to start with because we kind of touched on a couple of these when we were doing the fat loss phase setup video last week. Um, and then we have some lengthier ones as we go through.

unknown

Shit.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, yeah. All right, guys. We'll jump into it. Okay, take five. We'll jump straight into it. Question one Did you drop calories literally overnight or did you take a few days to adjust?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so I think we did answer this last week, but literally straight overnight. Like last day of the muscle gain phase is a Sunday, high cows, and then Monday, straight on to low. We're on. Yeah, she's locked in. No effing around. Stop dicking about. That's what I always say to Shaq. Stop dicking about.

SPEAKER_00

I'm not gonna say the one that I usually say. Um okay, cool. What do you implement to ensure hormones aren't compromised?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that's such a funny question because my mind just instantly goes to like what hormones are you talking about? I feel like people just kind of like say things like that, and it's like, why do we assume hormones are compromised as soon as an intake changes? And like for some people it can, but it's also like my well, my actual answer would be 21 months off, three months on.

unknown

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And so I wouldn't like that's not something I really think about because I don't expect to have any, like I wouldn't expect for myself or for other people to have quote hormone issues just because of a drop in intake. Because I'm always you what do you want to say?

SPEAKER_00

Come on. I was gonna say I feel like I feel like that's a hard question because it's so what you're doing for that specifically, it's not really worth giving advice on it because it probably it might not work for someone else. Like that's such a personal question. Because like, if like for example, if that was if I was to ask, I wouldn't ask you that because I would think about how it would affect my hormones because I got PCOS and stuff. So it's like we can cut this out if you want, if we don't want to touch on it. Anyway, but I think that's hard to answer because it's like your hormones probably it's and that's no, no, you get what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_01

I do know what you mean, and that's kind of what I was saying at the start is like don't just assume that yeah, there would be a quote hormone issue. Like for some people there might be, but yeah, if I look at someone like myself who doesn't have hormone issues, like we know there's nothing black PCOS or anything going on, so there's no issues like that. And then, like you said, when you've had 21 months in a really good state in terms of like energy availability and stuff, it's not like oh my god, day one of low calories, your hormones are gonna be effed. Your energy availability is effed, everything's gonna go to shit. So I just think it's important to catch that. I think some people can kind of cling to things like that. It's like, oh my god, low calories, hormones are gonna be stuffed. It's like, not always, like chill out. So for me, like I I don't really think about that because I won't expect that to be a thing when I look at like my three-month give or take deficit. I don't expect that to be an issue for me. So you haven't and I'm also not dropping to a bullshit low amount, like it's obviously a deficit, but it's not unnecessarily low. Obviously, food quality is good.

SPEAKER_00

So nothing necessarily like in particular geared towards like managing your hormones. It's not something that you know.

SPEAKER_01

I would say, like, to me, the the thing there is like spending all that time out of the deficit. So then when I go into one, it's like, no, this ain't gonna be a problem.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, amazing. It's giving like you're educated. Funny that's such a fucking bitchy thing to say. Me or you? Me to everyone else. Okay, amazing. All right, rapid fire question three. Will training volume reduce? I'm laughing at rapid fire because I don't feel like that was rapid fire. It wasn't really about it. Um question three Will training volume reduce at all? I feel like reduce any. What does that mean?

SPEAKER_01

I think this see, this is what happens. I always am like a weirdo when I read these out as well. Because I think people try and cram them into that Instagram box. Will your session look different to a training volume reduce? Will your sessions look different?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. Okay, so question three. Will your training volume reduce and will your sessions look different to when you're in the Surf Plus?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Um, no, training volume won't reduce. My training's gonna stay exactly the same, it's just my steps will go up, and we spoke about that. Yeah, we spoke about that the other day that my steps will just go up that little bit, but then my training would have stayed exactly the same.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. Awesome. Even if, um, sorry, just to get granular. No, um get granular, girl.

SPEAKER_01

Even like the amount of actual weights you're lifting. I think we kind of touched on that the other day where I just said, like, I will attempt to push that as best I can until I like physically feel like I can't. Yeah. I feel like I've mentioned this on the podcast at times, but I think too often people let themselves almost like that hormone question where it's just like we're expecting the worst. Like, oh my god, day one of the deficit, no way could I list what I lifted last week. And it's like, oh, chill out, you probably could because you've actually got a big excess of energy that you've built up over the last five months. Like, don't just assume, oh my god, day one, my strength and everything's gonna go to shit. So I think it's a real sweet spot of not letting your mind go there that quickly, but then also just respecting, like, I think about it more so as you really get into it. Like, if I get to, you know, two-ish months into the deficit, and then that's when you start to be like, wow, okay, I've actually had limited energy for months now. I am actually starting to feel a bit weaker, I am struggling a bit to push it. So it is that sweet spot of like respect that, but don't just fall victim to it straight away, especially in those first few days and weeks.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and also this is probably a question for last week, but I can't believe I didn't ask you this. But are you like lining up a new block with going into a new um diet block? Totally. This is hard. I probably, and this is probably a question I probably should have asked you last week, but did you line your training up with a new block to start with your deficit?

SPEAKER_01

Yes, yep. So 10-week training block started on that Monday, 27th as well. Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah, cool, cool, cool.

SPEAKER_00

Oh yeah, okay. Okay, question four. Are the pre-workout bagels and jams staying? No, and just on this.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, um, I feel like it's worth mentioning. We did put the QA box up pretty much at the very start of the deficit or end of muscle gain. So people kind of asked these questions like two or three weeks ago. So it's not their fault that's like, oh, we already answered that. No, it's okay. So um I think we did speak about this, but yeah, those pre-workout bagels and jam, I honestly think they were like six to seven hundred cals. Just like would not make sense. Like my mentality, and I think the next few questions are like day on a plate and stuff, which we also kind of did last week. So, guys, if you haven't listened to last week, we really spoke about like setting up the deficit, day on the plate, what the calories will be, etc. So we have answered that a lot, but even um just kind of answering all those together, because what are those three questions there?

SPEAKER_00

What will pre-training meal look like and what will a full day of eating look like now? Yeah, so we really touched on that last week, but I guess if you didn't listen to last week and you want the quick rundown.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and I just feel like even something worth mentioning, we probably didn't fully say it last week, is like my priority is always food quality. So I always like I love pre-training nutrition and fueling the session. I'll never go into a session on an empty tank, but I will prioritize things like protein, fruit, veg, fiber, etc., over like a 700-calorie pre-training meal. And especially, again, I think I said it last week, but especially when we're looking at a three-month window, and this is where I was saying last week about that whole like there's no solutions, there's only trade-offs. So that's just a trade-off that I'll make in the deficit, is those high calorie pre-training things just gotta go because I couldn't literally I could not fit in all the food quality that I wanted and that big dog pre-training meal and be in a deficit. Like it actually just wouldn't work. And that's where I was saying last week, where people do get in the energy of like, how do I make it all work? And it's like, no, you don't. You actually have to pick what is prioritized in what time. So for me, right now, it's just like they they just gotta go. Those big bagels, they're out of here.

SPEAKER_00

They're gonna go. It's just like where you're wanting to spend the calories, it's not worth it for what you're trying to do. Yeah. All right, so that was kind of like a bunch of questions. Next question Where are you predominantly taking calories from? Carbs or fats? I don't think we really dived into great macros last week at all. Um, and like if you are hitting specific targets for macros, yeah, that's such a great question.

SPEAKER_01

So I don't hit specific macro targets ever. I literally look at my own nutrition the same way I look at all my clients, especially gym girls. Like sometimes with athletes, we will look a little bit more at specific like carbs and stuff for their fueling. But if we're looking at more like body comp and then just fueling, like gym training, um, obviously I do like protein, but I think about everything in terms of minimum requirements. So, like the minimum amount of protein we'd want to get, which for me is around that like 110, 120 mark. Um, and then dietary fat, a minimum amount I want to get is usually like 40 grams plus. And then I always explain this to people where it's like when I'm on 3,000 calves, my minimum requirement for dietary fat and protein is still the same. Like we base all these things off body weight, so they don't change that much over time unless you like literally change your weight by 20 kilos. Yeah, but for me, it's always like pretty much fat over 40 grams, protein over that, like 120, let's say. And when you're on 3,000 calories a day, the like my fat's been like 90 grams a day because you've got like 3,000 calves. And so when we're looking at yeah, G Mutt loves fat. I love G Mont's like drinking olive oil. Yeah, literally. I'm the worst for that.

SPEAKER_00

Fat and carbs. Oh my god, it's so funny.

SPEAKER_01

Um, yeah, but so I never aim for exact numbers. I tick off those minimums, get enough fiber, think about the food quality, there's a lot going on. Um and then when you've got more calories up your sleeve, it's like your fat's just naturally gonna be higher, carbs are gonna be higher, like everything comes up, and then when we go down to the deficit, everything comes down. My protein pretty much stays exactly the same. Like my protein basically hangs in those 120s to 140s. Yeah, okay. All the time. And then coming back to the question, would I predominantly take calories from carbs or fat? I'd say it's definitely just a big hit on both. Because like I said, when I'm on 3,000 calz, literally the fat is up around 90 and the carbs are well up in the 300s. And then now my fat will be like down in the 40s, and the carbs, yeah, will be anywhere sort of between like 150 to 200.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

My god, she's learning. Oh my gosh. She's learning. That is actually well. Yeah. But also cool because um actually, I don't know why what I'm saying. Um well, that's always great on a podcast. All right, next question, guys. Will deficit amount be based on your known maintenance? I feel like that's a pretty quick answer for you because it's more about I'm not gonna answer it for you, you can answer it.

SPEAKER_01

I feel like I don't even get it. Will you?

SPEAKER_00

I think it's saying like on your it's obviously gonna be calculated on your maintenance, but also like, are you gonna do it differently because you've done it that many times?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I would say my deficit is more so based on just previous deficits and knowing what works for me. So my numbers are so funny when you think about it. Like, I genuinely would say at this point my maintenance is from like 1900 up to like 2600. Like, that's a huge yeah, because if we think about throughout that muscle gain phase, I was hitting around those 2700s in those first few weeks, and my weight was like ever so slightly going up, but not really, like that's why I nudged it up even further. So that maintenance range is so big for me. And then people can look and be like, wow, she went from 3,000 calories to 1700. But that is purely just based off of history of knowing, like any time I sit on those sort of 1800s or more, I just don't really get that fat loss happening.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. So, more so, yeah, will the deficit be based on because I guess if we took like your maintenance number and actually ran the numbers for of deficit, either way, you're still gonna go at 1600 because that's where you see it move.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. And this is what I say to people all the time like the calculations are a great starting point, but then you just want to implement those and see what actually works for you. And so often we put an intake in place for someone. I mean, it's probably 50-50. So often we can put an intake in place for someone and it works awesome. It's like happy days, it ain't broke, don't need to fix it. And then it's very common for people to calculate their deficit and sit in that for a while. And I reckon so many girls will be like, wow, I've had this exact conversation with Ruby. So common for people to just be in that position where it's like, oh, like it's kind of a deficit, like we're seeing a little bit of weight move, like peaks kind of show it a little bit, but it's almost just like we got to give it that nudge and get you over. Yeah. Just like get you right into the deficit. And so I have that convo with people all the time, and that's what I think would happen for me. I reckon if I spent, say, like four weeks on 1900, it'd probably be like, oh, maybe feel like a little bit leaner, maybe you've dropped like a little bit of weight. I'm not gonna take weight, we're gonna talk about that in a second. But like I feel like you would just see these signs of like, oh, slight deficit. But I think I said last week or maybe the week before, I'm not here for the slight deficit, I'm here to get it done. So it's like, let's just go. And for so many girls, I think there's definitely a lesson in that for so many girls, especially if you've done this for a while and done this for a few years. And I think even without even really thinking about it, you probably do it. If you've done successful fat loss phases, like you've had a few successful fat loss phases, you're probably not gonna run your numbers next time you want to go into one, like through a calorie calculator. You're probably just gonna go, no, I know my deficit is XYZ. So I'm gonna go there.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. No, absolutely. I think too, like if stuff isn't moving before you uh adjusting specifically calories, like you're definitely looking at like your activity as well, right? Because for you, you're you have a plan, but not like you know, if we're talking like for the viewers and the listeners, like if you're in a deficit and stuff isn't budging, like there's more than than just calories to like take into consideration.

SPEAKER_01

And I have that convo with people all the time. Like when I'm doing this for someone, again, if we're sitting in that position where it's like, oh, we're kind of seeing shit, but I think we could give this more of a nudge. I say to people straight away, if we were to give this a nudge, would you want to keep the food where it is and up the activity, or would you want to keep the activity where it is and drop the food? And that's so funny because people are usually very one or the other. Like to so many people, it's like, why the hell would I drop my food if I could just do a little bit more steps? I'm that person. Sure. But then you do get those people that are lack roots. I'm so busy, I work in an office, like so annoying for me, and try and get 2,000 more steps. I will just drop a couple of cows. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, and people just pretty quickly will gravitate towards one, and it's like awesome because we have to remember that the deficit is not the amount of food, the deficit is the gap in energy. So people will say, like, 1600 calories is my deficit, and even I word it like that. But it's like, no, that's where you create a deficit between your energy in versus your energy out. Yeah. So if you want to increase the deficit, you have to just increase that gap, and you can do it by either dropping the energy in or increasing the energy out. Little less than there.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, love it. But that's the simplicity of it, right? Like, it's nice to think about that because as a coach, that's just like you wake up and you're like, I'm awake and I know about all of that. But then, like, that's me every morning.

SPEAKER_01

I'm awake and I know nutrition.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, but like, even for myself, like when you even listening to that again, like just as a normal gym gal, I'm like, it is that simple. It really is that simple. There'll be people screaming at their radio, like, it's not that simple. Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, everyone. Sorry, not sorry. Okay. Question, I don't know what, but my next question. How do you overcome hunger when moving from eating a lot more to less? So in short, and then I think my next question was exactly the same.

SPEAKER_01

Hey. Hi, Ruby. I know I love that.

SPEAKER_00

That's really sweet though, because then she said hello. Hi Ruby.

SPEAKER_01

I think put thanks on the end of that, but it just got that. Sweet.

SPEAKER_00

Pretty much. How do you not be a hangry bianch? How do you what'd she actually say? She didn't say that. Sorry. Hi Ruby. How do you handle hunger doing a deficit?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. I I am really mindful of the fact that my answer to this is not common, but to me, it like literally is just embrace it because I'm like, this is wrong. Yeah, and it's just the sign. Like to me, if it wasn't there, I'd be like, there's no hunger here. How well is this shit gonna move? And I'm mindful of saying that because I don't want people to think that they have to be starving. We definitely don't have to be starving, but we've got to remember that like to achieve fat loss, we do need to be in the calorie deficit. And when we're in a calorie deficit, like we are intentionally choosing to give our body less food than it needs. So with that is gonna come some hunger. And like I've said a million times, like, do not take that as I need to starve myself. Like, we are looking for that sweet spot of yes, I can feel it, but it's manageable, it's sustainable, and you know, I can still keep me in good health while I sit in that position. So it's just important to understand that. But that's where I think it is important to remember that that is quite necessary when there is a fat loss goal. And you know, at the risk of sounding like a broken record. I mean, I've been a broken record for four years.

SPEAKER_00

I don't think anyone might.

SPEAKER_01

Um, but this is where I think spending so much time out of the deficit makes all that so much easier. Like, no way, no way would I be embracing and like borderline enjoying hunger if I was nine months into this. Do you know what I mean? Or two years or ten years. Like we've got people that have been trying to do this for 10 years. So it really does come back to just like, no, this is just such a short, sharp thing that I'm doing. I have such a clear goal, it was all so intentional, it's all so positive, structured, not a victim to hunger. Like, I'm not sitting there going, oh my god, poor me, I'm hungry. It's like, no, bro, you put yourself in a deficit. What do you expect?

SPEAKER_00

Like, if someone was, if one of your clients come to you like roobs, like weight's moving, I'm like seeing it, this is awesome, but I am so effing hungry. Like, what is something that you possibly might adjust in their plan? Like, would it be like suggesting to train like first thing because like you're full and fueled? So then like you're you're like the most switched on as possible to train instead of trying to leave it to the afternoon where it's like you know, you're all you're hungry and you're also drained from work or whatever you do. Like, is there anything specific that you possibly might adjust for people?

SPEAKER_01

Not really. It's probably more so having the conversation. Like, I feel like all of our girls understand everything that I just said, and we literally just have that conversation. Like, if someone did say, like, Rubs, I'm effing starving, I would be like, Okay, are you just having a dramatic moment and you need to vent? Like, honestly, or are we like genuinely starving? And like I said, I think they all understand this enough that it's like, do we actually just need to increase this? Like, sometimes the the deficit is too aggressive. Yeah. And we just actually have that convo of like, and especially like if we are seeing rapid weight or measurements or whatever, like if we're seeing very intense movement and then they're also like starving, energy low, like if they're really reporting struggles, it's like, okay, there's clear indicators here that this is just too aggressive. Let's nudge it up. And I literally just have that conversation with them. Like, we can absolutely nudge this up. And I've said this on the podcast a million times, pretty much any time we do a fat loss episode. You can like we can create that deficit or we can have that, um, what's the word I'm looking for here? Like, we can have all that in place as much or as little as we want. Like, someone like me that's just like this 10-week window, we're on. I'm happy to sit in the hunger. And like I keep saying, I'm not starving and I'm not crazily restricting my food. Like I'm still teaking boxes, I've still got food. But to me, it's just like I'll eat a meal and I'm like good for a little bit. And before that next meal, it's like I'm definitely hungry again. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like end of day, I'm definitely hungry. When I wake up in the morning, I'm like, yeah, I'm ready to eat. So the hunger is definitely around, but I'm not like, oh my god, I'm starving. Yeah. And so I kind of remember what I was getting at there, but like I always say, if you don't want to feel that at all, you could have the smallest deficit in place and you could just gradually chip away at that for a while. And then on the flip side, I feel like usually when people are like me and they do have other goals, whether it's performance, muscle game, whatever, you're like, I don't want to gradually chip away at six kilos for six months. I want to get six kilos done in three months. So I'm happy to just put up with that and then get me the hell out of here for my other goals. So it really does come down to your individual approach. I would say, like when I get those questions, and it is something that we get a lot with Q ⁇ A's, it's just like, how do you deal with the hunger? How do you overcome that? I do get, and I shouldn't assume, but obviously I've done this work for a long time, I've seen this a lot. I do get the kind of energy from those people of just like, I feel like you've just tried to diet for too long. Like when someone is just like, how do you deal with this, Rubes? It's like, no, how do you deal with this? You don't, because you've been doing this for so long. Like, really. I'm not trying to, I'm not so true though, when you think about it. Yeah, like I'm just like reading them, even just the way people word them and stuff.

SPEAKER_00

And again, you shouldn't just assume from the way people write it, but I think it's I think it's like the the key takeaway, right, is like for you specifically, it's like, well, I'm yes, I'm gonna be hungry, more hungry than I have been in the last two years, yeah, two years, because I've been eating a hundred calories a thousand calories plus every day, but you know you're in here to get out in it in and out nice and quick, and then the kind of bigger conversation around it, it's like if you are effing starving, we need to adjust the plan.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but also Or if you've been sitting there for a long time, we need to adjust the plan.

SPEAKER_00

Or if it's like if you have a bad relationship with the diet, yeah, you're gonna be bloody hungry in a deficit because you've been doing it for so long.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. And I think it kind of makes me think about the convos we've had this year about like positive fat loss phases versus negative ones. I think anyone who's listening, and I can think of probably 15 of my girls right now that are either have just gone into deficits or are going into them over the next few weeks. And everything was very structured throughout the year. Like they all came to me at the start of the year. I'm like, maintenance for this amount of time, maybe a surplus for some of them, deficit will be here. Like everything was very planned, very intentional. So they've always known this is coming, they've had that big time out of it, like I have. So I genuinely think when you are going into that fat loss phase in a very intentional, controlled, positive mindset, you actually are like, oh yeah, bit of hunger, like that's cool, we're on. And you genuinely do feel that way. If you are someone who tried to diet, like we've got people that have tried to diet for 10 years, but even if we just think like you tried to diet most of last year, you've done that typical, like, I was in the deficit, couldn't stick to it, came out of it, went back to it, couldn't stick to it, came out of it, went back to it, spent most of the year here, stuffed around a little bit through winter, now I've got to go back to another deficit. If you've got that big element of diet fatigue, when hunger kicks in, you're not gonna have that positive thing of like, oh, here we go, we're on. You're gonna be like this effing thing again. Like, I've had this for my whole life. How do I deal with this every day? There's a very big difference between how do I deal with this for 10 weeks versus how do I deal with this every day in my life.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so true.

SPEAKER_01

So I think we've covered that one enough.

SPEAKER_00

She's a mind, it's a mindset.

SPEAKER_01

Um, okay, question can I just interrupt? It is my podcast. I just feel like, I mean, I reckon this has come up so much this year and it's gonna come up so much over the next few weeks. But if you are a regular listener, I think I've been talking for years about spending time out of the deficit. Like we all know I've been talking about people spending good quality time out of the deficit. I think if we take nothing else from this year, like watching me and the way I've done this, I think people have to really learn from that. Because I think we have a big element of people or a big group of people that listen to the pod and they're like, I love everything you talk about, like it all makes sense, but like I'm just gonna do my deficit a little bit longer, I'm just gonna try a little bit longer, I'm still spinning my wheels. Like, it's like they hear it all and they love it all and they want to do it all, but they're still hanging around in those old shitty habits of just yo-yo dieting, zigzagging in and out of the deficit. And I would just say, if nothing else, guys, like really take on board everything I've said here, all the energy, the mindset, everything I have. And like I said, I'm seeing this in so many of my clients as well, because they've heard about it over the last few years, and then they've come to me and said, Ribs, I've heard enough about this. Now I need to do it. And so we're seeing now more and more the benefits of that, of taking back the control and of saying, like, this is the time I'm gonna spend in the deficit. This is the time I'm not gonna spend in the deficit. And so if you feel like you've just been on that diet grind your whole life, really tap into everything that I've said this year and for the last four years and just be like, would that work for me? Because the way I'm currently doing it isn't working for me. Like people get so adamant on like, I just need to stay in that deficit a bit longer. If you are starving and low energy and you're not even really getting results and it's just been like spinning your wheels for years, what would it look like to do it differently next year? Would be the thing that I would start thinking about and really just tap into what I am saying and what I'm going through, just to get your wheels turning about like where there is another way because this way isn't working that well for me.

SPEAKER_00

Thank you so much, guys, for watching me.

SPEAKER_01

Walks out of studio, boots the door down, so good. Honestly, yeah. It it really does just make me think like that though, because I just think I'm so much I'm I've talked about it for so long, and I feel like now we are seeing the evidence of it with me. Like, I haven't gone through this dieting cycle for a few years now. So it's like, yeah, we've heard ribs talk about it for years, but now here I am really living it and being like, see, guys, like this is what I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, guys, if you're smart, I reckon you just like jump into it like you just eat like rubbing. Yeah, jump into it next week. Let's get it all on the same, let's get all on the same um timeline. Perfect. All righty. Next question. If you don't see the scales drop in the first couple of weeks, how long do you give it until you adjust your plan? Yeah, I think see how I've bunched them. Are there other questions similar? I see. Okay, cool. So, okay, so a few other questions in relation to this. Do you have a goal weight or just see how it goes? Best way to pivot if momentum results are slow. Yeah. So that's a pretty loaded. They're all loaded, hey. Yeah. So I'm sure you'll have an answer for them. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

First one. If you don't see the scales drop in the first couple of weeks, how long do you give it until you adjust? Yeah. So I'm not gonna take my weight, or I haven't been taking my weight, I should say. I took my weights at the start, like end of muscle gain phase start, and peak top weight was 70.4. I was pretty much hanging in those high 69s, low 70s, and yeah, like wrapped it up right at 70.4. And so then obviously in the deficit now, I haven't taken weight since. I will take it at the very end, just purely to be like, guys, I lost X amount of weight. Yeah, more so just for the audience. Yeah. Like you guys be like, guys, this is how much I actually ended up losing. So stay tuned for the 10th episode in the fat loss series. But I just decided to not take it because I said so much throughout this muscle gain phase, like it really dawned on me that I do not have weight loss goals anymore. Like I've always known that. And we've and we've spoken so much about scale weight on the podcast over the years and just like not really using that too closely, especially when you are down around my size. Like, I don't need to lose weight. Even at the peak of that muscle gain phase, I didn't need to lose weight. And so then also just really tapping into the fact of like I wanted to build my physique, I did build my physique. I don't want to be in that mindset of like now, I just need to drop weight. It's like I want to drop body fat, I want to get leaner, but I don't want to, I don't want to work towards a specific weight because I think maybe even someone said, Do you have a goal weight?

SPEAKER_00

I might have deleted that. I don't know. Yeah, no, no, you said, Do you have a goal weight? Or just see how it goes. Yeah. So there's no seeing how it goes, but you don't have a goal weight. Good answer.

SPEAKER_01

But no, no goal weight because I I just don't I can just put that.

SPEAKER_00

What do you fucking recognize? See how it goes. Have you been here for the last six periods?

SPEAKER_01

Um so no, no goal weight because I just actually don't have a goal weight. And I think it's also very important for people who have similar goals to mine of like wanting to build shape, build physique. If you feel like you've been doing that, that's awesome. And it's so easy for people to then go into the fat loss phase and get so caught up in like getting excited and keen for those big scale drops. And I think anyone who's been on a in a fat loss phase or on a weight loss journey can relate to that. Getting on and seeing that big drop out of nowhere or like finally seeing it or whatever, and you instantly celebrate that. I don't want to celebrate that. That wouldn't be a win. If we think about the fact that I've literally added, like intentionally added mass to my frame, I've dedicated the last five months to doing that. How contradictory to get on the scale, see a big drop in mass, and be like, oh my god, yes. It's like, why did you spend five months trying to put it on when you're cheering now that you're getting it off? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And people would be like, oh, but you put on muscle, you want to drop body fat. Well, the scale doesn't tell you that. Remember how we've talked about that 700 times? Like the scale is not going to tell you if you've dropped body fat. Yes, my weight will gradually drop over time. Like, I would expect if I had to guess, I reckon I'll finish up around the 64s, maybe, give or take. Um, but really, yeah, why? Go on. I thought you would be go lighter. Yeah, well, that's even a cool point. I feel like I have kind of touched on this throughout the muscle gain phase, but thinking about like finishing other fat loss phases, even if we think back over the years, the lightest I ever got in a fat loss phase was 56.

SPEAKER_00

Like imagine me at 56 kilos. When you're when I first wild came on, we were doing red shred. I think wedding was about 58. Well, I remember. Whoa, I don't even remember 58 or 60, something like that.

SPEAKER_01

I was thinking 60. Yeah. But I reckon before that, like one of my first ever fatless phases, I did get down into the 56. So skinny, so scrawny, I should try and find the photos. And then I remember the last one I did, 2024. I wrapped it up around like 61-ish. And I remember being like, you know, because you in that mindset, we've spoken about this so much, but you can get into that mindset of like, well, I normally finish a fat loss phase at 58, so I got to get to 58 or whatever it is. But I remember just being like, yeah, but if you have built the muscle and the shape that you want to build, how lean you were at 58. You could be that lean now, but be 60 because you're holding on to two other kilos of muscle. Yeah. And so now I'm thinking, okay, well, if I used to wrap them up, or if I did wrap it up two years ago around that 61 mark, I would like to think that I've put on more muscle since then. So could I wrap this one up around, say, 63, 64, whatever it ends up being, and have that same level of leanness and body fat, but you weigh more because you've got more muscle and more shape there.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And that's why, again, I don't want to get caught up in like chasing those big scale drops andor being like, you know, gotta get to 64, 62, 60, whatever it is. It's like I don't have to get anywhere.

SPEAKER_00

Um did you take measurements?

SPEAKER_01

No, I actually, okay, the like we have to talk about this because I feel like I'm quite counterproductive to what I tell everyone else to do.

SPEAKER_00

I was about to say, like, this is very much Ruby's deficit because I feel like what you tell your clients is obviously a little bit different being like not as experienced in like they're not educated to the point that you are. So it's like you being here, like, I'm not doing scale well because X, Y, and Z, but with your um clients, it's obviously an incredible tool for you guys to use to track progress and things like that.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. So I actually didn't do measurements or like regular weight. So I took that one weight just to know like final weight of the mustache phase. Haven't taken measurements at all, and then took pics like the same time I took the final weight. So took like final picks, but I didn't take pics at all throughout the mustache phase. And again, I won't take them throughout. So I won't use anything to assess progress. And again, there's gonna be people that are like, Rubs, you have screamed into that microphone about us assessing progress. If someone comes to me and they want to learn where their deficit is and they want to learn where their maintenance is, and they want me to give them feedback and help them assess this stuff, I can't assess nothing. Like, I need shit to assess. And if we want to learn, like, where's your deficit, where's your maintenance, et cetera, we need to look at things and be like, this is what I always say to my clients. If people come to me, probably the most common thing people come to me for now is finding their maintenance. So they say, like, Rubs, I want to find my maintenance.

SPEAKER_00

So I always say to them, That is that is so interesting.

SPEAKER_01

Let me finish because I'm such a such a rant here. Go off. Um, and I always say to them, we really like we're in a position right now where you want to take some sort of starting thing, whether it's picks, weight, measurements, ideally a combo, so we're not just relying on one thing, but essentially, like, you want to take that, we want to implement shit for a few weeks, and then you want to take it again because you want me to sit there with you in a month's time and say, This is where you are at, this is what you did, and this is the result that it got you. If we don't take any of that stuff, that's very hard for us to do. So if you're in that position where you're trying to find your deficit, find your maintenance, whatever that is, or you're working with a coach and you're wanting that coach to assess things, because the other thing that happens here is like people get very emotional. So if someone comes to me and they're like, Rubes, nothing's working, and then they've got no data to give me, well, I can't say if it is or it isn't. I'm like, all we've got is your emotions, and that's a freaking nightmare. Like, so that's where the data can be so helpful. But even with your point there where you were saying, like, with like my clients do it differently. Some of my clients do. Like, if you're a new client or you're kind of new to this stuff, or you're doing a phase or something for the first time, we absolutely approach it how I just said. I do also have a handful of clients now that have been with me for long enough andor doing this stuff for long enough that they are similar to me. Like, I have clients that are saying to me now, like, I'm not tracking my food in this phase robes. We'll get on the call every fortnight and we'll talk about what you've been eating. But I know that you understand calories, I know you understand protein, you understand all these things. So you don't have to track your food. And we can actually have like a really intelligent conversation. And I say that to them, like, I just want to point out to you the way that we're just conversing on your nutrition right now is a pretty advanced way for you to be monitoring your nutrition, and that's such a win. But it's cool to see clients in that position as well. And I can't stress enough, no right or wrong. I have clients who take weight every day, measurements and photos every week, and they track every single thing that they eat. And that is so perfect for them, their goal, their face, everything at the moment. Like that's working so well. And then equally, I have clients who don't track at all. I have clients who don't take weight, don't take photos, whatever. And it's like, no, we can just converse on this stuff now because you're at a point where it actually happens quite naturally. Clients will just say to me, like, oh, just like FYI rows, like, couldn't be bothered tracking. And that's such a win, really. If someone is sitting there having this big emotional breakdown about results and all this shit, and then they're like, why aren't I getting anywhere? Also, I couldn't be bothered tracking. It's like, okay, we've got to piece this together. What you're doing is leaving you in a position where you're complaining. So we've got to change something. If what you're doing is leaving you in a position of being like, Rubs, things are actually going really well. Like, haven't really been tracking, haven't been looking at my weight, but things are great, that's awesome. Don't ever take those things again if you don't want to. And this is why I say so much, like, there's no right or wrong. Because as we can see there, like it can genuinely be so right for someone to collect every single piece of data. And it can be right for someone to be like, it feels so good for me to not collect data right now.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Like, see how great that is. Do you find that it's more common for the girls that don't track that are like athletes or competing and stuff like that because they've been around nutrition for so long, or do you still get a lot of gym girls who are just like your everyday gal, just that loves to lift weights? They end up in that position as well.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I would say it's both. And I feel like it is worth pointing out there. I would say probably everyone that gets to a point with me of not tracking has a history of tracking, like tracking nutrition. So we're talking about like monitoring calories and all of that. Yeah. So they have done it to some extent for some amount of time that it just starts to, like I said the other day, I just add this shit up in my head. So do so many of my clients. And even um, I can't remember if I said it with you or maybe I said it on like a solo episode recently, but for so many people, they get to that point where they'll use a tracking app to just plan like one day.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. You said that last week and it's like myself a meal plan, and then similar to what I do.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then it's like, I'll just mix that up a bit. Like I've got a bit of an idea of what my day is gonna look like.

SPEAKER_00

But I plan like two and then just alternate them. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

I think it's pretty standard for me. People do that, and then they you kind of know how that adds up, but like I said the other day, you know, then you might just say, Oh, I'm gonna mix up the dinner, but like similar calories, similar protein.

SPEAKER_00

I'm like the same breakfast, same snap scales, and then lunch and dinner just alternate.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, and and heaps of my clients even will um like track most of their day and then just leave dinner blank, especially if people have like kids or a family or whatever, and they're just like, Yeah, I track all my food during the day because same thing. I tend to eat similar stuff, especially for the week. But then like family wants to mix up dinners. So, you know, let's say we've worked out for this person, we want them to be on like 2400 cals. If they plan their rest of their day to be 170 or 1800, and then they know I've got 600 calories up my sleeve for dinner, I'm not gonna track my dinner, I'm not gonna weigh my dinner. But I also know like we don't eat like idiots. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We eat pretty normal meals. Sometimes those meals might be seven or eight hundred, sometimes they might be four or five hundred. But again, when I'm looking at my overall intake for the week, it'd be coming in between say 22 and 25 every day. Like happy days. And that's such a cool position to be in. So it's so far from that scale weight combo. But yeah, sorry. Um, I can't even remember how we really got there. But I think we were just saying like goal weight, yeah, and with clients, we'll come back to that goal weight stuff for sure. But but yeah, and so really I guess the point there is like we were saying, you know, people would be like, Rubes, you're all about the data. I'm all about the data, essentially to help people get to the point that I'm at now. Like I am, and I'm literally doing this entire fat loss phase based on that data. Like, I know how my body responds to different intakes. I know, like, roughly the timeline that it's gonna take me to drop the amount of body fat that I want to drop and look the way I want to look, etc. So I am all for the data for that reason. Like the data got me to this point, and I'm all for food tracking because food tracking got me to this point. But it's just like a cool position to be in where it's like this is just how I'm gonna approach this phase because I just feel like I can.

SPEAKER_00

I just genuinely feel like I can. This is like a nosy question, but I guess it's like the E Like Ruby podcast. Obviously, if we're not taking weight, we're not taking measurements, we're not taking photos, you're gonna be solely off like how you're feeling and looking in the mirror, pretty much, right? How your clothes are fitting. Yeah, that's pretty much how you're gauging.

SPEAKER_01

I feel like that was even kind of the things like people were saying, like, are you gonna see how it goes? Are you going to like watch like how what will you use to see how you'll adjust, etc.?

SPEAKER_00

So, like, is that kind of spot on? Like what that's what you'll kind of use is like almost like I don't want to say like intuition, but like no, I know what you mean.

SPEAKER_01

And I would say like a little bit, but more so my mind honestly just goes to I don't need to assess if this will work. I'm 99.9% sure that it will. So to me, I'm not really thinking in terms of like I'm gonna implement this thing for a few weeks and see how my body responds. Again, I'm like 99.9% sure that if I do 10 weeks sitting in this position, I'm gonna end up where I want to.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, okay, so it is literally more of like a time thing. And if it's if it's like and just knowing by week eight, you're like, okay, I'm gonna pump the bags. That's pretty much it, right?

SPEAKER_01

So, really, like, like we keep saying, knowing what works so well for me and just going like I'm going to implement that for these next 10 weeks. And like I said, be very, very sure that that's gonna get me pretty close to where I want to be. And again, I feel like that even ties in with like not having the weight goal because it is more just gonna be like coming towards the end of September, just being like, am I feeling like a lean, mean, shredded machine? And am I getting out of here? Do I feel like I just want to push it a few more weeks? Do I wrap it up early? But it is like when I wrap it up will be based on how I'm feeling, but I don't think I'm gonna need to really tap in along the way and be like, do I think this is working? Like I keep saying, I'm very certain it will work.

SPEAKER_00

And is there anywhere specifically you see weight drop, uh fat drop the quickest or soonest? On my board. Yeah. I feel like it's different for everyone. Is there is there somewhere that's um I feel like it's pretty even. Mine's like in my my upper body.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Like I feel like that does happen to me, but I feel like my stomach gets very lean very quickly. Oh yeah. My stomach stays kind of lean. Like I still kind of have abs at the end of gaining phases, it's just like bulky abs. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Even one time. Remember one time flaps? Wow. I remember unintentional flaps. I remember one time you sent me my before photo. And you were like, is this the before or the after? I know. And I was like, that's the before. You just made my day. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You wet shred. You were already like low-key shredded. Yeah, that's so funny. But I do feel like I feel like I drop it quite evenly because I feel like I put it on quite evenly. Like, you know, when people put on weight and they go like really bottom heavy or top heavy or whatever. I'm pretty evenly distributed like that. Really, but when you think about it, like I'm I agree. I'm not a bottom heavy person.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I mean I'm not gonna sit here and like be like, hmm. You do actually put a little bit more on than you think, Robes.

SPEAKER_01

You actually are flubbier than you think.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, okay. So it's like a because yeah, it's just a interesting. Interesting question because everyone's so different. Like for me, it's my declottage, my arms. My declage. I can get really I get really inflamed and puppy here. That is so funny. It's not over my pecs.

SPEAKER_01

But everyone is really different. Like I have clients the same, like they'll drop it off the upper really quick and then take longer. Yeah, that'll be me. We're back to the old winding board before we know it.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, I've got one last question that's a nut that's a fun one. Hit me with it. Um what are you most excited for? I guess during this phase or at the end?

SPEAKER_01

I feel like. Oh, being shredded. Yeah, I am I am excited for that. This is gonna sound so random. I don't know if I don't know if this is a bad thing to say with the business that I have. I'm a little bit excited to just like get on with the rest of my life. Like I, and that's why like a lot of people were asking in the last few months, like, are you gonna do it again next year? Oh yeah. Definitely don't feel like I will. I I love just spending long time at maintenance and just being like, I feel good, I feel comfortable, I'm eating good enough, I'm training really well, but I don't have to put a lot of thought into this. Like I love to put thought into eat like Ruby and other things. So she just gets this look on her face of like, I really want to ask you a question. What is it? What is it? Do you hungry in maintenance? A little bit. Um I wake up hungry even when I'm on 3,000 calves. I wake up. Oh, I'm ravenous. Yeah, like you just wake up and you're like, let's go. Yeah, I'm I'm so hungry.

SPEAKER_00

I would the the I am like I haven't eaten for six days when I wake up in the morning.

SPEAKER_01

So I don't get too hungry like throughout the day.

SPEAKER_00

That's more of like a personal quiz. I just wanted to know because it takes so random. So it takes me.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you please don't. Yeah, but I just feel like I feel stoked with the way the muscle game phase went, and I'm definitely there was part of me that was like, do I need to do a shred or do I just like go back to maintenance here? Like, who really cares if I'm lean or not? No, I get so excited for when you're shredding. Yeah, there was part of me that was like, no, I actually want to get up. Because I know you're gonna do it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Like if I'm saying, like I'm going through deficit, you're like, how long? I don't know.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, whatever. All right. And then I like see you on Insta at Boca and I'm like, yeah, okay, here we go. Um yeah, that there was literally part of me that was like, what if I just went back to chilling at maintenance? Like, who actually cares? And I feel like even that's a really cool win for just my mind to be in a place of like, do we care that much about being shredded? And then there was just part of me that was like, no, I'm actually kind of keen to just rip into that. And I haven't been like lean and like shredded in years, so I'm just keen for that. So I am excited for that, but then I am just excited to like go back to maintenance and just have the I just like the mental position you're left in where like I said, you training good enough and eating good enough and like everything's in that good enough position, but it doesn't require a lot of mental capacity. I feel like we like a lot of thought.

SPEAKER_00

I feel like week five and six, you get really excited.

SPEAKER_01

In the deficit. Yeah. Yeah, that's that's the thing. Like you've got to get through that first month. I say this to Shaq all the time. You have to just get through that first month. And even when I'm working with clients and they start to get to that week five or six mark, especially if someone is looking at like eight or ten week deficit around that. I'm like, you've done the shittest part. Like you have done the shittest part because the first month is shit. You are hungry, you've lost all your cows, you're like, oh yeah, wow. It's so funny. Like, I reckon so many people can relate to this. You get so pumped to go back to the deficit, like, get me in there, bum bull in the gate, whatever, we'll have to beep that out. Um, and you're like so pumped for it when you've been out of it for ages. And then when you get to day one, you're like, Why was I pumped for this? Yeah. Like I'm just hungry and sad. Like, what the hell? And so you've got to kind of get through that. Yeah, but you're like hungry, sad, and like kind of skinny. No, but this is what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00

You in the first month, you're not like Yeah, yeah, but like I'm saying that like just over the peak mark. Yeah, you start to be like, I'm so hungry, but I'm like really seeing it.

SPEAKER_01

This is that's what I'm saying. Like, you have to get through that first month because you are feeling the impact of it, but you don't have anything to show for it. Yeah. So, well, this is just shit.

SPEAKER_00

And then, yeah, okay, I see what you're saying.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and then when you start to get like the results start to show, it's like, okay, cool, this is starting to become like it's paying off. And then this is what I always say to clients like if we're around that six-weekish mark, it's like, yeah, you might be starting to feel it a bit and whatever, but like you've got through the worst of it. We're now definitely in the deficit. We're seeing shit move. Stay here for a few more weeks. Happy days. Yeah, like you you're through the the worst of it. We're kind of like on the countdown. Yeah, yeah. So it goes so fast as well. Think about how far shit goes. No, I know. Ten weeks go so fast. Yeah. Well, that is actually all our questions. What a big, yappy episode. Yeah, you were on fire. Do you think we actually I feel like I didn't make any sense? This is one of those ones where I'm gonna walk out of here and be like, was that just a mad woman? She went down.

SPEAKER_00

Like the edit on this guy's like, I'm editing this um episode or all these episodes, and the amount of times I've repeated myself saying these questions and also like just saying. I hope you leave it in.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, I can for the laughs. But yeah, no, you're on fire. Literally, whenever I there's so many episodes that I do, and I honestly walk out thinking, I'm a mad woman. Like, I just lost the plot on that, and almost to the point where I'm like, I can't listen to that back. And then it's always so funny. The ones that you feel like that about, they're the ones that you listen back to and you're like, that is fire.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, there's like that is gold. There's like 90 seconds in here that I'm gonna cut out as a real that I already know. I like took like a mental note at like minute 3460. I was like, oh my god, I love this. Slay. Well, guys, um, we will be back next week with a little bit of a um check-in with how Rubes is going. Because next week.

SPEAKER_01

Maybe I should. Oh now I'm thinking, like, should I take weight or something? Because otherwise, what are we talking about next week? Yeah. We'll see. I'll see how the week's going and if I think of cool shit to talk about. If I'm like, get to podcast day and we've got nothing, I'll get on the scale.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, but even like just for the viewers, like just for you can be like, I'm not taking scale for myself, but for the This is where we're at. Yeah, for the entertainment so we can chat some numbers. We'll see. Yeah, we shall see. But guys, thank you so much for tuning in this week. We will chat to you next week. Um, sorry, I'm just wrapping it up.

SPEAKER_01

No, that's fine. Just um, I think there could be questions off the back of this app, so you could chuck them on the website. Yes, there's a form on there, guys. Um, bank it up. I literally edited that form to say, you know, you know, we like to be direct on the podcast, so don't talk shit here. No rambling.

SPEAKER_00

In the question box. Yeah, because I can't read them. So like I can barely read them, so just keep them short and sweet, please.

SPEAKER_01

People like send the biggest questions like, oh, this happened, this happened, and then I had a knee repla replacement, and then it was COVID, and then I can't get to the gym every second Thursday because my husband works away and then we're gonna be out there. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. And then I'm like, in the end, it'll be like, so how do I hit my protein? Okay, so the question is how do we hit protein? So no rambling, but if you've got any questions off the back of the form, um, off the back of the yes, chuck them in the form. Please do, and we'll bank them up and we'll ask them again. This is enough from us. We've got okay, we're going.

SPEAKER_00

We're going home.

SPEAKER_01

Bye, guys. Have a great day.

SPEAKER_00

All night Wow, we