10 Cheat Codes for Staying in a Calorie Deficit | What I’ve Learned in 21 Years

🔥 Free Fat Loss Calculator (ChatGPT Prompt) 🔥
💪 Estimate Your TDEE & Calorie Deficit for Fat Loss
👇 Copy & Paste the Prompt Below! 👇

Hey ChatGPT, can you help me estimate my TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and give me a calorie deficit target for fat loss?

Here’s my info:
Age: [your age]
Gender: [male/female]
Height: [your height in feet and inches *or* centimeters]
Weight: [your weight in pounds *or* kilograms]
Body Fat % (optional): [add it if you know it]

For activity level, choose the one below that fits best:

1. *Sedentary*
Under 5,000 steps/day
No weightlifting or cardio
Desk job or very little physical movement throughout the day

2. *Lightly Active*
5,000–7,000 steps/day
Lifts 1–2 times/week
No additional cardio
Desk job with occasional movement (e.g. walking to meetings)

3. *Moderately Active*
8,000–12,000 steps/day
Lifts 2–4 times/week
May include 1 cardio session/week
Desk job with some light physical labor or active errands

4. *Very Active*
12,000+ steps/day
Lifts 4–6 times/week
Does 2–3 cardio sessions/week
Has a physically active job or lifestyle

Please give me:
1. My estimated TDEE (maintenance calories)
2. A calorie deficit breakdown at:
10% (slow)
15% (moderate)
20% (aggressive)
3. Multiply my current weight by the percentages below to give me a slow, optimal, and too fast rate of weight loss per week:
Slow = *less than 0.5%*
Moderate = *0.5% to 1.0%*
Aggressive = *more than 1.0%*

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Struggling to stick to a calorie deficit? You’re not alone, and I’ve got you.

In this video, I’m sharing 10 (okay, maybe 11) real-life, no-BS tips for staying in a calorie deficit that I’ve learned over the last 21 years of fat loss phases and maintaining a lean physique, all while juggling a full-time job and being a dad.

Whether you’ve tried tracking calories and burned out, or you just can't figure out why weekends blow your progress, this video is packed with practical, tested strategies that actually work. No gimmicks. No starvation. Just real talk and cheat codes you can start using today.

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Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

0:28 – Cheat Code 1: Plan your meals ahead of time

1:08 – Cheat Code 2: Don’t keep trigger foods in the house

1:51 – Cheat Code 3: Eat on the weekends what you eat during the week

2:46 – Cheat Code 4: Use intermittent fasting on weekends

4:20 – Cheat Code 5: Use electrolyte powder to improve energy and hydration

6:55 – Cheat Code 6: Do less meal prep by using ready-to-eat low-cal foods

8:26 – Cheat Code 7: Fill up on high-volume, low-calorie foods

8:58 – Cheat Code 8: Don’t drink your calories

9:32 – Cheat Code 9: Boost non-exercise activity (NEAT) throughout the day

11:28 – Cheat Code 10: Adjust your carb-to-fat ratio for better satiety

13:03 – Bonus Tip: If your sleep sucks, your deficit is too aggressive

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🔑 What You’ll Learn:

Why planning your meals ahead of time is a calorie-deficit game-changer

How intermittent fasting can simplify weekends and save calories for later

The power of keeping trigger foods out of the house

How to stay full longer using volume foods like fruit and vegetables

Why electrolytes are your secret weapon for fighting calorie deficit fatigue, especially between meals

How to optimize your macro split (carbs vs fats) based on satiety

Simple hacks to boost daily step count and burning calories without formal workouts

Why drinking your calories is silently killing your deficit

The real deal about sleep and how it signals whether your deficit is too aggressive

If you're looking for sustainable, dad-friendly tips for staying in a calorie deficit, this one’s for you. Whether you're just starting out or you've been on this journey a while, these practical hacks will help you go further, stay consistent, and finally see results without hating your life in the process.

👇 Drop your favorite tip in the comments or ask me a question. I respond to everyone.

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