Despite everyone on the internet claiming to be a weight loss expert, three-quarters of our population is still overweight or obese, struggling to figure it out.
What if weight loss didn't have to be about restriction at all? What if you could lose weight while feeling full and satisfied at every meal?
These 15 rules will get you there—not as a short-term diet, but as a sustainable way of eating you can apply long-term.
Rule #1: Eat According to Calorie Density
This is the big picture concept: eat as much volume of food as you can, but with the fewest number of calories. Stay full and satisfied throughout the day without eating a ton of calories to get there.
The standard American diet is full of calories—way too many at every meal. When people try to lose weight eating this way, it's all about portion control, "everything in moderation," or point systems. You end up feeling unsatisfied, like you're restricting, hungry all the time. That's no way to live.
Focus on calorie-dilute foods—foods where each bite has fewer calories. This eliminates the need to control portions, restrict, or count calories. You just follow a simple set of rules (like these 15), and it works.
Rule #2: Eliminate Animal Foods
Meat, fish, fowl, dairy products, and eggs are very calorie-dense and full of fat. Everyone lumps meats into the "protein" category, but it should really be "What saturated fat do you want to add to your meal?" Because that's what they are—high-fat, high calorie-density foods.
Yes, humans are omnivores, but meat used to be scarce. Now we can get it at every meal and snack, and it's way too much. Eating in moderation is very difficult—as soon as you have one bite, you want more. The portions get larger and more frequent, and now we're overweight.
Rule #3: Eliminate Added Oils
All of them—coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, all oils. Oils are pure fat. If you're working on weight loss, eliminate all oils and water sauté instead.
People push back: "Well, nuts have oil in them." I'm talking about oils extracted from whole foods and then added back into foods. Pretty much all foods have some fat—I want you on a low-fat diet, but not zero fat. Let's eliminate the added fats that are easy to take out, like oils.
Just eat an olive if you want olives. Eat flax seeds if you think flaxseed oil is healthy. Just eat the whole food and you'll take in fewer calories.
Rule #4: Eliminate High-Fat Plant Foods
These are foods we'd consider very healthy—nuts, seeds, avocado, soy products (tofu, tempeh, edamame), olives, and coconut. They're whole natural foods, but they have a lot more calories from fat.
Dramatically reduce or eliminate them if you're going for maximum weight loss. They're great for adding flavor but add a lot of calories. Although nothing's been removed or extracted from them, they're very high in calories and fat.
Rule #5: Eliminate Highly Processed Foods and Flour Products
Highly processed foods like Impossible Burgers and fake cheeses almost always have added oils. They trick people into thinking "plant-based" means healthy. It doesn't. Most products made to mimic meat or eggs won't help with weight loss.
Flour products are dried, making them more calorie-dense. You've taken out water (no calories, but has weight), leaving highly concentrated foods that taste better and are higher in calorie density.
Our taste buds evolved to seek the richest food so we'd store fat when food was scarce. Now food is hyper-palatable, and we can't stop eating it.
Eliminate: breads, bagels, cakes, cookies, muffins—all flour-based. Even whole wheat pasta is more concentrated than "wet starches" like potatoes, beans, and rice.
Puffed cereals (single-ingredient ones, not sugary kids' cereals) can be healthy, but because they're dried, they're more calorie-dense. You'll want two or three bowls because it doesn't take up space in your belly. Stick to oatmeal—one bowl fills you up for hours.
What Foods SHOULD You Eat?
I eat from three simple categories, and you should too:
Non-Starchy Vegetables: Such as carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, spices, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, greens (kale, romaine, bok choy, collards). These provide amazing nutrition and variety.
Fruit: Whole fruit only—skip dried fruit for weight loss since water's been removed. Don't overdo it (it is sugary), but fruit is perfectly healthy for weight loss.
Starches (bulk of your calories): All potatoes, legumes (beans, lentils, split peas), and whole grains (oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, millet, barley). There is nothing to fear from whole grains. This idea that grains hurt your body is not true.
If weight loss is your goal, stick to these three categories.
Rule #6: Reduce Sugar Intake
Sugar is problematic for two reasons: it's calorie-dense (more calories per bite), and it makes food taste so good you'll eat way more of it.
Our taste buds evolved to seek sweeter foods because they gave us more calories when calories were scarce. Now scientists extract sugar and put it into everything.
This causes overeating. Even a healthy bowl of food with sugar added will have you going back for seconds and thirds. Sugar doesn't let you stop when you're actually full.
Rule #7: Reduce or Eliminate Salt
Don't confuse salt with sodium. All whole foods have sodium—you can get all you need from whole natural foods.
The problem is restaurant and packaged foods have SO much salt. If it came in a separate packet, you'd be appalled by the amount. You'd never add that much yourself.
Why is salt a problem? Even though it has no calories, it makes food taste too good, sending you back to refill and refill. Our taste buds seek salt, so you'll go after the saltiest food available.
Rule #8: Don't Drink Your Calories
This includes Starbucks drinks, soda (even diet versions—full of chemicals), smoothies (even healthy ones), fruit juices, and alcohol.
The smoothie problem: You're drinking calories fast, and it doesn't replace food you would eat. You might eat a banana and fruit AND THEN have a smoothie—that's just extra calories.
If weight loss is your goal, drink water or simple herbal teas. Or eat the berries you were going to blend. You'll be in much better shape eating them than drinking them.
Rule #9: Start Each Meal with Something Very Low in Calorie Density
Start with soup, salad, or fruit. You'll fill up on the lowest calorie foods first (non-starchy veggies), then move to fruit, then to whole starches.
You take up lots of space with fewer calories, leaving less room for everything else. You'll feel satisfied on the least calories possible.
Rule #10: Fill Half Your Plate with Non-Starchy Vegetables
If you're already doing Rule #9, skip out on this rule to make sure your stomach has enough room to actually eat enough calories.
Make sure half your plate is non-starchy veggies—roasted vegetables, steamed veggies, salad. The other half is potatoes, mashed potatoes with gravy, chili with beans and starchy foods.
This technique ensures you're getting enough volume to feel energized and satisfied.
Rule #11: Get Some Exercise (But Don't Go Crazy)
People think the only way to lose weight is to go nuts in the gym—CrossFit, high-intensity interval training constantly. You don't have to. For most people, especially with lots of weight to lose: go for a 30-minute walk most days.
There's a law of diminishing returns with exercise. You cannot outrun your mouth. Eating 200 calories of cookies doesn't mean you can burn 200 calories on a bike. It doesn't work that way.
Rule #12: Get Some Sleep
You'll only make good decisions from these rules if you're well-rested. Poor sleep leads to worse decisions. Plus, sleep directly impacts weight loss—your body resets and digests while sleeping. More hours awake means more likely to eat more.
Get your full 8 hours. Feel rested, and you'll make the best weight loss decisions.
Rule #13: Avoid Drugs
Alcohol, THC, nicotine, even caffeine lead to poor decisions and inconsistent lifestyle choices, which brings weight gain.
Try a month without them. See how much easier it is to stick to healthy choices. If being told to eliminate something forever makes you very upset, that can be a tell-tale sign you're addicted.
Rule #14: Don't Stuff Yourself and Don't Starve Yourself
Intermittent fasting can be healthy, but forcing it leads to binging and restricting cycles. Find your body's natural pattern rather than rigid rules like only eating for 6 hours daily.
Don't stuff yourself. Give your body time between refills to digest and tell you how hungry you actually are. Slow down the eating process.
Rule #15: There Are No Rules About What a Meal Is
Three big meals or six little meals—it doesn't matter. Don't worry about "keeping your metabolism going."
Meals can be very simple: steamed broccoli, baked potato, sauce on top. Roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy. Starchy, veggies, filling. Done.
Find what works for your lifestyle and create a system that works day in and day out.
The Bottom Line
Common advice says you need to restrict, count calories, and lose your mind with techniques and hacks. That's not sustainable.
You can achieve weight loss while feeling full and satisfied at every meal. Follow these 15 rules for sustainable, long-term weight loss that actually works.
