What’s the Best Diet for Weight Loss While Working Out?

When someone first walks into Breakaway Fitness in Hampstead, one of the most common questions they ask is,
"What diet should I follow while I’m working out to lose weight?"

Here’s the honest answer:
The best diet is the one that gives your body enough to perform, recover, and stay consistent without burning you out.

We’re not looking for crash diets.
We’re looking for sustainable results — because busy parents and working adults don’t have time for gimmicks that only work for two weeks.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Prioritize Protein

Research consistently shows that higher-protein diets support fat loss while preserving lean muscle.
A 2015 review in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people eating more protein lost more fat while maintaining more muscle compared to lower-protein groups.

Translation for you:
When you’re lifting weights, running your kids to practice, and trying to drop pounds, your body needs protein to build, recover, and stay strong.

Action Tip:
At every meal, start with a lean protein source: chicken, turkey, beef, eggs, Greek yogurt, or a protein shake.

2. Use the Plate Method

If you don’t want to count calories — and most busy adults don’t — the Plate Method is your secret weapon.
(Stay tuned for a full blog on this coming soon.)

Set up most of your meals like this:

• ½ plate = veggies/fruits

• ¼ plate = protein

• ¼ plate = whole-food carbs

It’s simple, visual, and it works.
One 2020 study in Nutrients found that simple plate-balancing education helped participants eat fewer calories without strict dieting.

Real-World Example:
Instead of skipping meals and then bingeing, you’re building solid plates — even when life is busy.

3. Don’t Fear Carbs

Carbs aren't your enemy.
Especially when you’re training, your body needs carbs to perform and recover.

Research in Sports Medicine shows that athletes following low-carb diets experienced reduced performance and slower recovery.

Action Tip:
Stick to quality carbs like rice, oats, sweet potatoes, and fruits. Don’t load up on junk, but don’t try to “low carb” your way to exhaustion either.

4. Manage "Extras"

Oils, dressings, fancy coffees — they aren’t bad, but they’re calorie-dense.
Be aware.

Real Life:
If you’re eating mostly clean but the weight isn’t moving, it’s probably hidden calories sneaking in from "healthy" extras.

You don’t need a perfect diet.
You need a consistent, sustainable way of eating that matches the effort you're putting in at the gym — and fits your real life in Hampstead.

When you nail the basics, your workouts actually work for you — and the weight finally starts coming off in a way you can maintain.

If you want help with meal prep, we have a free guide for you. Nothing to buy. Just go to this link, fill out the info, and we will send it on over: https://www.bfpnc.com/meal-prep-ebook-download