Changing the aggressive fat loss mindset with clients can be quite difficult. As a coach with years of experience in both general population and physique-focused clients, I’ve noticed a recurring mindset that very often derails progress. The aggressive fat loss mindset is the belief that eating as little as possible is the fastest and best way to lose fat.
I want to walk you through how I’ve handled and helped to shift the aggressive fat loss mindset with clients in the past. If you’ve coached or you’re someone who’s ever thought “I need to be eating 1200 calories or less to see progress,” this one’s for you.
Let me paint a picture of a common type of client I see, someone who comes in all systems go, fired up, tunnel-visioned, and dead set on dropping body fat as quickly as humanly possible. Maybe you’ve met someone like this. Maybe you are someone like this.
They walk in with that “all or nothing” energy, saying things like:
“I want to lose 10kg in 6 weeks.”
“I’ve cut down to 1200 calories, it’s miserable, but I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“No carbs, no alcohol, no fun. Let’s go.”
And they mean it. They’re committed, at least in theory, and that level of motivation is genuine. But here’s the thing I’ve learned after coaching hundreds of people:
That kind of approach burns bright… and burns out just as fast.
It might get results for a few weeks, for sure. But what happens when energy crashes, cravings spike, sleep tanks, and training performance nosedives? What happens when life throws a curveball like a social event, a stressful work week, or just plain hunger?
Most people fall off. Hard. And what’s worse is they often end up regaining more fat than they lost, feeling like they “failed” when really, the plan was never built to be sustainable in the first place.
Now, I don’t shut clients down when they show up with that intensity. That drive is actually a good thing, we just need to redirect it.
So when I spot that aggressive fat loss mindset (the “less food = more progress” equation) I pause. I say something like:
“I hear how serious you are about this. That’s great, we’re going to use that enthusiasm. But let’s make sure the method we choose actually gets you where you want to go and actually keeps you there. You don’t want to have to do this again in future afterall.”
That’s where the mindset shift begins. From “how little can I eat?” to “how much can I eat, and still lose fat?”
But I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s actually go through the process of shifting the aggressive fat loss mindset.
The Client Profile: “All or Nothing” Aggressive Fat Loss Mindset
Let’s say a new client comes to me. They are driven. They track their food down to the gram, hit their 10,000 steps a day, never miss a workout, and they’re ready to go all in. They’ve been following fitness influencers, reading up on macros, and they’re convinced that the only way to “get results” is to go hard immediately.
They’ve usually been on and off diets for years. Every time they start a new fat loss phase, they dives straight into 1000-1200 calories a day. No carbs, no sugar, no “cheat meals.” Just tunnel vision and a dialled in diet.
They’re usually proud of how disciplined they are. And honestly, I don’t blame them, the effort and commitment are certainly there. But here’s the catch:
Despite all that effort, their fat loss always stalls and often reverses.
And when it does, they don’t slow down and re-evaluate, they push harder. More cardio, fewer calories, stricter food rules. Until the inevitable massive crash.
Low energy, poor sleep, intense cravings, and eventually, a full rebound.
This is a textbook example of what I call the aggressive fat loss mindset, and I’ve worked with dozens of these people over the years.
They’re usually stuck in a loop of over-restriction → burnout → rebound weight gain → repeat.
“But this time, I swear, it’s going to be different.” They tell themselves for the thousandth time.
As I said in the opening, I never shut that mindset down right away. Because that intensity isn’t necessarily the problem. In fact, it can often be a strength.
However, what I do want to do is change the strategy we use, which generally means we need to shift the aggressive fat loss mindset first.
I’ll say to them stuff like:
“You’re not broken. Your body’s not resisting fat loss. You’ve just been using a method that wasn’t designed to be sustainable.”
We then discuss this in more depth and once they understand that, we can start rebuilding, not just their nutrition plan, but their entire approach to fat loss. We trade “eat as little as possible” for “eat smart, train hard, recover well.”
And just like that, the transformation actually sticks.
But let’s actually walk through this in practice.
Understanding Where They’re Coming From
Before I change anything in a client’s plan, I start by listening. This should always be the first step with coaching. You can’t assume you know what they need, you actually have to listen.
If someone comes to me with an aggressive fat loss mindset (eating 1000–1200 calories, overtraining, terrified of carbs etc.) I don’t immediately tell them they’re wrong. I have seen far too many coaches try this approach, and it just doesn’t work. That approach only builds resistance.
Instead, I get curious.
“What made you feel like this was the best way to go?”
“When did you first start thinking that eating less equalled better results?”
“Has this approach worked for you in the past? And for how long?”
Usually, the reasons behind extreme dieting are layered and emotional. Here are the most common ones I see:
- Social media influence: “That influencer says she eats 1000 calories and looks amazing, so I figured that’s what it takes.” There’s a ton of misinformation online, and people rarely see the full picture behind a physique or a post.
- Past short-term success on very low calories: “The last time I lost weight, I was barely eating, so I just went back to that.” What they forget is how quickly that progress reversed once the diet ended.
- A desire for rapid results tied to an event or emotional urgency: “I’ve got a wedding in six weeks” or “I just broke up with someone, and I need to feel in control.” These feelings and thoughts are real, and you have to acknowledge and validate them. But we still need a plan that doesn’t backfire.
- Fear of weight gain when increasing food: “I’m scared that if I eat more, I’ll blow up overnight.” This is super common, especially in people who’ve been stuck in a restrict-binge cycle.
Once I understand why they believe what they believe, that’s when I can start gently reframing things.
The Core Issue: Equating Fat Loss with Suffering
Clients who have this aggressive fat loss mindset usually carry this deep, unspoken belief:
“If it doesn’t feel miserable, it’s probably not working.”
So they chase the extremes:
- The lowest possible calories (often dangerously low)
- Two-a-day cardio sessions (often in place of resistance training)
- Cutting out entire food groups (carbs, sugar, and anything “fun” in the diet is gone)
But here’s the kicker, when it doesn’t work long-term, they don’t question the method… they blame themselves.
They think they weren’t disciplined enough, or they “fell off.” When really, the system was set up to fail from the start.
So here’s the reality I discuss with them:
Fat loss doesn’t have to be miserable to be effective. In fact, the smarter strategy is almost always this: “Let’s find the most food you can eat… while still losing fat.”
That idea is actually a game changer for most. You may be reading this from a perspective where this is obvious, but to these individuals, it is actually a radically different viewpoint. They are used to thinking of fat loss as suffering through as low a calorie intake as they can. Their view of fat loss is trying to survive the torture of the process, rather than setting up the process so it isn’t torturous.
When clients start approaching it from this new angle, they stop burning out after four weeks.
They start getting results that stick. They become long-term winners, not just short-term grinders.
But don’t get me wrong, simply tell people “you know you can eat more and still lose fat” doesn’t just change their aggressive fat loss mindset over night. You have to actually educate them on the process.
Education
Once I’ve listened and understood where the client is coming from, the next step is education. This part is crucial, because it’s the moment where you help them unlearn the old story of “eat less, move more, and suffer for results.”
Instead, I introduce a new perspective. I explain:
“My goal isn’t to see how little you can eat. My goal is to find the most you can eat while still losing fat.”
At first, they usually give me that confused look. “Wait, don’t I need to slash calories to see results?”
I’ll often say something like:
“If you can lose fat eating 2000 calories… why on earth would you suffer through eating 1200?”
That line tends to click. You can almost see the tension leave their shoulders. Because deep down, most people don’t want to suffer, they just think they have to.
So before we even touch macros or meal plans, I spend time teaching them:
- How fat loss actually works. How it’s about being in a calorie deficit, not about slashing food to the lowest number possible.
- The importance of adherence over intensity. A perfect plan that only lasts 3 weeks is worse than a solid plan you can follow for 3 months. Consistency beats extremes every time.
- The risks of aggressive dieting. Muscle loss. Low energy. Hormonal imbalances. Disordered eating patterns. I don’t use scare tactics, I just lay out the facts.
Once they understand that slower, smarter fat loss leads to better results, and that eating more food can support that process, we’ve got buy-in.
If you are a coach, I am sure you understand why eating more food while still losing fat works, but I know some of you reading this either aren’t aware or aren’t fully bought in. So, when dealing with someone who is skeptical of this approach, I walk them through the why behind the approach, and how it’s backed by both science and years of real client success.
Here’s what I explain:
Why More Food = Smarter Fat Loss
It’s More Sustainable: When you’re eating more, you’re not white-knuckling your way through the day. You’re not constantly thinking about food or dragging through your workouts. Which generally means you’re more likely to stick with it.
It Supports Better Training Performance: You can’t train hard, or recover well, if you’re running on fumes. More food means better lifts, better energy, and better muscle retention (and that muscle is key to the leaner look they want).
It Preserves Muscle Mass: This is huge, especially in a deficit. Crash dieting leads to muscle loss, which not only affects your physique but also slows down your metabolism. By keeping food intake higher and training smart, we hang on to that hard-earned muscle and very often, we actually build muscle.
It Reduces the Risk of Rebound Weight Gain: The more extreme the deficit, the higher the risk of binging or rebounding once the diet ends. A moderate, manageable approach keeps things steady, both physically and mentally.
It Keeps Hormones, Energy, and Mood in a Healthier Place: Extreme deficits mess with everything from thyroid function to reproductive health to mood stability. Eating more helps keep those systems in check, and keeps you feeling more like a normal human rather than a zombie.
Now, of course, I would actually go into more depth with the client in front of me, especially as I would have information that is more specific and relevant to their life. However, after explaining everything, they’re usually on board with the philosophy behind it. At least in theory.
However, just because you are theoretically convinced by something, doesn’t mean you are fully bought into it. This is totally normal. It doesn’t mean you are doing a bad job if you are a coach, or that you are wrong to be hesitant if you are someone with this mindset.
If I was someone who you didn’t have a huge amount of rapport with yet, and I came to you to tell you about an absolute “sure thing” of a gamble you could make, you would be sceptical. Even if I rationally and scientifically explained why it was a sure thing, and showed you countless previous clients who got results trusting me, it would be completely normal to be dubious of my claims.
You may invest a little bit of money in my “sure thing”, but would you be willing to remortgage your house, take out a huge loan and bet it all? Probably not.
And this is what it often feels like to individuals with the aggressive fat loss mindset. You are asking them to bet it all on something they aren’t fully convinced of.
To overcome this, we just go through a “what’s the worst that can happen” thought experiment. They quickly realise that we can just reverse out of this, and it isn’t a life altering choice. They will still be dubious, but they will usually be willing to give you a shot. But you will have to still convince them that the approach works.
Which is why we use data driven coaching when coaching the aggressive fat loss mindset.
Data-Driven Coaching
Now that we’ve laid the foundation with education and mindset, it’s time to get into the actual process. This is where we take the emotion out of it and start looking at data, because good coaching isn’t just motivational, it’s measurable.
Every client is different, but I’ll often have a client track their food for a few days using something like myfitnesspal. Not to restrict. Not to “diet.” Just to get an accurate picture of where they’re at right now.
You’d be surprised how often someone thinks they’re eating 1200 calories a day, but when we track it properly, including oils, bites, licks, and forgotten snacks, it’s closer to 1600-1800.
Or the opposite happens, they are eating 1000 calories, and feeling absolutely wrecked by it.
So we use tracking as a tool for awareness, not as a punishment. I’ll explain: “This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about seeing where we’re starting from so we can build a plan that actually fits you.”
Reverse-Engineer the Calories
Once we’ve got a clear baseline, we reverse-engineer their estimated maintenance calories. Let’s say they are maintaining their weight around 2200 calories per day.
Now, rather than diving straight into a steep deficit, we aim for a moderate deficit. Something that encourages fat loss without destroying their quality of life. We aren’t trying to force fat loss, we are trying to encourage it.
That might mean we start them at 1700-1800 calories per day.
Then I tell them: “We’re going to find the highest number of calories you can eat while still making progress.”
We also structure the diet in a way that actually focuses on nourishing the body and properly fuelling it.
These calculators can help: Ultimate Diet Set Up Calculator, Calorie And Macronutrient Calculator and Macro Percentage Calculator
The Structure: What We Focus On
High Protein Intake: We keep protein high to preserve muscle mass during the cut. For most clients, that means aiming for around 1.8–2.2g per kg of body weight.
Whole, Nutrient-Dense Foods: Not because clean eating is magic, but because whole foods are more filling, more satisfying, and help with adherence. When people feel full, they stick with the plan.
Resistance Training as a Priority: No more “just cardio” and an excessive focus on burning calories. We lift weights, build muscle, and train to get stronger, not just burn calories. This not only helps shape the body but also improves metabolic health and long-term maintenance.
Consistency Over Perfection: We track trends, not daily fluctuations. We adjust based on progress, not emotion. This makes the process feel empowering instead of overwhelming.
Of course, there are many other aspects of the diet and health habits more broadly that we focus on, which you can read about on our diet, exercise, sleep and stress management pages.
Patience and Monitoring Progress
Now that we’ve got a solid plan in place and calories set at a sustainable level, here’s where the real coaching begins. Helping clients with the aggressive fat loss mindset stay patient and focused while the results unfold.
Because here’s the truth, and it’s one of the hardest pills for aggressive dieters to swallow:
Real fat loss doesn’t happen overnight.
Clients who’ve crash dieted before are used to seeing the scale drop 1-2kg per week, at least initially. They associate those big, fast drops with progress, even if they felt exhausted and miserable while it happened.
So when we’re doing it the right way, and the scale starts moving at a slower, more sustainable pace, they start to question the process.
That’s where mindset coaching really kicks in.
Reframing What “Progress” Actually Looks Like
I always set the expectations early on:
“If you’re losing 0.5–1% of your body weight per week, you’re on track. That’s the sweet spot. Not too fast, not too slow, and just right for preserving muscle and staying consistent.”
And I remind them often:
“We’re not just burning calories. We’re building a lifestyle. The goal here is not to lose fat at all costs, it’s to never have to diet like this again.”
We make it clear that the real win isn’t just losing a kilo, it’s sticking to the process, showing up consistently, and learning to fuel the body in a way that supports their goals long-term.
We Celebrate Adherence, Not Just Weight Loss
It also helps to celebrate habits, rather than outcomes. Each week, the first questions I ask aren’t:
- “What did the scale say?”
- “How much weight did you lose?”
They’re:
- “How consistent were you with the plan?”
- “How did you feel this week?”
- “What felt easier or harder compared to last week?”
Because the truth is, fat loss is never linear. Hormones fluctuate. Stress impacts water retention. Sleep plays a role. But if adherence is high and biofeedback is trending in the direction we want, we’re on the right path, even if the scale takes its sweet time.
Focus on Performance, Not Just the Scale
Another key part of breaking the aggressive fat loss mindset is shifting the goalposts entirely.
That’s why I always include resistance training in the plan. Not as a fat-burning hack, but as a central pillar of the transformation.
We track:
- How much they’re lifting
- How many reps they’re pushing
- How recovery is improving
This is not just because resistance training leads to muscle building/retention, which gives the body the look we desire. Yes, that is a benefit, but the real reason we really dial in on training performance is that it gives a performance metric. You simply aren’t going to perform well if you are starving yourself or engaging in poor health habits. So it is a forcing function for good habits.
Focusing on performance changes the narrative from shrinking to building. Clients start to value what their bodies can do, not just how they look. That mindset shift is what leads to long-term sustainability.
We Measure More Than Just Weight
The scale is just one data point, and often, the least helpful one. So we track a broader range of markers to give a more complete picture of progress:
Progress Photos: Body composition changes often show here first, even if the scale stalls.
Strength Gains: Getting stronger in the gym is one of the best signs we’re fueling properly and maintaining (or gaining) muscle.
Energy Levels: Are they crashing mid-day, or feeling better throughout the week?
Sleep and Mood: Better sleep and more stable moods mean their body is responding well to the plan.
Ease of the Plan: We regularly check in: “How easy is this to stick to right now?” Because if it’s too hard, it’s not going to last.
Sustainable Fat Loss Feels Good
And that’s the bottom line I always come back to.
Fat loss done right shouldn’t feel like punishment. It should feel like progress, inside and out.
When a client can train well, eat enough, sleep better, and still see slow and steady changes? That’s when we know we’re winning. Because the real transformation isn’t just physical, it’s also mental. They’re no longer chasing the next extreme. They’re building something that fits their life, and that they can maintain for years to come.
Reframing Success
Now, one of my favourite parts of the process is actually getting them to see progress from a different angle. Ultimately, this is where it all clicks. The data makes sense, the body is responding, and most importantly, the mindset shift finally starts to occur.
After a few weeks or months of consistent, sustainable progress, something incredible starts to happen with clients like this.
They’re eating more food than they ever thought possible, maybe even double what they used to eat on their old crash diets, and yet, the scale is dropping. Their clothes fit better. Their face looks leaner. Their confidence is rising.
But even more powerful than the physical changes are the internal ones:
- They’re stronger in the gym.
- They’re sleeping better than they have in years.
- Their energy and mood are stable.
- Food isn’t a source of stress.
- They’re no longer obsessed with the number on the scale, and they’re paying attention to how they actually feel.
They start to say things like:
“I actually like how I feel eating this much.”
“I never thought I could lose weight without starving.”
“Why didn’t anyone teach me this before?”
From Fear to Respect
They are no longer afraid of food and now, they respect it. They see carbs as a training tool, not a threat. They see calories as energy, not the enemy. And instead of trying to eat as little as possible, they’re fueling their body to perform.
This is the moment where their identity starts to shift from someone who’s always dieting, to someone who eats with purpose, trains with intent, and feels in control of their body.
From Suffering to Strategy
Before, they believed that suffering was the price of success. That the only way to “earn” a lean body was through restriction, punishment, and sacrifice. Now they know better.
They understand:
- That consistency beats intensity
- That more food can mean better fat loss
- That training smart and fueling properly is what makes results stick
And they start to own that:
“I don’t have to hate the process to get the outcome I want.”
That’s real freedom. That’s what success actually feels like.
The Big Picture
When done right, you can shift their mindset from excessive restriction and a hyper-focus on seeing physical results, and completely redefining what “results” even mean.
It’s not just about being lighter on the scale.
It’s about:
- Being empowered in your body
- Feeling healthy and fuelled
- Trusting the process
- Ditching the fear-driven dieting cycle
- And realising that your best results don’t come from doing more cardio or eating less food, they come from doing the right things, consistently, over time
When a client like this gets to this point, they’re not just on a diet anymore. They’re living in alignment with the lifestyle that supports their goals, and they actually enjoy it.
That’s the real win. That’s what we’re coaching towards.
Final Thoughts: Changing The Aggressive Fat Loss Mindset
When you can take a client from asking,
“How little can I eat?” to confidently saying, “How much can I eat and still succeed?”, that’s when you know you have done a good job
Ultimately, fat loss is never just about the food, it’s about the relationship we have with food, our bodies, and the process itself.
As a coach, your job isn’t just to help someone lose weight. It’s to help them change the way they think about weight loss. To teach them that suffering isn’t a badge of honour. That eating more doesn’t mean gaining fat. That fueling their body properly is a positive move, not a step backwards.
So if you’re a coach reading this, or someone trying to navigate this journey on your own, remember this:
Sustainable fat loss is not a sprint.
The smartest strategy usually involves:
- Eat as much as possible while still making progress
- Train hard and build strength, not just burn calories
- Prioritise recovery, sleep, and energy
- And let fat loss happen as a side effect of a lifestyle you actually enjoy.
Ultimately, changing an aggressive fat loss mindset doesn’t come from handing out a better meal plan. It takes education, empathy, and repetition. It’s about showing someone a different path than the one they have gone down before. One that builds them up instead of breaking them down.
Whenever I have a client like this, I know that the real work isn’t just in the macros. It’s in changing the mindset. But once that shifts, fat loss becomes not just easier, but it can actually become empowering.
Client case studies, such as this case study on changing the aggressive fat loss mindset, are a phenomenal way to learn how to coach someone. While we teach people how to coach nutrition, there is just so much to learn and you often need examples to illustrate the concepts.
Unfortunately, you can’t really find these online, and it leads coaches to make the same mistakes over and over, and it makes it difficult for coaches to know what to do. They end up feeling lost and unsure.
Case studies also help the average person who may find that they have roughly the same characteristics and problems covered in the case study, and thus they get a peek into how coaching may help them solve their problems.
As we are very interested in both helping the average person with their health and fitness (this is why we put out so much free content) and we want to improve the health and fitness industry by creating phenomenal coaches, providing free access to these case studies makes sense.
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