What Overweight People Need to Know About Fat Loss
If you’ve ever struggled with being overweight — or even had those days where you just feel fat — then you already know how loud, confusing, and frustrating the world of fat loss can be. One article says cut carbs, another says cut fat, another says you need to train twice a day, and some influencer is out there surviving on lemon water and “mindset.”
Meanwhile, everyday people with real jobs, real families, real responsibilities… are just trying to figure out how to finally make progress without turning their entire life upside down.
So today, we’re going to cut through all the nonsense.
Here are five fat-loss truths that almost nobody talks about… but absolutely should.
1. The Real Culprit Isn’t Just Carbs or Sugar — It’s Hidden Junk Fats
For years, carbs and sugar have taken the blame for why people become overweight. And look — eating tons of sugar isn’t ideal, and removing added sugars can lead to great success. But the real issue for many overweight or “feel-fat” adults isn’t sugar in isolation… it’s the hidden fats that sneak into almost every convenience meal, restaurant dish, or fast-food option.
These aren’t the clean, nutrient-rich fats you get from eggs, avocado, fatty fish, or a well-portioned amount of olive oil.
These are junk fats — oils, dressings, cheese blends, mayonnaise, fryers, cream sauces, buttery spreads — layered onto foods that already pack a calorie punch.
It’s why things like:
Pizza
Donuts
Chips
Drive-thru meals
Fried foods
Restaurant salads drowning in dressing
…become such a problem. They’re marketed as “carb-heavy,” but the majority of their calories come from excessive, low-quality fats.
Being overweight doesn’t come from eating a piece of fruit. It doesn’t come from having oatmeal or a potato. It comes from underestimating how many calories are packed into foods cooked in oils, slathered in sauces, or paired with fatty toppings.
Healthy fats aren’t the enemy.
Uncontrolled, hidden junk fats are.
If most people became aware of how much fat they consume — not eliminating it, just controlling it — their weight would move in the right direction almost instantly.
2. The Best Exercise for Overweight People Isn’t What You Think
Forget burpees, 5-mile runs, or some heroic workout you saw on TikTok.
For people who are overweight — especially if you’re out of shape or feel intimidated by the gym — the single most powerful starting point is the 10-minute walk.
Why?
Because you’ll actually do it.
You don’t need:
special shoes
a pre-workout
a gym membership
perfect weather
or motivation that only comes around every three months
As a fitness coach, I care about adherence. Walk daily for 10 minutes and you’ll create consistency, momentum, and confidence. Add a weighted vest later. Add hills. Add time. But the win is in the simplicity.
This is the exercise I give clients through both online coaching and personal training, and it’s a total game-changer.
3. Morning Sunlight Helps Control Hunger (Yes, Really)
Here’s one most people never hear:
Getting sunlight first thing in the day helps regulate appetite.
Morning light can:
Normalize hunger hormones
Improve glucose regulation
Reduce cravings
Align your internal rhythm, so you make better food decisions
Screens throw your hunger cues out of balance. Sunlight brings them back.
This is one of those small habits that overweight people overlook because they think fat loss has to be complicated. But something as simple as stepping outside for 5 minutes each morning can shift your entire day.
4. The Real Food Trap: Bad Carbs + Bad Fat Together
“Coach, is it better to cut carbs or cut fat?”
Neither.
The biggest danger is combining excessive carbs and fat — especially the junk versions.
Carbs by themselves aren’t dangerous. Healthy fats by themselves aren’t dangerous. In fact, pairing a clean carb (like potatoes, fruit, oats, rice) with a clean fat (like avocado, nuts, olive oil) can be a great, balanced way to fuel your body.
The real problem — the thing that keeps overweight people stuck — is the combination of refined carbs and low-quality fats, which almost always shows up in junk foods and restaurant meals. That’s the combo that creates foods that are irresistible, addictive, and extremely calorie-dense.
Examples:
Breads with butter
Pasta with creamy sauces
Fries
Pastries
Pizza
Cookies
Chips
This combo is what encourages overeating, making fat loss feel impossible.
A better example meal?
Lean steak + baked potato
Satisfying. High in protein. Easier to control calories. No “trigger combo.”
This one shift helps overweight clients immediately reduce overconsumption without feeling deprived.
5. Start by Adding — Not Restricting
Most diets fail because they begin with removal:
Cut carbs
Cut snacks
Cut sugar
Cut joy
Cut sanity
A more realistic approach — especially for overweight adults with busy lives — is to add two key things:
Add Protein
Increasing protein helps with:
Hunger control
Muscle retention
Blood sugar regulation
Overall calorie reduction
When clients raise protein from 12% of their diet to even 20%, weight almost always starts dropping.
Add Vegetables
Veggies add:
Volume
Fiber
Satiety
Nutrients
You stay full while eating fewer calories without feeling like you’re living on bird food.
This “addition first” method is something we use constantly in our nutrition coaching programs at West San Antonio Fitness.
Conclusion: Real Fat Loss Comes From Simple, Repeatable Habits
Long-term fat loss isn’t about perfection. It’s not about starving yourself. And it’s definitely not about doing workouts that make you dread fitness altogether.
It’s about learning small, practical truths — like the ones above — and applying them consistently.
If you’re overweight, or even if you just feel like you’ve lost control of your body, start with the easiest win on this list. You don’t need a dramatic overhaul. You just need one small action repeated daily.
And if you want guidance, accountability, and a coach who actually understands the day-to-day challenges of real life, that’s exactly what we do at West San Antonio Fitness.
Whether it’s 1-on-1 personal training or online fitness coaching, we help you build habits that last — without judgment, without pressure, and without unrealistic rules.
Get started here!
