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Building Successful Fat Loss Workout Programs

fat loss

It is the number one reason that so many people start trying to workout. They want to lose body fat and that is not a bad goal. Whether it is because they want to improve their health, their quality of life, or just feel better about themselves, it makes sense why so many fitness goals revolve around fat loss.

Sadly, it is something I have to admit to as well as a young coach, my real understanding of what makes for a good fat loss program wasn’t where it needed to be in reality. Yes, I followed the classic idea of “you need to exercise more and eat less” as the foundational piece of advice. While I saw many clients lose some body fat from such advice, the truth is that the gains were never as impressive as either of us wanted and it was most challenging wasn’t something I had a good answer for which was consistency.

I fell into the trap of telling me they just had to “want to” make themselves come and focus on their bigger goals, but that still made many fall short. That is what made me the past several years get into behavioral science and look at what the research REALLY says about effective strategies for fat loss and I want to share many of those with you today.

Flexibility Builds Consistency and Long-Term Success

Rigid workout programs might look great on paper, but they often fall apart in real life. Research from Dr. Katy Milkman at the University of Pennsylvania, a leading behavioral scientist and author of How to Change, has shown that flexibility in exercise routines is one of the strongest predictors of long-term adherence.

In one of her studies, participants who built “flexible habits”  allowing themselves multiple options for when or how they exercised were far more likely to sustain regular workouts than those locked into rigid schedules. When people had only one fixed plan (“I’ll work out at 6 AM every day”), any disruption travel, fatigue, unexpected meetings derailed their consistency. But those with flexible plans (“I’ll work out before or after work, depending on the day”) stayed on track because they could adapt.

fat loss

Milkman’s research on “temptation bundling”  pairing an enjoyable activity (like a favorite podcast) with exercise  further reinforces the idea that motivation and structure can coexist. The takeaway isn’t that discipline doesn’t matter; it’s that rigid discipline without flexibility isn’t sustainable.

Flexibility reduces psychological friction. It transforms exercise from an obligation into an adaptable part of daily life something that can adjust to the real world, rather than break when life happens. And that’s the key: people don’t fail because they lack motivation; they fail because their plan doesn’t fit their life. Building flexibility into your training design keeps people consistent, confident, and ultimately far more successful in achieving fat loss and fitness goals.

 

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Enjoyment is a Powerful Driver of Consistency

It might sound simple, but one of the strongest predictors of whether someone sticks with exercise is whether they actually enjoy it. A 2015 study in Frontiers in Psychology (you can read HERE)found that perceived enjoyment was one of the best indicators of long-term adherence to physical activity.

When workouts are enjoyable meaning they feel rewarding, social, or personally meaningful  they’re more likely to become habits. Enjoyment activates the brain’s reward centers, releasing dopamine and reinforcing behavior through positive feedback loops.

fat loss

In contrast, workouts that feel punishing or joyless increase stress hormones like cortisol, which not only makes consistency harder but can also disrupt recovery and appetite regulation.

For fat loss, enjoyment matters because consistency is king. The “best” workout isn’t the one that burns the most calories it’s the one you’ll actually do, week after week. That might mean exposing people to different training methods, tools, and even various forms of exercise. It might also mean incorporating social workouts, outdoor training, or group settings that boost accountability and engagement.

Focus on Small, Measurable Wins

Fat loss is rarely linear. Weight fluctuates, progress stalls, and motivation dips. But studies show that when people focus on process goals things they can control rather than just outcome goals (like the number on a scale), they’re more likely to stay motivated and achieve lasting success.

For example, focusing on getting two more workouts in per week, improving your squat by 10 pounds, or consistently tracking your sleep are all process goals that build momentum. Research has found (PMID: 32087342) that participants who focused on behavioral goals (like consistency and strength improvements) maintained motivation far better than those fixated on weight loss alone.

fat loss

We discuss this in-depth at our Fat Loss Masterclass you can still sign-up for 20% off HERE with code “coach20” 

These small wins activate the brain’s reward system, creating a sense of accomplishment that fuels future effort. Over time, that consistent engagement leads to better training quality, improved performance, and the metabolic adaptations that support sustainable fat loss.

Strength-focused training is particularly effective because getting stronger improves muscle mass and metabolic efficiency, helping the body burn more calories at rest. More importantly, it reinforces a growth mindset shifting the focus from “fixing” your body to building what it can do.

Shifting Our Training Focus

For so long I focused on worrying about the perfect exercises or programs, when in reality I was missing far bigger issues that would lead to consistency in my clients. We often forget because many of us in fitness already do these things natural, they are key in helping those that don’t fall in love with fitness as we often do. In focusing on these strategies we can so greatly help people find the success they really want to achieve.

Find out MUCH more at our upcoming online CEU Fat Loss Masterclass and save 20% with code “coach20” HERE this week only!

fat loss