By Louise Malone, Manager of Fitness Engagement

Let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate: Your body is not the problem. The problem is that we’ve been sold decades of confusing, incomplete, and sometimes downright harmful information about food, exercise, and “health.”

So, let’s clear the noise and talk about what actually matters: energy, muscle, fat, and longevity.

1. Eating Enough to Support Your Energy Needs (Yes, Enough!)

Your body runs on energy. Period. And yet, one of the most common mistakes I see is people undereating while expecting their bodies to perform, recover, and thrive.

Here’s the breakdown:

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs just to exist, to breathe, circulate blood, and support your current muscle mass. That number does not include life.

And life costs calories.

In addition to your BMR, you must add:

• 250 calories minimum for a sedentary day
• Up to 450 calories for an active day

These calories cover Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)—things that are not exercise:

• Working
• Cleaning
• Walking the dog
• Running errands
• Chasing kids (or thoughts)

On days you exercise, those calories also need to be added to your intake.

Why does this matter so much? Because when you don’t eat enough:

• Your body cannot synthesize the protein needed to repair and maintain muscle
• Muscle tissue begins to decrease
• Your basal metabolic rate drops
• And with that comes increased risk of:
  • Osteopenia & osteoporosis
  • Type 2 diabetes

And let’s be very clear about this: 👉 Eating under 1500 calories a day dramatically increases the likelihood that you are missing essential nutrients.

So please…EAT. Fuel is not the enemy. Starvation is.

2. Tackling Visceral (Belly) Fat

Ah yes, the stubborn stuff. Visceral fat isn’t just about how we look; it’s about metabolic health. And the strategy here is very specific.

The most effective approach?

Interval training.

Here’s how to do it:

Cardio

• Add 30–45 second “pick-ups” every 4–5 minutes
• Increase speed, resistance, or intensity briefly, then recover
• Or better yet… 👉 Go to a cycle class—the epitome of interval training

Strength Training

• Swap straight sets for supersets
• Pair 2–3 exercises back-to-back with no rest

Example:

• 12 Goblet Squats
• 10 Medicine Ball Slams
• 15 TRX Horizontal Rows

Repeat 2–3 rounds. No rest. Rinse and repeat.

Why does this work? Because unpredictable, high-intensity intervals are the most powerful training stimulus for targeting visceral fat.

And one more thing, non-negotiable:

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Chronic sleep deprivation increases cortisol levels, and cortisol loves to store fat in the abdominal region. Train hard. Recover harder.

3. Improving Our Muscle-to-Fat Ratio

This is where mindset matters most.

When people see a higher-than-expected body fat percentage, the knee-jerk reaction is:

“Oh $*$%… I have to lose weight.”

But here’s the truth (and it’s counter-intuitive):

Aggressive fat-loss strategies like severe calorie restriction, starvation, questionable cleanse tactics, often make the muscle-to-fat ratio worse.

When you under-eat:

• You lose muscle
• Fat percentage can stay the same—or increase
• Metabolism slows

Instead: 👉 Eat to build lean body mass.

When muscle increases:

• Basal metabolic rate increases
• Fat percentage naturally decreases
• Your body becomes more efficient, resilient, and strong

Muscle is not something you “bulk accidentally.” It is something you earn and protect.

4. A Quick Word on BMI

BMI isn’t perfect. We know that.

But it’s still one of the basic metrics used to assess population health. As a general guideline:

• A BMI between 18 and 24 is associated with lower health risks. Use it as a reference point, not a verdict.

Parting Words (and then I’ll shut up)

Exercise is the most powerful drug we have for longevity.

Yes, you might be on a set timeline journey right now, but don’t lose sight of the bigger picture.

Train for:

• Strength
• Energy
• Bone health
• Independence
• Confidence
• And a body that supports you for decades to come

Think long game. Your future self is counting on you.

Louise Malone 💪