Everything Fat Loss: The Definitive No Bullsh*t Guide

by Ben Carpenter

This is not your typical weight loss book.

Weight loss books have historically been rife with misinformation. A conveyor belt of diet books pretending to have the latest revolutionary weight loss "hacks", trying to grab your attention with whatever weight loss diet is trending.

What is the best diet for you? Is it the ketogenic diet? Is it intermittent fasting? Is it the 5:2 diet? Is it a low-carb diet, a low-fat diet, or one of the many rapid weight loss plans promising that you can all lose an astronomical amount of weight in a short space of time?

Do you know what doesn't make sense? Telling everyone to follow the same weight loss diet, period. Diets are not one size fits all. We are all different, and a diet plan that your friend is successful with might be a diet plan that doesn’t work for you. There is no 'best' weight loss diet for everyone. We are all individuals with different biology, preferences, and circumstances.

Here are some cold, hard facts:

- It is estimated that half of all adults are attempting to lose weight at least once per year.
- Losing fat is the most sought-after goal in the fitness industry.
- Despite the prevalence of diet attempts, global body weights have been trending upward for the last 50 years.
- Most people who start a weight loss diet only get short-term results and are not successful at keeping that weight off in the long run.
- Many of you feel confused by the huge amount of conflicting weight loss information and feel fed up with hopping from one diet to the next, constantly losing and regaining the same amount of weight.

Rather than pretending to have the universal solution for everyone, Everything Fat Loss comprehensively explains and summarises what the research actually says about every major fat loss topic to help you formulate a plan that works for you. No gimmicks. No overhyped marketing. No cookie-cutter diet plans. No false promises.

This is the ultimate scientific resource on fat loss, written to cut through the BS.

It is literally, everything you need to know about fat loss, compiled into one handy resource.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Audiobook, Science, Self Help, Nutrition, Fitness

448 pages, Paperback

Published January 27, 2023

About the author

Ben Carpenter has been a personal trainer since 2006 and has worked with a diverse range of clients ranging from young athletes training to be fitness models to elderly people who are just trying their best to live a bit longer. Over time, he shifted his focus towards specialising on the most common goal that his clients strived for, losing body fat.

He realised that if he truly wanted to help as many people as possible, he needed to step away from one-to-one clients only and turn towards social media to reach a larger audience. He has been posting social media content since 2009, answering as many of your questions as possible, completely free of charge, and his videos are now seen by millions of people every single week.

His goal is simple: help you as his metaphorical client. Whether that’s navigating the minefield of misinformation that the weight loss industry is rife with – like quick fix fad diets that are being endorsed by whichever celebrity is being paid the most – or providing you with simplified summaries of the latest research papers.

He is a self-confessed ‘research nerd’. He isn’t a scientist working behind the scenes to publish research papers. He is a personal trainer that has devoted his entire adult life helping his clients and social media followers get the best results possible. It isn’t just about being up to date on the latest scientific research, but actually helping you put this infor

Reviews

[Kate Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Ben’s Instagram feed — he presents as compassionate, honest, and evidence-based: one of my favorite social media follows. This book is meticulously researched, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a survey of the scientific consensus on a wealth of topics but is not in search of a specific prescription for what to do next, which he leaves open to individual circumstance. A good stepping stone along a journey.

[Afshawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who thinks and worries about my weight probably more than I should, this book was a great read. As my weight was creeping up to an all-time high, I wanted to make some changes but wanted to make changes actually rooted in science and could work long-term, while still allowing me to enjoy my social/eating life. I follow Ben on Instagram and appreciate his long form, no BS, no selling videos where he tries to actually teach you instead of sell you something or get more clicks. This book is an extended version of that, diving into every topic related to weight loss.

What I appreciate about this book - and what others may struggle with - is he does not tell you what to do. He lays out pros and cons for everything and while there are certain things that he definitely signifies are better for you, he still wants you to decide what will work best for your individual life style. He spends a lot of time acknowledging how different we are in how we live our lives and what we respond to, so how can there be one size fits all diet advice? To help with that, after every chapter or major section he has a few bullets on "how to put this into action" which was really helpful in summarizing the material and giving you a few specifics to consider, while staying rooted in the reality of sometimes you just want to eat some cake.

This book is chock full of science and research (60 pages of the book is just references to every research publication he notes), so while I found this awesome, I could see people who aren't as into science or research to find this overwhelming or off-putting.

But overall, a really great read, where I learned a lot and reinforced some ideas I figured but now have the data to back it up!

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.nowdix.ca/2024/09/enduro-...

How quickly will you lose weight!!!
Well this looks like an interesting read….

1. Dream weight ('a weight you would choose if you could weigh whatever you wanted')
2. Happy weight ('this weight is not as ideal as the first one. It is a weight, however, that you would be happy to achieve)
3. Acceptable weight (a weight that you would not be particularly happy with, but one that you could accept, since it is less than your current weight')
4. Disappointed weight ('a weight that is less than your current weight, but one that you could not view as successful in any way. You would be disappointed if this were your final weight after the program')


Despite its very aggressive nature, how many do you think achieved their 'goal weight, which averaged a 32% body weight reduction? Just 4 of the original 60 participants. None of them achieved their 'dream weight' and nearly half of them didn't even hit their 'disappointed weight' target, which was set at around a lofty 17% reduction in body weight, on average. Think about it like this: if someone weighed 100kg (220lbs) and they described losing 17kg (37.5lbs) in a mere
48 weeks as 'disappointing, just where are their expectations at?
Losing a quarter of their body weight was described as
"acceptable'.
Losing a third of their body weight was the 'goal'.
To achieve their 'dream weight', they needed to lose nearly 40% of their body weight.

It’s good look at how aggressive a diet works.
——————————my favourite part of the book 📕—————————-


I think he is right though and what we eat,
Is a bull shit guide, to not a black and white ultimatums.

The propaganda on lots of stuff maybe a chocolate bar is good in moderation but not as good as grapes 🍇.
The nuance he says is not just the the grapes have more sugar than chocolate 🍫.

It’s that sugar is not that bad as is not as simple as processed foods as ultimately processed foods he points out.

I think he does a good job on that’s it’s not as simpleton to say, in my opinion I’m inundated with TikTok saying,

“I find it’s kind of interesting that will feed kids 40 grams of sugar in cake treats and pop and then say they need Ritalin to help them calm down.

Even as an adult I have to be careful with my sugar or I get jumpy.

It’s like in one hand we’re poisoning our kids with sugar then prescribing medication 💊 to help from poisoning them with a food security subsidiary of cheap food like sugar of corn derivative foods that are sugar and are heavily subsidized to make even more cheap then expect.”

People not to buy cheap affordable energy. When it’s way easier to eat six donuts but way harder to eat six apples 🍎

Is an accurate description of what many people find is.


Cheap reliable resourceful available food at a quick dispensary moment is….
Well not every one has time to grocery shop for the home cooked meal and what is available to them
On there way home from work is the fast food that they’ll go home take care of the kids, clean house, walk the dog. Maybe get some tlc for their self’s and read a book.

What’s available is not the apple VR set showing how to time mushrooms 🍄 and vegetables to 🥩 season and cooked meats with preparation of an afternoon time schedule. Most don’t have a celebrity time slot of budgeting or planning that kid of meal. Most do have time to splat a pot of spaghetti on the table and put meat sauce over it then wipe it down.

Like
I BBQ there’s huge steps to get the BBQ ready in winter you have to start it 20
Minutes before melt some snow and ice off to
Remove it easier then make sure propane is available got rib eye steak 🥩 that stuff takes a day off work to plan a valentines dinner 🍽️.
Not to
Mention a clean house 🏡 to eat in.

Cause my table is a collection spot of stuff.

You can lose weight on a chocolate bar 🍫 a day for energy.

I find lots of people there sugars get messed up with medication 💊 and that medication is need for life in ways.

It’s finding a balance, Ben talks depression.

I find does depression cause weight gain or does weight gain cause depression.

Are depression meds linked to weight gain or does weight gain linked to depression.

They’ve know long before the depression even in a pandemic 😷 today might be worst today than 1920 and medications 💊 have helped many out of hard years.

Just what does it do to our sugars.

And that’s why it’s an anti depression medication 💊.


Over all I really enjoyed the book. I’m only 1/3 through it, but I had my own views I’m argue or segueing in from and dissenting in the book.

Ben is a great speaker and has a high emotional intelligence for mental health.

I suffer with a mental health problem so I pick up his book.

I’ve lost 1/4 of my weight I find it acceptable but not my dream weight. I’d like to fit in my suit shirts again from the pandemic cause medications weight gain. But they were definitely needed to make it through and I’m happy for a med change a year later.

I did it with fiber like chia and flax seed powder- digestible fiber and non digestible fiber husk and essential fatty acids but I understand that’s not every one. My wife tried Ozempic but that is even more aggressive than my diet and she felt sick yet happpy she lost 1/3 her weight but she wants to lose 40% of her weight….. I think that’s a bit aggressive but that’s here and nor there for me to say.

The book help me cope with hospital visits with this. At this time 🤔 the book is heavy need read.

And I’d recommend it to many.

I’m, I going to finish it.

I wish I still had my free trail of speechified cause I would and if it were audio I might but I used speechified for my last book, I tried doing two books with my free trial. And well got 1/4 way through the book.

Paper books are just not my thing.

Audiobooks though I can get through very easily.

So if it were in audio with a pdf involved id buy it again. As of now I think it’s in my unfinished library. 📚

https://www.nowdix.ca/2023/08/fiber-p...

https://www.nowdix.ca/2022/10/lost-we...

I’ll leave a blog post on fiber and my results from it.


Chapters include

CONTENTS
Why Have I Written This Book for You?
1
1. Why Do You Want to Lose Body Fat?
7
2. Don't People Just Need More Willpower?
27
3. The Fundamental Concepts of Weight Loss
72
4. Food Quality vs Food Quantity
90
5. How Quickly Will I Lose Weight?
112
6. What Difference Does Exercise Make?
131

————————what I read————-


7. How Difficult Is Maintaining Long-Term Weight Loss? 146

8. What Diet Will Work for Me?
169
9. What Is the Best Meal Frequency?
239
10. Sugar: The Truth Behind the Controversy
251
11. Alcohol: The Cost-to-Benefit Ratio
268
12. Cheat Meals, Refeeds and Diet Breaks
282
13. Can Keeping Track Keep You on Track? The Science

of Self-Monitoring
298
14. What Else Can Affect Weight Loss?
338
Where to Go from Here
361

[Amy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. No BS but real data.

[Abigail Endsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

While many of the reviews on this book are biased (including mine!), I still think it's worth a read for someone who's interested in fat loss for themselves, and who wants to equip themselves with the basic knowledge of the physiology behind it.

The Good:
Ben's point, both in this book and throughout his Instagram feed (which I follow and enjoy, like most of theses reviewers) is to help you learn the facts—as much as we have—about weight/fat loss, dieting, and it's impact on not just your body, but also your mental health. His goal is to keep you from falling prey to scams and false promises, and help you choose the path that's right for you. What makes Ben different than other authors who've written about fat loss is his intense focus on mental health, his perspective that weight/fat loss doesn't always mean "healthier" (and often isn't the best goal in and of itself), his free admittance that most of the science we have *isn't* conclusive, and his genuine desire to prevent disordered eating patterns. THIS is why I would recommend this book for beginners, and from that perspective it's a 4 or 5 star book.

The Bad:
This book is dense. The science isn't hard to follow, but the composition itself can be tough to get through. Ben repeats himself a lot, and often drags a point out farther than it needs to be (in my opinion). The book could be at least 20% shorter and still pack the exact same value. Additionally, you can tell in Ben's tone that he began on social media. He's used to people coming at him for his opinions, taking things out of context, and accusing him of beliefs and opinions that he doesn't hold. This background shows up in his writing, as he often backtracks or adds too many disclaimers (pre-responding to negative feedback), which can feel condescending to to reader. This somewhat diffuses his confidence and his authority as an expert. From this perspective, it's a 2 or 3 star book.

All in all, the content in this book is great. Not revolutionary—it really is the basics—but even as someone who's been knee deep in this type of content for years, I still found value in some of the points he made (once we got past the first chunk about "what are calories", etc.). And I *really* found value in being exposed to his perspective, even if it's tough to read. For that, I give the book 4 stars.

If you're going to learn about the physiology behind fat loss with the intention of applying it to your own life, learn about it from someone like Ben. I really think you'll be much better equipped to start (or continue) the journey more mindful of your physical and mental health.

[Hannah Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author.

If you're familiar with Ben Carpenter's social media accounts, this book is a long form version of that. I really appreciate that he presents data that both supports and refutes beliefs about topics related to fat loss without telling the reader what to do. His intention in writing the book is to present the reader with information so that they can then make the best decision for themselves.

I'm a weight-neutral personal trainer who believes that healthy bodies come in all shapes and size, and that losing weight won't necessarily improve one's health or lead to a happier life. I read this book to help me better communicate with my clients who, more often than not, want to exercise to lose weight. I believe everyone has the right to do whatever they want with their body, and the info in this book will help me educate clients on the methods, what the evidence says, and any risks involved. I recommend this book to anyone who works in a weight-centric field such as fitness, or health and wellness.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

No BS

This is for everybody who has struggled to lose weight. No BS, just honest truth that nobody will tell you, like, maybe you actually don't NEED to lose weight!!

So refreshing! A must read!

[Miss Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing 👏

Buy this book, you won't regret it... and if you can't afford to, then it's worth following Ben on instagram.

[Charley Reay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually Useful

Never did I think I’d give a 5* review to a book titled ‘everything fat loss’ - I’ve been following intuitive rating for 10+ years which has done wonders for my mental health and actually led me to eat much more healthily than the years prior. Still, now I am over 40, diabetic and looking down the barrel of NAFLD I needed some information that would help me make my diet even better & maybe lose some body fat to improve these heath conditions. Ben to the rescue- I’ve followed him on Insta for around a year. and was confident that I’d get sound sensible advice and not some of the same nutrib*****ks we’ve put up with for decades. Thanks you Ben for this weekend truly no bullsh*t book!

[Stacy ohmyskulls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I follow Ben on instagram so was already very familiar with his informative approach to sharing information on weight loss, nutrition, and fitness! This is not your typical "weight loss book", in that it is not pushing a particular method, product, or approach. Rather, the author aims to share a wealth of research on a variety of topics in fitness and nutrition, and leaves the prescriptive "what should i do next?" up to you. Especially because pursuing fitness and health is so individualized, this way of presenting information really appeals to me personally. As he says multiple times throughout the book, he aims to arm you with enough information so that you can choose the best path for yourself, rather than choosing one for you.

Having been a part of the fitness space for many years, he aims to dispel a lot of the misinformation, bullshit, sales pitches, and false promises that fitness influencers (and diet culture in general) try to sell you on. And from what I can gather, his approach with his clients is very nuanced and compassionate, and that is reflected in the tone of his book as well. Even if this isn't something you'd prefer to read a whole book about, if the topic sounds even remotely interesting, I'd recommend following him on instagram to see if his style of sharing information appeals to you as well.

[Sid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything you need to know to live a healthy lifestyle.

Every. Single. Thing.

Highly recommend reading this and following Ben on social media!

[Linda Knauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ya'll! I have followed Ben Carpenter on social media for a while. As someone who was once 300 lbs, and continues to improve my health with little steps all the time, I love his content. I love that he calls out posts that are harmful or inaccurate. I love that he admits working on your health doesn't immediately mean working on your weight (though I have lost over 100 lbs over the years). I know he uses some language that will make some of you cringe or cover your ears but I still highly recommend this book.

Facts, figures, pros, and cons for all parts of fat loss. He goes over different types of diets and factors. If you want just the facts about fat loss without the fluff and unbiased, this is your next book.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It was so informative. I have been following the author for a while on social media, and I love his videos and how he debunks the bs in the diet industry. It took me a bit to buy the book because I wasn't sure how helpful it would be for me.

I'm so glad I bought it. He brings all the research for everything about fat loss here in this one helpful guide. Then you can make educated decisions on what will work best for you, because everyone is different, and everyone responds differently. I love that he starts the book with questioning if you really even need to lose weight. At the end of each chapter or section, he has practical ways that you can put the information to use in your life...or not. Also, you can just hear the compassion and understanding coming from the author throughout this book. He has a real understanding of many of the struggles that people face with fat loss, and that it's not just a black and white topic, but has a lot of nuance. He is also careful to warn people against the dangers of developing eating disorders, and making sure that you are taking care of your mental health, as well as, your physical health. I feel empowered to make good decisions for my health going forward.

I would recommend this book, not only to those that are looking to lose fat, but also health professionals and people in the fitness industry.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I follow Ben on social media and always liked the information he shared so I decided to buy his book. I feel like this book answered any question I could’ve come up with regarding weight loss and things that could help or hinder it. He doesn’t give you a diet and exercise plan. First, he asks you to examine why you think you need to lose weight and if maybe there are other things you could implement if you were trying to make your health better without specifically aiming for weight loss. But then he goes on to give people basic information on what carbs are, fat, protein. And he goes on to examine popular diets and what exactly studies say about them. He talks about the role of sleep and how that can affect how much you eat. He talks about the setpoint and things that can make it harder to maintain weight loss and strategies that you can possibly implement to try to combat that. I just feel like this is such a great resource and I know that he is going to be releasing a new version of this book that’s a little more user-friendly for people who are not so geeked out on the science. I would highly encourage this version if you want to get the information right away.

[AkelaRa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Краще з написаного по дієтологів для широкої аудиторії.
Кожна концепція обгрунтована наведеними дослідженнями. Для більшості концепцій (чи навіть для всіх, не певна) наведено дослідження які підтверджують та які скасовують цю концепцію.
На читача не тисне ідея "худнуть неможливо сдохнуть", але пропагується ідея побудови здорових стосунків з власним тілом.
Кожний розділ складається із формулювання проблеми, досліджень, досвіду автору та короткого резюме, як втілити в життя корисне із розділу (зважаючи на те, що читачі можуть бути в різних контекстах).

[Wilga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an obligatory book for everyone who needs to slim down a little. It is:
- full of substance
- deeply researched and filled with scientific studies
- covering all possible topics regarding losing weight
- clear and well organized
- written in a friendly manner
- making many good points
- interesting to read
- no bullshit indeed :).

[Tenille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got almost all the way through, didn’t actually finish it but I am finished reading it lol.
A lot of information, it can be hard to take it all in. Rating 5 stars cause it’s good information laid out in a consumable way. Honest and straight forward.

[Mary Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben expertly explains multiple complicated and heavily scientific topics in easily digestible language without dumbing it down or losing details. He approaches the subject of weight loss/fat loss gently and with lots of margin for life and personal preferences. If you are curious about fat loss and diet strategies without the heavy under tones of diet culture and snake oil sales, this is the book I would absolutely recommend.

[Liisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kui sina ei taha seda raamatut lugeda, siis: söö pigem rohkem valku, pane aeg-ajalt kirja ja mõõda, mida sa sööd, ära söö teleka ees ja söö aeglaselt. polegi ju mingi imeretsepti. aga kui sulle meeldivad põhjendused, uuringud ja vahetevahel ropendav lugeja, siis... loe. mina muidugi kuulasin.

[Kathryn Knoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well researched and accurate. You won't get fad diets or other BS here!

[Dayana Todorova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely in love with that book. Easy to read. Data based. Informative in every possible way and will ultimately make you adopt all the positive lifestyle changes.

[Andi Ferrenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wealth of information. Thoughtful analysis in a very engaging writing style. I have read a lot on nutrition and weight loss over the years for my work and this is arguably the best IMO.

[Paul Sharp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started reading and got a little bit bored. 120 pages in and plenty of facts, but just felt like a really tough read. Will suit someone who's never read a diet book before or people who are massive fans of the author. Some okay stuff in there but not finishable for me.

[Caroline Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect antidote to diet books. Ben Carpenter is a no-nonsense personal trainer who looks at the research, and frequently the lack of research, behind some of the most notable diet programmes. Instead of promising you the sun, moon, and stars of weight loss and muscle mass, he looks instead at the potential impact a diet or activity can have on your body and your mental health. An absolute must-read for anyone who is planning to try losing weight this year. It's also something that anyone who is a personal trainer or weight-loss guru should read, before giving advice to clients.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've followed Ben on Instagram for a while and he's fantastic. He's down-to-earth, compassionate, reasonable, and evidence-based. I really hope he's succeeding, because we need to reward the people who are taking a compassionate and science-based approach to this space over the fear-mongering and hyperbolic approach of so many others in the fitness influencer space.

I loved the audiobook of this because Ben reads it. He brings humor to the table and explains things in layman's terms that are easy to understand. This really should be the resource on the topic going forward.

[Gyudy B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Davvero TUTTO quello che si deve sapere, spiegato in modo completo ed equilibrato

[Kavya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently embarked on a fat loss journey. I have a largely sedentary lifestyle as a desk worker. With elevators at both my workplace and home, I realized I needed to be more physically active, especially after being diagnosed with PCOS. To address this, I joined a dance class two years ago and have been fairly consistent, attending 2-3 times a week for an hour and a half. I love my dance team and look forward to our sessions, not only for the physical activity but also for the enjoyable company of other women.

Despite my increased activity, I noticed that my weight remained constant. Initially, I wasn’t focused on losing weight; my main goal was to combat the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. I never bothered to check my weight because I genuinely enjoyed dancing and participating in competitions and performances—it felt less like a chore and more like a passion.

However, I didn’t make any changes to my diet, which primarily consisted of processed microwavable meals, instant ramen noodles, and pizza. I often felt too busy or disinterested in cooking to prepare healthier options. After about a year of dancing, I began noticing that my clothes were getting tighter. One day on public transport, someone offered me their seat because they thought I might be pregnant. While I laughed it off and accepted the seat, I didn’t take a hard look at what was going on or what was causing me to gain weight until much later. At this point, people started noticing that I had gained weight just by looking at my photos!

At a house party very recently, I observed another woman of my size rejecting alcoholic drinks who announced her pregnancy, which prompted me to take a hard look at myself. Despite being more active than many of my friends and taking pride in my athletic abilities—like handstands and splits (I am learning them for the first time in my 30s; my childhood was also largely sedentary)—I still felt uncomfortable with how unfit my body appeared. I was stronger than I had ever been before, but I was usually low on energy and always tired. Additionally, I was highly constipated. On top of everything, I now looked pregnant! The ironic part is that I have never been pregnant and NEVER want to get pregnant, yet here I was looking pregnant! This realization sparked my journey to identify what was amiss.

And this well-written book caught my attention and provided clear guidance without the need for calorie counting—a method I was not interested in pursuing. The book emphasized that I could enjoy social outings with friends while still making healthier choices. I've decided to minimize ultra-processed foods in my diet, allowing myself to indulge only when out with friends for social reasons. I'm incorporating more fruits into my meals and even started maintaining a food journal; to my surprise, I realized that I hadn’t eaten any fruit last week! Discovering how delicious fruits can be has been eye-opening.

Even though I've just begun my journey, since munching on carrots, cucumbers, and capsicum as snacks, I am having fairly regular bowel movements. Carrots, cucumbers, and capsicums are tasty—the flavor is the cherry on top! Why did I not eat them before? Also, I've eaten only two pieces of pizza at a friend's place in the entire month of September and October so far (today is October 16th, 2024). I am very proud of myself.

I’m also considering purchasing a personal weighing scale to track my progress. I'm grateful for the insights from this book and excited about what the future holds. My motivation to eat more fruits is stronger than ever!

I highly recommend this book; it’s light-hearted and offers various approaches that allow individuals to define their own goals without feeling restricted. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution—just the right path for each person as they work towards their goals! And this is definitely no bullshit guide. Highly recommend it! :)))

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Es wird dich nicht schockieren, dass ich viele Diätbücher für Müll halte.“ – deshalb hat Ben Carpenter sein eigenes „Diätbuch“ geschrieben und es „Everything Fat Loss“ genannt. Ich kenne ihn seit einiger Zeit aus den sozialen Medien. Ich bin absolut kein Freund von Influencern im Allgemeinen und von Fitness-Influencern noch viel weniger. Aber Ben Carpenter hat mich von der ersten Minute an begeistert. Sein Buch war daher für mich ein Muss. Das enorm umfangreiche und sehr minutiös erarbeitete Werk an sich war für mich sehr interessant und ich werde sicher des Öfteren darauf zurückgreifen, selbst ich als „alter Hase“ in Bezug auf Körpergewicht konnte noch Neues dazulernen. Die Übersetzung konnte mich jedoch leider nicht begeistern und ich musste mir zusätzlich zur deutschen auch noch die Originalfassung besorgen.
Aber von vorn.
Eines ist ganz klar: Ben Carpenter weiß, wovon er schreibt. Alles, was er schreibt und auch das, was er in seinen Videos in den sozialen Medien sagt, hat Hand und Fuß, zu allem gibt es fundierte Quellen und sein Studium der Studien ist bemerkenswert. Er schreibt, wie er spricht, manchmal derbe („Seien wir ehrlich: Ein Großteil der Diätindustrie ist im Allgemeinen Müll.“), manchmal sehr bildhaft, aber immer schonungslos ehrlich, wohlüberlegt und fundiert und nah am Leser, den er auch immer wieder direkt anspricht. Er macht in seinem Buch von Anfang an klar, wie individuell Gewichtsabnahme ist und dass es keine ultimative Diät gibt, die bei jedem gleich gut funktioniert. Dabei ist er nie oberlehrerhaft, sondern immer auf Augenhöhe mit der Leserschaft, wie ein guter Kumpel.
Er bespricht die verschiedenen bekanntesten Diäten und Ernährungsformen, beleuchtet objektiv deren Vor- und Nachteile. Er zitiert und evaluiert Studien, bringt lebensnahe Beispiele und geht mit den verbreitetsten Ernährungsmythen und beliebtesten Fehlinformationen ins Gericht. So erläutert er die Wichtigkeit von ausreichend Schlaf, genügend Flüssigkeit und Sport ebenso wie die Frage, wie oft und wie schnell man essen sollte, wie schlecht hochverarbeitete Lebensmittel, Alkohol und Zucker sind. Vieles von dem, was er schreibt, wird der Leserschaft ein Nicken entlocken, denn vieles ist altbekannt oder schlicht gesunder Menschenverstand. Vieles von dem, was Ben Carpenter schreibt, ist aber selbst für mich neu gewesen und auch seine wissenschaftliche Einordnung mit der Nennung enorm vielen Studien, war interessant und informativ.
Allerdings macht er auch sehr deutlich, dass sich der Alltag nicht um Gewicht oder Körpermaße drehen sollte. „Dein Glücksgefühl wird nicht garantiert steigen, wenn dein Körperfettanteil sinkt. Und dich obsessiv mit deinem Aussehen zu befassen, kann mit eigenen psychologischen Risiken einhergehen.“ Der psychologische Aspekt ist ihm merklich wichtig, was in vielen anderen Abnehmratgebern (ob nun in Buchform, Video oder Hochglanzmagazin) nicht so ist. Da sieht er den Menschen als Ganzes und nicht nur seinen BMI oder seinen Körperfettanteil. „WIE KANNST DU DAS IN DIE TAT UMSETZEN?“ – diese Frage stellt er am Ende jedes Kapitels. Denn eines ist klar: Gewichtsverlust ist individuell und jede Ernährungsumstellung ist nur so gut wie sie in den jeweiligen Alltag passt, sodass man dauerhaft damit leben kann.
Das Buch ist voller Information, manchmal muss man beim Lesen innehalten und sie verdauen, sonst könnten sie einen erschlagen. Aber es ist interessant, menschlich und man kann die Begeisterung des Autors für das Thema in jeder Zeile lesen. Einzig die Übersetzung fand ich teilweise holprig, da ich die Sprache von Ben Carpenter im Original kenne, finde ich, dass das Buch stellenweise Besseres verdient hätte. Von mir aber trotzdem fünf Sterne.

[Gemma Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up as someone who is interested in nutrition science. I heard that Carpenter referenced a large number of studies throughout, so although the focus is weight loss rather than simply nutrition and performance I gave it a read.

I'm going to start with what I didn't like, I mean really didn't like. Why all the swearing?? So much cussing. I know what you're thinking: lady, it literally has the word BS on the cover what were you expecting? Ok, you have me there. But still. To me it just felt unprofessional and distracting. Was Carpenter worried the science would be too dry if he didn't generously pepper it with expletives? Or is this what professionalism in the fitness industry sounds like? Like, are we buddies and that's why you can f-bomb every page and ergo I'll listen to what you're trying to tell me, buddy? I don't get it, found it off putting, and especially jarring in the context of summarizing scientific papers.

Ok, now that I've got that out of my system, it's a testament to the rest of the book that I only knocked off one star for bizarre diction. Several things make this book unique. Carpenter is nonjudgemental and makes an effort to stay neutral as he discusses different weight loss strategies and their pros and cons. The bottom line: weight loss happens when calories consumed are less than calories used. Perhaps an oversimplification, but really, not really. So any diet that implies it can bypass this is a lie. Diets that claim certain calories are superior/inferior from a weight loss perspective are basically also a lie because at the end of the day calories in < calories used = weight loss. There *are* certain habits/strategies that may nudge you towards consuming fewer calories. There *are* lifestyles that are better from a nutrition/general health perspective. But in terms of weight loss it pretty much all circles back to calories in, calories burned. At the end of the day the best diet is one you're happy sticking to because otherwise eventually the calories in/burned balance is gonna swing back and the weight loss will not prove sustainable.

Another thing I appreciated is that Carpenter kept quality of life as a high priority throughout, higher than reaching a specific weight or body composition. I wish this were a more common message because it is a very essential one.

There is a lot of research summarized in this book, and although most of it doesn't lead to any new conclusions for someone with basic health/nutrition knowledge it was cool to read how popular claims stacked up to reality in specific (often limited) studies. Carpenter did a good job summarizing results and their limitations in a generally unbiased way which impressed me.

If it wasn't for the excessive language I'd recommend this book to anyone with an interest in weight loss or even nutrition science. The swears make me hesitant though and I'll be selective about who I recommend this too in the future. Which is too bad, because the information in this book is solid.

[Evaczyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eines kann man Ben Carpenter in seinem Buch "Everything fat loss" sicherlich nicht vorwerfen, nämlich dass er auf den schnellen Wurf mit Blitz-Diät Versprechungen aus ist. Ich kannte den Autor nicht, aber er ist offenbar auf Insta und anderen sozialen Medien keine unbekannte Größe. In seinem Buch bemüht er sich um einen theoretischen Ansatz, wie sich Körperfett und -gewicht auf gesunde Art reduzieren lassen - ein Ernährungs- und Sportprogramm mit Rezepten und Übungen ist nicht dabei, es geht eher um das Prinzip und den Vergleich verschiedener Methoden.

Dabei gibt es eine Reihe allgemeiner und bekannter Wahrheiten, die eigentlich auch allen bekannt sein dürften, die mit ihren Problemzonen kämpfen, etwa, dass sich nicht gezielt Fett an bestimmten Körperstellen reduzieren lässt und dass sehr schneller Gewichtsverlust in sehr kurzer Zeit selten von Dauer ist, weil der Körper beispielsweise vor allem Wasser verloren hat. Und dass weniger Kilo keineswegs mehr Gesundheit bedeuten, wenn etwa die Muskelmasse zurückgeht und man zwar weniger auf die Waage bringt, aber auch weniger Energie und Kraft hat.

Vielleicht eine Binsenwahrheit, aber es schadet ja nichts, sie zu wiederholen - und der Autor tut das mehrfach: Es gibt nicht die eine Methode zur Gewichtsreduzierung, sie muss individuell passen, in Arbeitsrhythmen, Ernährungsgewohnheiten. Low Carb wird nie die Pasta- und Kartoffelfans überzeugen, und wer nicht auch im Fitnessstudio Dauergast ist, kann auf einen täglichen Proteinshake eher verzichten. Neben den Basics, etwa Verzicht auf Zucker, schlechte Fette, zu viel Alkohol und andere Bestandteile eines eher ungesunden Lebensstils, spielt die richtige Ernährung, auch in den richtigen Mengen, und Bewegung selbstverständlich eine wichtige Rolle, Es sollte selbstverständlich klingen, aber die Tatsache, dass Autoren von Ernährungsratgebern es gebetsmühlenartig wiederholen, zeugt offenbar von weitverbreiteter Verdrängung: Es klappt nicht mit dem Abnehmen, wenn man mehr Kalorien zu sich nimmt als man auch wieder verbraucht.

Insgesamt verbreitet der Autor eine eher positive, bestätigende Grundstimmung, wie ein motivierender Coach: Du kannst das schaffen, wenn du dich dahinterklemmst. Da er über mehrere Methoden, Theorien, Ernährungsarten schreibt, ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit groß, dass seine Leser etwas finden, was zu ihnen passt und es leichter macht, dranzubleiben.