Let’s kick the year off with a bang and dive into all things nutrition.
In this month’s column, I’ll be covering three key topics: one of the biggest obstacles many of us face when it comes to cleaning up our diet, five nutrition essentials to build your diet around, and how you can adapt your nutrition strategy to successfully burn fat in 2025 – while keeping nourishment, health, and energy at the forefront.
Ollie Thompson
As a personal trainer, I’m here to help you cut through the confusion and create a plan that works for you. Let’s get into it.
Knocking down nutrition barriers
Did you know 57 per cent of calories consumed in the UK come from ultra-processed foods? It’s a staggering statistic with serious health implications. Ultra-processed foods are arguably the biggest obstacle to improving diet, health and fitness. Why? They’re everywhere, convenient, and designed to be addictive.
These foods are often stripped of a key ingredient that’s crucial for our health: fibre. And they’re packed with calorie-dense, nutrient-poor ingredients. Fibre, essential for digestion, gut health, and blood sugar control, supports fullness, a healthy weight, and immunity. Without it, risks of digestive issues, obesity, heart disease, and more increase. The lack of fibre, combined with excess calories and added sugars, makes these foods unsatisfying, leading to overeating, weight gain, and higher risks of type 2 diabetes.
The solution: Build your diet around real, whole foods like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains. Think: if it grew in the ground, swam in the sea, or had parents, it’s likely a whole food. These foods naturally provide the fibre, protein, and nutrients your body needs to thrive.
Cutting out ultra-processed foods completely isn’t practical for most people – they’re convenient and often part of social life. Instead, aim to keep them under 20 per cent of your total calorie intake, whether daily or weekly.
Here are easy swaps to pivot toward more nutritious options:
– Replace sugary cereal with oats, eggs, natural yogurt, or fresh fruit.- Opt for fresh sourdough bread with fewer ingredients instead of processed supermarket loaves.- Swap processed meats like sausages and bacon for fresh lean proteins like chicken, turkey, salmon, or steak.- Add more beans, chickpeas, and lentils to meals – five portions a week boost fibre and nutrition.- Trade crisps for popcorn to cut calories and increase fibre.
Build your diet around these five essentials
At this time of year, health goals often focus heavily on weight loss and appearance, sometimes leaving true health overlooked. But it’s entirely possible to stay healthy, energised, and nourished while burning fat and getting leaner.
To achieve this, focus on these five essential nutrients when shopping and planning meals:
Fibre – As mentioned earlier, fibre feeds the gut microbiome, aids digestion, and stabilises blood sugar by slowing glucose absorption. It also regulates cholesterol, supports heart health, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and certain cancers. Fibre-rich foods include vegetables, beans, lentils, oats, fruits, and popcorn.
Healthy protein – Protein is crucial for building and maintaining muscle, supporting hormone production, boosting immunity, and strengthening bones. It also promotes satiety, aiding weight management. Opt for lean meats like chicken and turkey, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, quinoa, and yogurt.
Omega-3 fats – Essential for brain and heart health, omega-3s have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the risk of chronic diseases like arthritis. They also support cognitive function, mood, eye health, and joint and skin health. Sources include fresh fish, nuts, seeds, beans, and avocados.
Antioxidants – These compounds reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, protecting cells from damage. They strengthen the immune system and lower the risk of diseases like heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants are abundant in vegetables, fruits (especially berries), nuts, seeds, and beans.
Probiotics – Probiotics promote a healthy gut microbiome, essential for digestion, nutrient absorption, immunity, and even mental health. They reduce the risk of mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Include fermented foods like yogurt with live bacteria, kombucha, sauerkraut, aged cheese, and fresh sourdough bread.
By incorporating a variety of foods from these five nutrient categories into your diet each week, you’ll provide your body with what it needs to stay healthy, thrive, and age gracefully.
Achieve fat loss with these three calorie restriction methods
There are three calorie restriction methods that can help you achieve fat loss
To burn fat, you need a caloric deficit. Three popular strategies to achieve this are calorie restriction, time-restricted eating (intermittent fasting), and dietary restriction. Each method creates a deficit differently, but all aim to promote fat loss.
Calorie Restriction – This straightforward method involves reducing your daily calorie intake by tracking what you eat and ensuring you consume fewer calories than you burn. Start by calculating your TDEE (Total daily energy expenditure – how many calories you burn each day) using an online calculator, then reduce it by 10–20% for a sustainable calorie target. Tools like MyFitnessPal can help you accurately track meals and snacks to maintain this energy balance.
Time-restricted eating – Commonly known as intermittent fasting, this approach confines your calorie consumption to a specific window of time. The 16:8 method – fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window, such as 12-8 pm – is the most popular. This can naturally reduce calorie intake by limiting eating opportunities. However, focusing on nutrient-dense, healthy foods during your eating window is crucial to avoid overeating and jeopardising the deficit.
Dietary restriction – This method involves cutting out specific foods or food groups, often indulgences like chocolate, snacks, or alcohol. While effective when followed consistently, it’s important to avoid replacing these with equally calorie-dense alternatives. Dietary restriction can complement the other two methods but won’t guarantee fat loss unless it results in an overall calorie deficit.
Key considerations: When choosing a calorie restriction strategy, consider your lifestyle, eating habits, and health. Consulting a GP or registered dietitian is advisable to ensure the method aligns with your individual needs and goals.
In summary, achieving your health and fitness goals doesn’t have to mean sacrificing nourishment or energy. By focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods, incorporating essential components like fibre, protein, and probiotics, and adopting a calorie restriction method that suits your lifestyle, you can create sustainable habits that support fat loss, vitality, and long-term well-being.
If you’re looking for personalised support to reach your goals, I’d love to help as your personal trainer. Together, we can create a tailored plan that works for you and sets you up for success. Here’s to a healthier, stronger you in 2025!
Ollie specialises in helping career-focused professionals get into great shape, build long-term health and perform better in their work. Ollie works across Cambridge and London and offers both in-person and virtual personal training. Visit welltolead.com and follow Ollie on Instagram @olliethompsonhealth for more.