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Fit Fat Training

Body. Accountability. Mindset.

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I’m so glad you’re here!

Welcome to the website for Matt Van Der Laar (@mattlaarfit) and Fit Fat Training, LLC!

To learn more about who we are, what we do, and how we help clients, please use the navigation menu above. Thanks for stopping by!

mattlaarfit

No BS Health & Wellness Coach
Helping you create balance & a healthy relationship with food so you can lose fat for good 🍲
Run. Lift. Eat. Hike 💪

The reality of 1200 calorie diets 🤣 This one i The reality of 1200 calorie diets 🤣

This one is always fun to post.

Please stop doing 1200 calorie diets to lose weight. You already know how that ends.

Matt
Fat loss lies I'm not falling for anymore I've l Fat loss lies I'm not falling for anymore 

I've lost and maintained 50+ lbs for more than years now but it wasn't easy

I struggled for years to lose weight in a sustainable way and that's mostly because I believed a lot of BS about fat loss.

I thought the answer was low carb, then low carb and running, before moving onto intermittent fasting.

Those things did nothing but kept me feeling like shit and burning out, leading to inevitable weight gain and quitting. 

It's time to simplify this shit. Fat loss is simple, but not easy. 

So stop making it harder than it needs to be!

Clean eating is a myth. I hear this all the time..

"I'm eating clean but cant lose weight. I'm frustrated!" That's because clean eating for weight loss is a gimmick.  It comes down to energy balance.

One thing I see so many people do to lose weight is start running. Now, I love running, but that wasn't always the case. I used to run to lose weight and I hated every moment of it. Nutrition is the driver of weight loss - not cardio! 

Don't even get me started on 1200 calorie weight loss diets lol you've been doing this for years, yet you are no closer to your goal. You can eat MORE food and calories and still lose weight! 

Yes its slower but who the hell cares? This isn't a race. Sustainability is the name of the game and you are overeating because you try to cut calories as low as possible.

Hope this helps. Tired of the BS surrounding fat loss? Me too. Save this video to your favorites and give me a follow if you're ready to learn how to sustainably lose fat 💪

Matt
Gained 5 lbs this weekend? Pump the breaks lol Gained 5 lbs this weekend? 

Pump the breaks lol

You ate more food, maybe even had some drinks.

You've got more food in your body right now that needs to be digsted. You are retaining more water weight due to eating more food and sodium.

And yes, your body is likely even inflamed.. but that doesn't mean you gained all kinds of fat in just a couple of days.

That's not how your body works.

Give it a few days and your weight will level off again as long as you get back on track. 

That's really where fat gain comes from...when you keep the party going all week and get frustrated by what you see on the scale even though you know you overdid it.

Fat gain, just like fat loss, doesn't happen overnight or over the course of a weekend for that matter. 

Hope this helps. Get back to it!

Matt

#weightlossmotivation #weightlosshelp #mindfulmay #mindfuleatingtips #mindfuleating #mindfulweightloss
What does food freedom mean to you? It means so m What does food freedom mean to you?

It means so many things, and it can be different everyone. That's the beauty of mindful eating. Mindful eating isn't black and white. There are so many ways to incorporate it into your life!

This is what food freedom means to me, but it's so much more than flexibility. 

It's whatever you make of it. You define it, you create it. You live it day in, day out. 

What does food freedom mean to you?

Matt

#foodfreedom #mindfulmay #mindfuleatingtips #mindfuleating #weightlossdiet #weightlossfoodideas
You deserve to eat today, and everyday. Stop skip You deserve to eat today, and everyday.

Stop skipping meals to save room for later.

This is the literal definition of restriction you and do it every weekend, every holiday, pretty any time food is involved.

Yet you wonder why you can't reach your goals..because you continue to keep yourself in this cycle of restriction, overeat, then feel guilty and beat yourself up for it. 

The answers pretty obvious.

Stop restricting, stop overeating.

You deserve to eat food no matter your size and where you are in this journey.

Eliminating the guilt and shame around food starts right here, right now, with you.

Matt "Eat The F*cking Hamburger" Van Der Laar

#mindfulmay #mindfuleating #mindfuleatingtips #weightlossmistakes #mindfuleatingcoach #foodfreedom
You will never be your original weight again. Whi You will never be your original weight again.

While this is obviously a joke, the message behind it rings true.

So often I see people struggling to lose weightfor years because they are chasing some arbitrary number on the scale. 

Usually it's because that's what they weighed in college orn20 years ago. 

But you arent that same person! Your body changes, your life changes, responsibilities, stress etc.

This isn't to say you shouldn't have a weight loss goal, but let's be realistic with it..and maybe start to focus on body composition changes and getting stronger instead!

Have any weight loss questions for me? Drop them below!

Matt

#weightlossforwomen #menopauseweightloss #weightlossjourney #weightlossgoal
Your body isn't your enemy. You arent broken, no Your body isn't your enemy.

You arent broken, no matter what shady influencers and diet culture want you to believe.

They want you to feel broken and desperate, its much easier to sell you a fix that way. 

Loving your body NOW is possible, not after you lose that belly fat.

How long have you been disgusted and fed up with your body?  How has that been going for you?

You will see greater progress by embracing your body, treating it with respect, and showing up for yourself when its hard to do so.

You will never hate your body to skinny...at least not long term.

Hope this helps you. There IS hope. 

You ARE worthy. You ARE capable and good enough right now as you are.

If you're a strong badass woman that refuses to believe shes broken, give me a hell yeah 💪

Matt

#menopause #menopauseweightloss #bodyimage #weightlossforwomen
Fat loss propaganda I'm not falling for Diet cult Fat loss propaganda I'm not falling for

Diet culture edition

We will not be doing intermittent fasting 

We will not convince strong, capable women that they're broken because of menopause 

We will not do yet another 1200 calorie crash diet

We will stop believing bullshit like Cortisol face

We will stop following influences they promote disordered eating and give you body image issues 

We will not buy compounded GLP-1S from the corner med spa to lose a few lbs

We will not buy "GLP-1 Peptides" that are just another MLM scam. Sorry hun

We will stop listening to influences that tell you diet soda, which has zero calories,is making you fat

Man this industry is a f*cking travesty and it's only getting worse.

Like and share this video if you are not going to fall for this crap any longer. 

Matt
What you need to know about intermittent fasting. What you need to know about intermittent fasting.

Intermittent fasting is not more superior for fat loss than any other form or caloric restriction.

Intermittent fasting is not a magical health hack.

Its a tool that let's you control your caloric intake and provides rules as to when you eat. Its a diet, and a restrictive one at that.

For some people this may be an effective tool.. but not for the type of people I typically work with.

For fat loss you must be in a caloric deficit. Intermittent fasting can help you get into a deficit.  Its a tool, not a rule.

The problem with Intermittent fasting is that humans are not robots. We dont do well with restriction in this way and our brains will rebel against it.

Intermittent fasting will teach you to ignore your hunger and fullness cues, which is a problem. 

I remember how hungry I was ALLLLL of the time when I fasted. I was cranky. My workouts suffered. My body composition suffered. I was always thinking and talking about food. 

I was the running joke of the office because of my glorified binging that was being displayed, and I loudly told everyone how amazing I felt, even though I was going home form work and eating an entire baking pan of food before 8 pm because that's when my eating window ended.

Yeah, not a fan of disordered eating. That's what I'm hear to help you with. 

So, no,  I don't reocmmend intermittent fasting.

Hope this helps 😀

Have you ever done intermittent fasting? What was your experience like?

Matt

#intermittentfasting #weightlosstips #fastingweightloss #caloriedeficit
When should you reduce calories after losing a sig When should you reduce calories after losing a significant amount of weight?

This is one of the biggest weight loss mistakes I see being made!!

Do NOT cut calories just for the hell of it. 

Before reducing calories, make sure you are dialed into your sleep, daily movement and steps, strength training, and cardio.

If you arent reaching those goals first then you should start there, as they have a significant impact on your weight loss and energy input/output.

Oh and make sure you are actually consistent with your calories...arent missing any from those bites, licks, and tastes that you have multiple times a day..

Yes this means you need to be ACCURATE and CONSISTENT. 

If you have all of your basics dialed in..increasing your steps and cardio is likely a better idea than cutting calories.

if everything is dialed in.. your steps are high.. you are consistent...

and you've been plateaued for more than a month..this means NO progress whatsoever with your body weight, body measurements, progress pictures..

then you can consider a calorie adjustment. 

if you cut calories too soon you'll have nothing to cut from in the future. more is not better. smarter is better. 

keeping your calories as high as possible while losing weight is the goal.

this creates a sustainable approach and we are DONE with yo-yo dieting, right?

Hope this helps you on your weight loss journey. 

Struggling to lose weight and ready for help? Comment below.

Matt

#mindfuleatingtips #mindfulmay #caloriedeficit #weightlosshelp
How to eat mindfully when going out to eat Ask fo How to eat mindfully when going out to eat

Ask for your dressings or sauces on the side!

Salad dressing and sauces are typically pretty high calorie and the amount you get when you go out to eat is over kill.

Sauces and dressings are a good example of sneaky calories. I hear it all the time - I'm eating so healthy, I started eating a salad for lunch but I'm not losing weight!

Yeah because your salad dressing has 300-400 calories!

Asking for your dressing on the side allows you to have more control over what you're eating and how much.

Another thing you should focus on when out to eat is protein. I had a burger here, not super high protein, but I ate most of that first that way I didn't fill up on French fries, which would make me feel like shit.

And for crying out loud.. You aren't a trash can! You don't need to eat the food just because it's there.

When you're satisfied, stop f*cking eating.

Stuffing yourself just because you paid for it or because it's there is silly. You aren't a trash can.

Take your leftovers home or push you plate away and call it a day.

Is mindful eating something you struggle with?

Matt

#mindfuleating #mindfuleatinghabits #mindfuleatingtips #weightlosshelpandtips
My runner type? Baby giraffe Listen.. you're not My runner type? Baby giraffe 

Listen.. you're not going to be amazing at everything you do.

Sometimes you're going to have to bust your ass just to be average.

There's nothing wrong with that. Work with what your momma gave you, baby.

Get out there and MOVE your ass. No one cares what you look like when you're doing it.

Matt

#runnercommunity #trailrunningviews #trailrunningcommunity #runnersofinstagram #crosstraining #hybridtraining
How to STOP anxious thoughts and conquer emotional How to STOP anxious thoughts and conquer emotional eating with Paced Breathing

I'm a huge advocate of meditation and guided breathing exercises.

As someone who struggles with anxiety I've tried just about every hack out there and there's nothing out there that is more effective in the moment than using TIPP skills such as Paced Breathing.

TIPP skills, a component of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), can be helpful in managing anxiety by reducing emotional intensity and improving emotional regulation. TIPP stands for Temperature, Intense Exercise, Paced Breathing, and Paired Muscle Relaxation. 

Slow, deliberate breathing can help regulate your nervous system and reduce anxiety. Try breathing in for a count of 2-4 seconds and out for a count of 4-6 seconds, focusing on your belly breathing. 

By practicing the TIPP skill, you can develop a more resilient and effective approach to managing your anxiety in both acute and chronic situations. 

This is a skill we teach in our Mindful Eating program, which is led by Coach Mel. Coach Mel is a licensed mental health counselor and is qualified to teach these concepts. 

I'm using the app "Paced Breathing" in this video and I really enjoy this app for guided breathing.

We teach our clients how to use these skills to help them take back control of food and stop overeating dead in its tracks.

When it comes to repairing your relationship with food and finding balance with your nutrition, fitness and mindset, mindful eating is imperative to your success.

We're starting a new group for mindful eating on May 26th and we are limiting this group to only 10 people. 

I'll be discussing this program more throughout the week so stay tuned, or comment 'mindful' below to skip the wait and I'll send you more info about our program and how we can help YOU repair your relationship with food, STOP mindless eating, and lose weight in a sustainable way, without dieting. 

To your mindfulness,

Matt

#mindfulwellness #mindfulmay #mindfuleating #mindfulweightloss #breathwork #guidedmeditation
PSA: Coffee isn't breakfast! This is such a commo PSA: Coffee isn't breakfast!

This is such a common mistake I see being made. You dont feel hungry so you don't eat breakfast and go straight to fueling your body with coffee.

Except coffee isn't doing anything but fueling your anxiety and making you feel like you arent hungry. 

There's a reason why you crave junk food and overeat at night.

I've worked with so many clients that didn't think they were hungry for breakfast, but they also struggle with being super hungry later in the day once things slow down.

So what we do is something like add a protein shake to their coffee or even make a smoothie, which gives their body nutrition to start the day.

And the craziest things start happening.

They stop raiding the pantry after everyone goes to sleep.

They stop craving sugary, salty snacks.

They regulate their hunger cues.

They lose weight.

Because they're nourishing their body. 

Moral of the story?

Fuel your f*cking body. 

Matt

#nutritionhelp #weightlossbreakfast #mindfuleatingtips #mindfulmay #mindfuleating
Eating candy during a workout! Won't it make me fa Eating candy during a workout! Won't it make me fat or something?

I had to repost this because Instagram muted my audio. Thanks @instagram

No! If you break it down, candy is really just carbs (sugar) and/or fat, both of which your body uses for energy interchangeably depending on the demands you're placing on it. 

Your body WANTS carbs. It is your bodies primary energy source. Your brain alone requires more than 100g of carbs everyday!

This is an important aspect of mindful eating and understanding how to fuel your body for performance, weight loss, whatever your goal is.

And remember, carbohydrates do not make you fat. Consuming too many calories does.

Its a good idea to be mindful of your carbohydrate intake during the day and eat the right kind of carbs depending on what you need energy for.

Its time to learn how to start fueling and nourishing your body.

What questions about mindful eating do you have for me? 👇👇

Matt

#mindfulmay #nourishyourbody #fuelyourbody #mindfuleatingtips #mindfulweightloss #runnercommunity
Emotional eating isn't a bad thing!! Its how it's Emotional eating isn't a bad thing!!

Its how it's used and how you respond to it that matters.. I.e. Your behaviors and relationship with food.

When food is your only way to cope thats when it becomes problematic. 

That's why it's so important to have coping skills, and many of them. You need an emotional tool belt.

By being intentional with my eating and using it to help me feel better, I emotionally ate. And that's ok. It helped me in that moment.

And that's really where a lot of our unwanted behaviors with food come from.

Perhaps you were grieving the loss of a loved one or you are struggling because of a breakup.

Food can serve its purpose to help you cope and get through that tough time, but it can quickly become a behavior that no longer serves us.

What tools do you have in your emotional tool belt?

Matt

#mindfulmay #emotionaleating #emotionaleatingtips #mindfuleatingtips #mindfuleating #weightlosssimplified
Things that do NOT matter for fat loss Are you m Things that do NOT matter for fat loss 

Are you making any of these mistakes?

Fat loss is NOT complicated, but we sure are good at complicating it by doing things that don't matter.

The ONLY thing that truly matters for fat loss is a calorie deficit.. that's the only rule. 

Protein helps fat loss by keeping you satisfied, building muscle, and burning more calories.

Strength training helps by building and maintaining muscle mass. If you arent strength training when losing fat, you WILL lose muscle, making your metabolism "slower".

Consistency is the name of the game once you get into a calorie deficit and its hard to be consistent by eliminating your favorite foods, stressing about meal timing, wasting time and energy on supplements.

Control your calorie intake and you will lose fat. Fine tune your deficit by focusing on the things that matter.

Its not easy but it is simple 😌 

Find this video helpful? Like and comment and let me know 💪

Matt
Struggling to lose weight by cutting calories? May Struggling to lose weight by cutting calories? Maybe you need to try eating MORE FOOD.

Before you freak out..hear me out.

Foe years you've been trying to eat as little as possible. Everything is low calorie. You don't even enjoy eating that food.

But you eat because you were told that you need to eat less calories. And yes that's true you do need to eat fewer calories than you burn in order to lose fat, but the food you eat is still important and you actually want to eat as much food as possible while still losing weight.

There's a few reasons for this.

1. You're in a calorie deficit. You will be hungry at some point. Eating more food that is nutrient dense will keep you satisfied while keeping your calories low.

2. Protein. Its a lot easier to reach your protein goals if you're eating whole foods. Protein is also very satisfying which will help to keep your cravings away.

3. Health! A weight loss journey should also be a health journey. More volume in the form of fruit, veggies, lean Protein and complex carbs that are full of fiber are going to help improve health markers such as cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and more.

You've been dietizing food for decades and you are no closer to your weight loss goals..so maybe its time for a different approach. 

A more sustainable approach. 

Sound good to you? Give me a hell yeah in the comments!

To your health, 

Matt

#mindfulmay #mindfuleating #weightlosshelp #weightlossmeals #lowcaloriediet
You don't have to eat sh*tty food to lose weight. You don't have to eat sh*tty food to lose weight.

You don’t have to eat low calorie, low carb, low fat everything to be healthy!

Hell, you don't even need to track calories, though it can certainly help.

The more you complicate nutrition with food rules, restrictions, and super low calorie diets..the more likely you'll continue to struggle with losing weight or just being healthy in general.

You see, no one food you're eating or aren’t eating that is making you unhealthy or healthy.

It's your overall lifestyle, nutrition habits and behaviors that dictate that.

Once you apply mindfulness to the food you eat, the way you move your body, and the way you think.. you'll unlock a level of food freedom you never thought possible. 

And it starts with mindful eating as the foundation.

Do you struggle with your relationship with food?

Hope you found this helpful. Let me know below!

Matt

#mindfuleating #mindfulmay #weightlosstips #weightlosshelp #mindfulweightloss
Weight loss supplements are nothing but broken pro Weight loss supplements are nothing but broken promises and unrealistic expectations

You continue to struggle with reaching your weight loss goals because you are relying on supplements and diet programs to fix your problems 

But what problems are they actually fixing?

A diet won't fix your emotional eating 

A supplement won't change the fact that you are restricting and binging 

Diets and supplements are surface level solutions to problems that are much deeper than that.

Your mindset sucks. You give up when you have a bad weekend. You cant be perfect so you do nothing. 

You are too busy and stressed from life and mindlessly eat your feelings. 

You keep turning to supplements and diets yet they don't address the root cause and that is why you continue to struggle and stay stuck in the weight loss and weight gain cycle.

You don't NEED another diet or weight loss supplement.

What you need is to change your behaviors. Repair your relationship with food. Build a strong, resilient body and mind. 

Mindful eating helps you do that. Mindful eating isn't a diet or fad. Everyone can be a mindful eater.

Learn how to regulate your emotions and stress so you don't eat the feelings away.

Learn how to move your body in a way you enjoy. 

Learn how to be resilient and put an end to your self sabotaging behaviors.

Diets do not fix any of these issues. They only make them worse!

Only when you commit to reap change and leave all that BS behind will you make realistic progress with your weight loss goals.

Need help figuring it out? Our 9 week Mindful eating program starts May 26th. 

Over the coming week I'll be sharing details on our program and how we can help YOU Lose weight without dieting, buying expensive supplements, or obsessing about calories. 

Comment below for more details 💪

Matt

#mindfuleating #mindfulmay #weightlosssupplements ##weightlossdiet
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