Best Template for Significant Fat Loss

Training Q&A [Moderated]
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Dear Jordan, Austin, other members of the BBM crew,

(I asked a longer version of this question before, but either through my error, or because the question was too long or inappropriate for the forum, it wasn’t posted – if it was the latter, I apologize for this repeat inquiry.)

I am an obese 38 year old male, waist in the high 40s, finished up NLP without much weight loss and am now looking to make a significant intervention to reduce fat. If I’m not mistaken, I’ve heard that you mention that the Bridge 1.0/2.0 are not ideal for significant weight loss (but are ok for moderate weight loss with two GPP days).

So, of your downloadable templates, would you recommend any for significant weight loss, something appropriate for a large calorie deficit or even RFL? It seems like the GPP Endurance is most suitable, but can it be run several times (say 3-4) over? OR would you recommend something like your HLM template perhaps with more conditioning? Or perhaps switching between them? I’ve also seen you recommend something like this with AMRAP sets that increase the caloric expenditure of the resistance training workouts:

https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/forums/training-q-a-with-dr-jordan-feigenbaum-and-dr-austin-baraki/11330-6-month-challenge-revisited-modified

Though at first I was clueless when it came to RPE, over the last month, I’ve been trying to assess each set by RPE, and I now see the value of it and am becoming more accurate with it. So I’d like to pursue a program with RPE.

But if you don’t necessarily think that any of your programs are appropriate for a lower-calorie/RFL type approach, would you have any suggestions on what factors to consider when setting up a program for this goal? I would imagine that keeping volume up at the RPE 7-8 range is the most crucial element, using higher intensity work only sparingly.

Thanks for all the content you put out on web and the time you take on these forums!

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Hi Matt,

Here’s the way I view this: if you have A LOT of weight to lose, this process isn’t going to get “done” start-to-finish in under 8 weeks anyway (i.e., the length of several of the templates). Additionally, the far more important factor for your weight loss is dietary energy restriction (compared to the caloric expenditure of your workouts), compared to the smaller details of the programming (assuming you aren’t a very advanced strength trainee).

With that said, if you are unaccustomed to our style of programming, then something like the Bridge (w/ the added conditioning) may be perfectly reasonable to do as a “Bridge” (see what I did there??) to this style of programming. The GPP Hypertrophy or Endurance templates are also perfectly reasonable options, but I still don’t think that the differences between these relatively short-term programs for weight loss outcomes are as significant as you think, assuming the dietary piece is in place.

Strength training is a tool to facilitate adherence to the overall lifestyle and dietary intervention, as well as to maintain as much lean body mass as possible while in a caloric deficit situation.

I hope this helps.

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Dear Austin,

Thanks for this very helpful reply - it clarifies the process. I was reading through other posts and material, and I will set my diet around 220/200/60, which is a recommendation that Jordan gave to another recent post. (I weigh in the high 270s). As I take your point - get the nutrition down pat, and then just work through a program, keeping in mind that I can’t necessarily expect the progress as someone not on a heavy caloric restriction. I will start with the Bridge (plus two GPP days) but I think I will also get the other templates you suggested just to see what works for me.

As i mentioned previously, over the last month, I just started trying to note RPE for my sets, just to get a sense of what it was like. I was one who first came to training through SS, and I initially loved the simplicity (I’m a classic over-thinker). But reading through your materials and trying out RPE, I actually can’t see how a significant fat loss program (especially after NLP) can work without RPE! Especially with a caloric restriction, I assume that it is even more important to think about auto-regulation to keep both the fat loss and strength gain going, and to not overshoot on the intensity, but keep the volume up.

Thanks again for your response and all the material you put out. Now let’s see if I can get to work with this!

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