Ask the Dietitian — April 7th

Welcome — I’m with Blue Ocean Fitness, and in this installment of “Ask the Dietitian” we answered listener questions about training, macronutrients, omega-3:omega-6 balance, supplements for longevity and fat loss, and how to set calorie targets. Below I summarize everything we covered, give practical steps you can use today, and link to resources so you can act on the plan.

Does training more mean I should cut carbs or fats if my body feels bulkier?

Short answer: probably not immediately. If you’ve recently increased your training and are eating a bit more—especially carbs like fruit, rice cakes, or healthy fats like nuts and seeds—feeling a bit firmer or “bulkier” is common. Two things are likely happening:

• You may be gaining a little lean mass (muscle) while losing or maintaining fat.
• You may be retaining more fluid as part of normal recovery after training.

The first step: get objective data. We recommend a quick body-composition test (InBody) to see what’s changing in fat mass, muscle mass, and hydration. If the numbers show you’re maintaining weight but muscle is up and fat is down, that’s progress—even if the mirror feels different.

Practical guidance

• Don’t eliminate whole foods you like. Apples, berries, rice cakes, nuts, and seeds are good choices.
• Portion and total calories matter more than single food choices. If weight is steady, there’s no need to cut immediately—check the numbers first.
• Allow a few weeks after increasing training for your body to adapt; some firmness and water retention are normal early on.

Omega-3s vs Omega-6s: what they are and why the ratio matters

First, a quick primer on fats. There are three broad categories:

• Saturated fats — keep these lower (generally less than 10% of daily calories).
• Monounsaturated fats — often called omega-9 (e.g., oleic acid in olive oil). Your body can make these.
• Polyunsaturated fats — includes omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential (your body can’t make them and you must get them from food).

Omega-3s are a family of fats where plant forms (ALA) are converted in the body to EPA, DHA and DPA—the forms you often see on supplement labels. Recommended intake for omega-3s is approximately 1.1 grams/day for women and 1.6 grams/day for men. Good sources include:

• Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines)
• Flax seeds, chia seeds
• Walnuts
• Canola and soybean oil (whole-food sources preferred over processed)

Omega-6s are found in many nuts and seed oils: sunflower seeds, safflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, and some nuts like almonds and walnuts. Most whole foods contain a mix of both omega-3 and omega-6; supplements are the main way to isolate one type.

Why ratio matters

The ideal dietary omega-6:omega-3 ratio is often cited as 4:1 or less, and historically humans consumed ratios closer to 1:1. Modern Western diets commonly reach 15:1 or 20:1, which is associated with increased inflammation, higher triglycerides, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk.

Practical steps to improve the ratio and reduce inflammation:

• Choose whole-food sources of omega-3 (fish, seeds, walnuts) over processed foods.
• Limit intake of processed seed oils and heavily processed packaged foods.
• Eat more fiber-rich whole foods—fiber supports overall metabolic health and inflammation control.
• If you don’t eat fish regularly, consider an omega-3 supplement (EPA/DHA).

Supplements for longevity and fat loss — what actually helps?

Important mindset: supplements can help fill dietary gaps, but they won’t replace a balanced diet and sensible calorie control. For fat loss, calories in vs. calories out remains the primary driver. Supplements are support tools for health and performance, not magic fat-loss pills.

Supplements and nutrients we discussed

• Vitamin D — supports metabolism, hormone balance, and may help reduce visceral fat. Sunshine (10–30 minutes/day, depending on location and skin type) plus food and/or supplements are helpful.
• B complex (including B12) — important for energy metabolism.
• Vitamin C & Vitamin E — antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress; vitamin C also supports collagen and adrenal health.
• Magnesium — crucial for muscle and nerve function and metabolic health.
• Zinc & Chromium — trace minerals involved in metabolic pathways and insulin function.
• Omega-3 — see above; useful if dietary intake is inadequate.
• Multivitamin — a convenient way to cover common shortfalls; most excess water-soluble vitamins are excreted if you get too much, so risk is low for many healthy individuals.

Again: none of these automatically produce fat loss. They support overall health and can help a person feel and function better while following a caloric strategy for fat loss.

How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

There’s no one-size-fits-all calorie number. Two useful pieces of information:

• The InBody (or similar body-composition scale) reports a resting metabolic rate (RMR). That’s a helpful starting point.
• Daily activity (non-exercise activity, job, walking) and exercise matter. Some people can double their RMR and maintain weight; others only add a few hundred calories above RMR.

A practical approach to find your calorie target

1. Log everything you eat and drink (apps like MyFitnessPal or a written food diary) for a week.
2. Weigh yourself frequently (daily or every few days) and track trend over time.
3. When the scale begins to trend down, you’ve found a maintenance/deficit level that works. If nothing changes after 1–2 weeks, reduce intake by ~200–300 calories and reassess.

Important: start with a modest deficit. Aim for sustainable, gradual weight loss rather than extreme cuts. Very aggressive calorie restrictions often cause muscle loss, fatigue, stronger cravings, and a slower resting metabolic rate—making future weight loss harder and increasing the chance of rebound weight gain.

Protect muscle while losing fat

• Include resistance training to preserve or build muscle (which helps maintain RMR).
• Prioritize adequate protein intake and spread protein across meals.
• Avoid severe calorie restrictions that increase muscle catabolism.

Summary and next steps

Key takeaways:

• When training increases and you feel bulkier, check body-composition data (InBody) before changing good food habits. You may be gaining muscle and holding recovery-related fluid—both normal and positive signs.
• Focus on whole foods high in omega-3s (fatty fish, flax, chia, walnuts) and limit processed seed oils to improve your omega-6:omega-3 balance. An ideal dietary ratio is ≤4:1 omega-6 to omega-3.
• Supplements like vitamin D, B-complex, magnesium, zinc, and omega-3s can support health and longevity, but they won’t replace calorie management for fat loss.
• Find your calorie target by tracking intake and body weight, start with a conservative deficit, and prioritize muscle-preserving strategies like resistance training and adequate protein.

If you’re local to Chesterfield and want an objective InBody scan or help creating a sustainable nutrition and training plan, learn more at https://blueoceanfitness.net/ or try our introductory offer at https://blueoceanfitness.net/try-us-out/.

Want more articles like this? Check our blog for follow-up posts and practical guides: https://blueoceanfitness.net/blog