Counting calories is a very difficult task, even during clinical research.

Good research will use tools such as diet records and food frequency questionnaires to identify changes in eating patterns instead of measuring calorie intake.

Measuring the amount of calories you’ve consumed in a single day is nearly impossible. If someone tells you they ate 3,125 calories in one day, they probably actually ate anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 calories.

Research trials show that there is a 30 percent margin of error when calories are counted – and the more a person eats, the bigger the margin of error becomes.

Calorie counting tools and software should be used to identify trends – not to measure the exact number of calories you eat.

To learn more about this, watch this video:

It is important to keep track of calories consumed, but obsessing over the exact number of calories you consume is a recipe for diet failure.

“How much weight will I lose with Eat Stop Eat?”  I am asked that question often.

You can find my answer to this question in the FAQ section at the end of Eat Stop Eat, but I will also answer it here:

You should be able to consistently lose one to two pounds per week when you follow the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle.

Many people report that they have lost as many as seven pound per week by following the program, but these are exceptions.

Some people lose three or four pounds per week during the first couple weeks of the lifestyle, but this is mostly due to the loss of inflammation, excess water, and some fat mass.

While some people do lose an impressive amount of pounds during the first couple months of following the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle, don’t be fooled into thinking that the program is a starvation or a crash diet.

Eat Stop Eat is designed to create sustainable weight loss. Strive for long-term weight loss success, and look for trends in your weight losses and gains. (Remember that your weight can fluctuate by as much as two or three pounds in just one day.)

I want to share some reader mail with you regarding using Eat Stop Eat to get six-pack abs.

“Hi Brad,

I Recently bought your book “Eat Stop Eat” and just started applying it by fasting once a week. I am not an obese person but have some fat around my gut.

Every week I exercise for 3 times using weights , swim for 30 min and skip rope for 30 min .

I also watch what I eat and monitor my weight. My One and only goal is to have a 6 Pack. I can feel I have it but the fat around my gut hide it from showing.

My Questions are:

1) Is a 6 pack reachable if I continue doing what I am doing ? Or is it that some people can never see their 6 Pack ever.

My Answer – A six-pack is definitely obtainable. I believe that everyone has the ability to have a six-pack, especially if they’re following Eat Stop Eat and weight training. But be patient. It will require some time and some changes to your current lifestyle.

2) Will your Eat Stop Eat plan help me in seeing my 6 Pack?

My Answer – It will help, as long as you are fasting, weight training, eating responsibly, and follow these five tips.

3) What’s the Body fat percentage that I must have in order to see my 6 pack.

My Answer – Air Displacement measurements show that men typically have visible abs when their body fat is under 10%. Some men have more or less subcutaneous fat covering their abs, though, so it depends on how you measure body fat and how you carry your fat.

4) How thick/thin does the fat around my gut need to be in order for me to see my 6 Pack?

My Answer – Here is a simple way for men to measure their body fat: Multiply your height in inches by 0.447. This is your ideal waist circumference – approximately 45% of your height. In order for you to have visible abs, you’ll need to have a waist circumference that is 46-47% of your height at the most.

5) I am afraid of taking any supplements. Can I reach my goal without taking any supplements ?

My Answer – It is completely possible for you to get six-pack without taking supplements.

6) I heard you have to take growth hormone while you are following Eat Stop Eat, is this true?

My Answer – This is not true at all. The Eat Stop Eat method naturally increases your Growth Hormone while you are fasting. You don’t have to take any drugs or supplements to make the plan work for you.

(As always, my answers apply to “natural” individuals, not to those who are taking steroids.)

I have a very complex list of things you must do if you want to lose weight and eat healthy:

1. Eat the foods you enjoy, but eat less of them.

2. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.

3. Most importantly, stop stressing about what you eat.

If you can follow these simple guidelines, then, in my opinion, you’re eating perfectly.

Of course it’s important to eat “real food” over food-like substances. But if you’re eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, you’re already doing this.

I could also advise you to avoid flavoring your food with salt and sugar. But if you’re eating a lot of herbs and spices, you’re already doing this, too.

Finally, we could talk about the importance of having a healthy relationship with the foods you eat. A lot of overeating and obsessive/compulsive eating that takes place today is a result of unhealthy relationships with food. But if you’re enjoying the foods you eat and are not stressing about what you eat, you’re already avoiding this problem, too.

Simplicity is always the goal with the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle. That’s why simple guidelines are all you need in order to maintain healthy eating habits.

Want to make the Eat Stop Eat plan even more effective? Incorporate an interval training exercise program.

According to research, high intensity exercise – such as interval training – increases your body’s ability to recover better than prolonged low intensity exercise (Brockman et al, 1993).

Clinical research also shows that a more pronounced reduction in subcutaneous adiposity (the fat just under the skin) occurs when high intensity interval training programs are utilized rather than traditional endurance training programs (Tremblay et al, 1994).

Exercise regimes such as the Tabata protocols were designed by Japanese sports scientists to condition athletes using interval training. Their research showed that “high-intensity intermittent training may improve both anaerobic and aerobic energy supplying systems significantly.” (Tabata et al, 1996).

Interval training, however, is a highly demanding exercise program, which could be too stressful for many individuals. Most experts agree that low intensity, long-duration exercise is preferable for the general public because it “results in a greater total fat oxidation than does moderate intensity exercise.” (Thompson et al, 1998).

Successful weight loss begins with a change in your diet. Next, follow a resistance training program to maintain muscle mass. When you begin following a weight loss lifestyle like Eat Stop Eat, try adding interval training exercises to your routine.

For your physical and mental health, you should also include traditional long, slow cardio exercises, like walking, as part of your fitness program.

My advice is as follows – Eat to lose weight and exercise to maintain or build your muscles. If you have extra time, try interval training or traditional walking to see if you can lose even more weight. If you do, that’s an added bonus. If you don’t, don’t be afraid to stop interval training and try something else.