We are already deep into 2026, and the fitness industry has a curious way of making simple things look complicated. One week, it is a new diet. The next, it is a different workout split, a new supplement or a supposedly fat-burning trick. Before long, getting fitter can start to feel like a full-time research project.
But if the real goal is to lose fat, build muscle and improve body composition, fitness coach Kevin Heintz says the answer may be considerably less complicated.
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He laid out a simple checklist built around four things in his post on X: nutrition, resistance training, sleep and everyday movement.
Understand the calorie deficit
Fat loss ultimately requires the body to use more energy than it consumes over time. Heintz recommends beginning with a 500–750 calorie deficit, alongside a protein intake of around 0.8 grams per pound of body weight.
“These are the two most important numbers when it comes to fat loss, so only focus on these to start,” Kevin suggests.
If you want to overhaul your body composition and love what you see in the mirror…
Here’s what your checklist to make it happen as quickly as possible:
• 500-750 calorie deficit
• 0.8g of protein per lb of body weight (floor)
These are the two most important numbers when…— Kevin Heintz (@AskCoachKev) August 19, 2026
He also suggests ensuring a routine that makes calorie and protein targets achievable consistently may be a more useful first step.
Kevin specifically notes that if the aim is to lose fat while working on muscle, resistance training is your go-to.
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“Initially focus on executing each lift with good form and showing up consistently. Once you’re comfortable with that, you need to start applying progressive overload, which is the stimulus your body needs to build muscle,” he says.
“Progressive Overload is increasing the amount of weight or reps you do over time. So tracking your lifts makes this process easier to track. I’d recommend following an Upper/Lower or Full Body split to start.”
How much sleep do you need to make a difference?
Heintz recommends getting at least seven hours a night. “You can make progress with less, but it is way harder to do. Good sleep makes everything easier,” he noted.
His suggestions for improving sleep include keeping the bedroom cool and dark, avoiding going to bed excessively full and reducing screen exposure during the final hour before bedtime.
He also mentions magnesium and L-theanine supplements as possible options.
Then comes the most ignored part: daily movement. Ten thousand steps has become almost synonymous with being active, but Heintz argues, “It doesn’t have to be 10k steps, but you do need to move more throughout the day.”
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That could mean taking a 30-minute walk in the morning and another in the evening. Someone working at a desk could use a walking pad while working, while others might add Zone 2 cardio on rest days.
“There are hundreds of little things you can add to this list like no alcohol, supplements like creatine, water intake, etc. But the above is responsible for 90% of the results you’re looking for,” he added.
Heintz finally advised, “Commitment for the next 12 months to consistency, and I promise you will come out on the other side completely unrecognisable,” he says.
