PERHAPS YOU SEE 30-30-30, the three-part morning routine, has been touted as a weight loss miracle on TikTok. The simple approach to setting up your day focuses on the number 30 (of course) and applies it to food and exercise.
The 30-30-30 plan isn’t actually a diet at all, at least not in the traditional sense, but rather a daily practice that aims to lay the groundwork for a solid morning and a successful day. Although some proponents of 30-30-30 claim that this approach can help you lose weight.
Can such a simple approach really help with weight loss? And is the whole 30-30-30 thing scientifically verified? Let’s dig.
What is the 30-30-30 Diet?
30-30-30 PLAN It blew up when biohacker Gary Brecka described it on TikTok, but the diet’s origins date back to the 2010 book Four Hour Body By Tim Ferriss. The trick is simple: Eat 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up. Then do 30 minutes of low-intensity cardio, keeping your heart rate below 135 beats per minute.
Many social media influencers are touting the 30-30-30 as a weight loss strategy (Brecka said she’s never seen a diet like this that “loses fat.”) The putative mechanism for how 30-30-30 works for fat loss : By eating a protein-rich breakfast, you protect your muscles so you burn fat, not lean mass, during your next workout.
Does the 30-30-30 Diet Work?
THIS IS A KIND It’s a complicated question, because while 30-30-30 is based on some basic practices of good health, it also oversimplifies diet and exercise by leaving out several critical components.
But let’s start with what makes sense.
Protein is the Essential Ingredient of Smart Breakfast.
Research shows that high-protein diets can reduce body fat and preserve muscle mass by keeping you full and satisfied, allowing you to eat less overall. Experts recommend 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per day for every kilogram of your body weight.
So why not start with 30 grams first thing? “This method allows us to get a good dose of protein first thing in the morning, potentially helping us hit our protein goals throughout the day a little easier,” says Sarah Keathley, MS, RD, LD, nutritionist at Top Nutrition Coaching. A recently published study review Nutrition Reviews It even showed a correlation between high-protein morning meals and greater muscle mass.
Early Breakfast is a Good Breakfast.
While there’s nothing magical about the 30-minute breakfast window, eating early is probably a good idea, according to a recent study BMC Nutrition The research showed that the earlier people eat after waking up, the healthier their breakfast will be; Perhaps this was because they were not short of time. In another study European Journal of Nutrition It suggests that in men, eating early is associated with better metabolic health, including insulin function; This is because processing of blood sugar is most efficient after a night’s sleep.
Morning Exercise Can Help You Move.
Such a rule can help you stay honest about exercise. “Since many of us lack physical activity, this could be a benefit, especially being active early in the morning before potentially sitting at a desk all day,” Keathley says.
You Start Thinking About Your Health Immediately.
A less obvious benefit of the 30-30-30 plan is awareness, says Keathley. “This gets you thinking about food, your daily eating plan, how you can squeeze in exercise, and hopefully the quality of what you eat,” she says.
These are all good things. And this is it Good. But where 30-30-30 fails, science has yet to prove whether there is any magic in the combination approach. More research is needed to show whether combining them this way might work. “There are currently no direct research studies examining the full 30-30-30 method and its effect on a group of individuals,” says Keathley.
Also, although 30-30-30 is simple and easy to remember, its simplicity can create problems. Here are the disadvantages of the strategy.
30-30-30 Ignores Calories.
Technically, you can meet your 30 grams of morning protein needs with Wendy’s Breakfast Baconator™ mix. But this meal probably won’t help you lose weight, with 710 calories and only 1 gram of filling fiber.
“While protein is a great macronutrient that our bodies need to function, weight loss primarily comes from being in a calorie deficit,” Keathley says. “During a calorie deficit, our bodies use stored fat as an energy source, which leads to weight loss.” (Here’s how to find your daily calorie count.)
A One Size Exercise Plan May Not Work for You…
The 30-30-30 plan “does not address whether each individual will need different levels of physical activity to best meet their health needs,” Keathley says.
…Or Work at All.
Low-intensity cardio has shown mixed results in research studies. In a published study Medicine and Science in Sports and ExerciseMiddle-aged people who did exercises similar to steady light cardio on a 30-30-30 plan did not lose weight over 24 weeks. Another study published in the journal Obesity showed that similar levels of exercise helped participants lose nearly six kilos in 12 weeks, but it didn’t matter whether they trained in the morning or at night.
FTOS, MS, Ph.D., professor of clinical sciences at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. “Exercise alone rarely leads to weight loss,” says Leanne Redman, and there are several reasons for this.
Your morning exercise can only do so much. First, if you don’t follow general exercise and make adjustments to your diet, you can easily consume more calories than you burn. Additionally, typically when we burn calories while exercising, we burn fewer calories elsewhere during the day, “so the net effect of exercise on daily calories is small for most people,” he says.
Should You Follow the 30-30-30 Diet?
MAYBE? TIt’s 30-30-30 Diet probably isn’t the secret to dramatic weight loss, but it can help you create a healthy morning routine. “Be careful and make it realistic when implementing any plan by adapting it to your lifestyle,” says Keathley. “The ultimate goal of any nutrition journey is to create healthy and sustainable habits.”
For high-quality breakfasts that contain at least 30 grams of protein, try the following:
Protein Drinks
If you don’t eat much in the morning, protein shakes (whether ready-made or mixed with protein powder) can help you get 30 grams quickly. Check out our favorite recipes.
Eggs
“Each large egg has about six grams of protein. Pair a few with lean meat and high-fiber grains to make a complete meal. Or make egg bites. Create an omelet. The options are endless,” says Keathley.
yogurt
Choose a high-protein, low-sugar yogurt, such as fat-free Greek yogurt. Try our favorites.
High Protein Oats
Add lean protein to oatmeal by mixing egg whites, nut butters, nuts, seeds, quinoa, powdered peanut butter or protein powder.
For more scientifically proven weight loss tips, check out the 40 Best Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off.