2.5 years ago, I was frustrated and confused by weight gain despite my healthy eating habits. But now, after 2 years, I’ve lost over 20lbs, gained amazing muscle and strength, and dropped 6 pants sizes. And the best part? I achieved all this by eating more, prioritizing rest, and lifting weights 3 times a week.
Below, I’ll share my personal experience with Faster Way to Fat Loss (the program I’ve followed), including progress photos, what I eat in a day, what I don’t practice from the program (hint: no, I don’t fast!), and my best tips for fitness at any age.
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Why I Chose Faster Way?
- Looking for Answers in My Late 30s – As I started to gain weight in my late 30s, despite eating real food and being active (barre classes and kickboxing), I began searching for answers. I couldn’t figure out why I was gaining weight.
- Best Way to Lose Fat – As I began to research and listen to experts in the field of fat loss, I realized everyone recommended 3 things: calories matter (but so does the quality of those calories so focus on macronutrients – carbs, fat, protein), strength train (lift heavy weights), and consume plenty of protein. The problem? I didn’t know how to do any of this. It all sounded good in theory, but I didn’t know how to put the pieces together and make it work in my everyday life.
- Explored My Options – I contacted a personal trainer and looked into courses, but everything was too expensive for my budget.
- Stalked Faster Way – That’s when I found Faster Way on social media. Of course, I was skeptical, having seen so many gimmicks over the years. And the marketing sounded very gimmicky to me. But the longer I followed the company on Instagram and read client wins, the more curious I became. Faster Way was precisely what I needed.
- Joined My First Round – Finally, in December of 2021, I joined a 6-week round of Faster Way.
How Do I sign Up?
TRANSFORM YOUR RESULTS & JOIN FASTER WAY WITH MY COACH, SANDI
What is the Faster Way to Fat Loss Program?
Faster Way is a virtual fitness and nutrition program started by Amanda Tress that teaches clients how to burn fat and build muscle. The strategic program focuses on intermittent fasting, carb cycling, macro tracking, whole food nutrition, and strategic workouts.
How The Program Works
- 6-Week Program – First, you must join a 6-week round, which is $250. During this time, you’re paired up with a certified nutrition coach (I highly recommend my amazing coach, Sandi – watch my interview with Sandi here) who sets up your custom macronutrient targets/calories based on your goal (i.e., fat loss, building muscle), get access to the Faster Way App where you’ll easily track your nutrition, get weekly meal plans (for ideas and inspiration), and weekly 30-minute workouts (3 strength trainings for home or gym workouts and 2 HIIT workouts. Think of the first 6 weeks as a crash course for a life-time of success – you learn everything you need to know about tracking macros/calories to hit your goals, how to lift weights, strength training, and have a coach to guide you the whole time.
- VIP Program – After the first 6 weeks and an incredible education, you may choose to continue working with your coach, getting the weekly strategic workouts (programmed new each week), using the app. VIP is a monthly subscription costing $79 and worth every penny! I’ve been doing the month-to-month for 2 years now.
- Macro Tracking to Achieve Your Fitness Goals – The reason why any weight loss program works is because of a calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than your body needs). Most weight loss programs put people in a very low calorie deficit, causing people to lose a rapid amount of weight quickly. This weight is not just fat but also vital muscle. These super low-calorie deficits are not sustainable, so when the person goes back to eating “normal” again, they binge and gain back all the weight. Faster Way focuses on losing fat and building muscle by placing a person in a slight calorie deficit (specific to you!). Instead of focusing on calories, Faster Way focuses on macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fats). By concentrating on macronutrients (which total up to a calorie number), the focus is on the quality of food you consume, getting enough protein to build muscle and lose fat, bringing in healthy fats for hormone health, and enjoying carbs for energy. You can’t stay in a calorie deficit forever, so your Faster Way coach will help you exit this stage and live in maintenance, where you’ll eat enough calories to maintain your results.
- Strategic Workouts – Faster Way focuses on building muscle through strength training. Building muscle is the best thing a person can do, both for longevity and for their metabolism and hormones and to maintain a healthy weight. As we age, particularly women starting in their 30s, we lose muscle mass. Faster Way pairs lifting weights with the nutritional aspect. The workout plan is uploaded to the app each week and features 3 days of lifting weights (total body, upper body, legs), 2 days of HIIT workouts, and 2 rest days. You don’t need any prior experience with lifting weights (I had none). Each workout includes a video you can follow along with, form help, and a list of the moves for the day. The lifting moves are all basic compound moves and are built in a progressive manner (helping you get stronger over time). Each strength training features a gym option and a home option. The workouts are like having a personal trainer without the expense. The workouts alone are worth the cost, in my opinion.
- Faster Way App – The Faster Way App is included when you join a 6-week round and as a VIP client. This is where you’ll find the weekly workouts, meal plans (if you want ideas), a huge recipe database (for easy whole food ideas), your custom macros and macro tracker.
Faster Way provides everything you need to reach your fitness goals in one spot- a certified nutrition coach, custom macros/calories that align with your goal(s), workouts, macro tracking app, and ongoing support.
My Fat Loss Journey & Progress Photos
When I joined Faster Way, my goal was to lose weight. What I got was so much more. I gained the habits and education to keep me in shape for the next 60 years.
When I joined, the best advice I received was to take progress pictures and stay off the scale. While in the day-to-day, I didn’t always feel like I was changing, looking back, the photos tell a different story.
Today, I have 2 years’ worth of progress photos in my phone, a time-stamp on my progress.
December 2021 (Joined Faster Way to Lose Fat)
- Joined Faster Way – I joined a 6-week round of Faster Way at age 37. I was eating healthy, but gaining weight and felt hopeless and frustrated. While my goal was fat loss, I didn’t have a specific goal number on the scale or pants size (which I think has been incredibly helpful on this journey). I wanted to feel better and hopefully look better – whatever that meant.
- Calorie Deficit – Because my goal was to lose fat, my coach set up my macronutrient targets (eating a certain amount of fat, protein, and carbs) to be in a slight calorie deficit (1600 calories).
- Strength Training at Home – I had never lifted weights before, so I followed the Faster Way workout videos to a T – watching the form, following along, and learning things like deadlifting, bench press, etc. I had a pair of 10- and 15-pound dumbbells at home, and that’s what I used.
- Intermittent Fasting – I also practiced intermittent fasting for 16 hours a day, from after dinner until about 11 am. My metabolism was “in the trash” and I honestly didn’t have much of an appetite so I wasn’t even hungry until this time anyway. I soon learned that this “lack of appetite” isn’t a good/healthy metabolic sign.
January 2022 (Noticed Some Results)
- Finished My First 6-Week Round – I felt good and saw some fat loss, and was getting stronger and loved lifting weights.
- Continued into VIP – I was excited about everything I had learned, understanding the value of tracking my nutrition and building muscle, and decided to continue with the VIP month-to-month program and my coach’s support ($79). I wanted to see where this journey would take me.
Summer 2022 (Down 6 Pants Sizes)
- People Started Noticing – 6 months in, people started noticing my changing body and asking what I was doing. It was at this time I began sharing my journey on Instagram.
- Increasing Calories/Macros – I had now spent 6 months eating in a slight calorie deficit and lifting weights with the Faster Way workouts. Based on biofeedback (hunger, sleep, energy, strength), I worked with my new coach (Sandi) to increase my macronutrient targets (therefore increasing my calories) for the first time to about 1800 calories. As I had built muscle, my body now required more food to maintain that muscle.
- Shorter Fasting Window – I stopped fasting for 16 hours and went down to a 12-hour fasting window, from sun down to sun up. As I built muscle, my metabolism began to “fire up” and suddenly I was hungry like never before. I woke up wanting food with hunger signals -a sign of good metabolic health.
- Fat Loss & Muscle Growth – I continued seeing fat loss as we increased my macros/calories and body composition changes. I started noticing muscle definition like never before as well.
- Mindset Shift – My mindset shifted from one of fat loss to building muscle and strength. I began to realize the incredible benefit of having muscle on my body. The habits I had formed and the consistency of sticking with Faster Way was paying off.
- Dropped 6 Pants Sizes – I still had not stepped on a scale. But the pictures told the story. I had dropped 6 pants sizes at this point, going from a size 8/10 to 2.
- Home Workouts – I continued to follow the FWTFL workouts at home, buying heavier weights as I got stronger.
October 2022 (Down 20lbs)
- Stepped on The Scale – Finally, 10 months later, I stepped on a scale. Sandi (my coach) had been upping my macros/calories for several months now. I wanted to start tracking my weight each week (taking a daily weight, then a 7-day average over multiple weeks) to see if I was maintaining (my new goal) or losing fat. I was tracking my weight for data collection as I worked up to maintaining my results and as we were tweaking my calories.
- Mindset Shift – To my surprise, in 2021, I was 145lbs (heavy for my petite frame) and was now down to 123lbs. I didn’t care about the number on the scale – a scale number was never my goal. The proof was in the body composition changes, the incredible energy I felt, the fantastic sleep I was getting, my improved hormones and libido, the confidence gains, and the strength gains.
- Home Workouts – I continued to follow the Faster Way workouts at home, buying heavier weights as I got stronger.
December 2022 (Time For More Food)
- Eating More Food – My daily calories were around 2000 (broken down by specific macronutrients). I still did not hit “maintenance calories,” which was evidenced by the data I was collecting on the scale – my weight was still going down, not maintaining. How could I eat this much and still lose fat? Answer: I had built a significant amount of muscle over the past year as a newbie to strength training, which requires more food to maintain (muscle is metabolically taxing). Ladies, muscle will do incredible things for your body composition, health, and metabolism.
- Continued to Increase Food Intake – I continued to increase my macros/calories with my coach until we found the “sweet spot” of maintaining (not losing or gaining weight, just holding steady). I told Sandi, “Let’s see just how many calories my body can handle without gaining weight.” If we went too far (a surplus, eating more than my body needed), we could simply dial back my calories. I was collecting data from the scale, paying attention to how my clothes fit, and taking pics, so I had data to use during this process.
- Mindset – While my calories were increasing, a battle was raging in my mind. I was fearful that eating more would equal weight gain. I grew up being told “eat less, weigh less.” So the idea of adding more calories and food was a huge mental battle for me. But, I trusted the process, I trusted my coach, and I was collecting data (how my body was responding).
- Home Workouts – I continued to follow the Faster Way workouts at home, buying heavier weights as I got stronger. My collection now ranged from 8lb-60lb dumbbells and bands. I was noticing significant strength gains as I was eating more food!
March 2023 (Maintaining & Eating 2350 Calories)
- 2350 Calories – By this time, I finally hit my maintenance calories/macros, landing around 2350 calories daily. I continued to eat this amount of calories throughout 2023, maintaining my current body, gaining strength, and slowly building muscle.
- Fasting 12 Hours – I followed a 12ish hour fasting window, from sun down to sun up, but I wasn’t strict about this. My metabolism was clearly working like it hadn’t in years and eating this much food was something I needed (and desired based on hunger cues) to support my new body and burning metabolism (thank you muscle!).
- Started Eating Before Workouts – I stopped working out in a fasted state and started eating first thing in the morning before working out, always having some carbs (oatmeal, toast with peanut butter and banana, or dates and peanut butter) before working out in the morning. I found this was needed as I got stronger and lifted heavier weights. After working out, I would have a big breakfast with protein, fat, and more carbs.
- Home Workouts – I continued to workout with the Faster Way workouts at home using dumbbells and bands. I felt strong and energetic because I was eating so much amazing food (fuel!).
Summer 2023 (Joined a Gym)
- Joined a Gym – I joined a gym for the first time as we moved across the state and couldn’t access my home dumbbells in storage. Plus, as I had built muscle over the past 1.5 years, it was time to reach for heavier options, particularly for leg day. The gym could provide those options.
- Faster Way Gym Workouts – I started following the Faster Way gym workouts (which feature a mix of machines and dumbbells). I didn’t know how to use gym machines, so I utilized the Faster Way video tutorials, along with YouTube, included with each workout to help guide me and learn these new skills. At first, I would mostly use the dumbbells (my comfort zone), but I slowly warmed up to the machines and barbells and haven’t looked backed since.
February 2024 (Maintaining & Building Muscle)
- Maintaining – Today, I’m living my best life in maintenance (eating around 2300 calories and maintaining at around 125-126lbs). I plan to stay here all of 2024, maintaining my progress.
- Food Freedom – I have food freedom like never before. I don’t fear food, I enjoy treats and all my favorite foods, and have an incredible body and feel amazing. Tracking macros and calories has also become very intuitive, helping me understand what an adequate amount of food looks like for my body. Today, I’m able to practice more intuitive eating without weight gain because of learning how to track macros/calories.
- Building Muscle – I continue to follow the Faster Way workouts (mostly the gym workouts, sometimes the home option) and am focused on building more muscle in 2024!
Today, I’m in better shape than ever before as I enter my 40s this year with a body composition I never thought possible while eating a ton of food and feeling strong.
How Do I sign Up?
TRANSFORM YOUR RESULTS & JOIN FASTER WAY WITH MY COACH, SANDI
Nutrition: What I Ate Before vs. During Faster Way
- What I Didn’t Change – I never changed anything about what or how I ate when I started my journey, even in a fat-loss phase (calorie deficit). I was already familiar with eating whole foods, which is the emphasis of Faster Way. This program is NOT a diet program. It’s not about eating special shakes, protein powders, or brand-specific foods. I continued to eat the same foods as I did before I joined the program.
- What I Did Change – What changed is I learned how to track the food I was eating to hit my macronutrient goals and calories targets. As my macros/calories changed, I would increase (or decrease) the amount of food I ate: more chicken for protein or rice for carbs.
- Dairy and Gluten – In Faster Way, clients are encouraged to eliminate gluten and dairy during the first 6 weeks as these foods can cause inflammation for some people. The quality of these foods is important, and I’ve always enjoyed sourdough and cultured dairy (like yogurt, sour cream, and cottage cheese) without issue. I even tested for gluten and dairy sensitivity many years ago, and both tests came back negative. I would have a hard time meeting my protein goal without dairy. And no one is going to take sourdough bread away from me. That said, if you have inflammation and feel like these foods may be causing it, it may be worth eliminating them temporarily to see if that helps.
What Does a Typical Day of Eating Look Like For Me?
I share my daily meals on Instagram. Here’s an example of what I eat in a day…
- Break My Fast & Pre Workout – Coffee with heavy cream, water and electrolytes, and creatine, 2 dates with peanut butter (I like to eat carbs before training; carbs are the body’s preferred energy source and help me get through a workout)
- Breakfast – 1 egg + 3 egg whites (for extra protein) omelet with ham, 2 slices of cinnamon raisin toast with cream cheese, berries + Greek yogurt with honey
- Lunch – Tuna mashed with avocado (a great way to get in fat and fiber) and salt, crackers, apples, cucumbers and carrots
- Snack – Smoothie with rolled oats, peanut butter powder, protein powder, banana, almond milk, ice
- Dinner – Ground beef tacos (corn tortillas, ground beef), avocado, sour cream, lettuce and roasted sweet potatoes on the side. If I’m still hungry after dinner or need to catch up protein, may have some Greek yogurt.
- Begin my Overnight Intermittent Fast – Usually about 12 hours, sundown to sun up, but I’m not super strict on this.
Learn more about macros in my Faster Way to Fat Loss Macros 101 Guide.
What I Don’t Practice From the Faster Way Program (Hint: I don’t fast or carb cycle!)
The Faster Way coach will make or break your short-term and long-term success. There are a ton of coaches in Faster Way, and unfortunately, most have no background education or knowledge to qualify them as macro coaches.
Most coaches are like me—folks who have experienced success but then (unlike me) sign up to be coaches but can’t truly help people beyond the initial fat loss season (those first few months).
This is why I ONLY recommend my coach, Sandi.
I did tons of research on coaches before I switched to her. Her background is in nutrition and macros, bodybuilding, and personal training. She custom-tailors the Faster Way program.
She helps her clients experience long-term success with seasons of fat loss and muscle building—most coaches have no experience or education on how to do this for clients and have never done this themselves.
That said, with my coach’s guidance, I do not follow Faster Way to a “T.” Instead, I follow a few core essentials of the program, and that’s what has given me my long-term success.
What I DO Follow From the Faster Way Program:
- Macro tracking/calories – According to my goal (currently: to build muscle, so that requires eating lots of food!). I use the Faster Way app to track.
- I follow regular macro days every single day of the week.
- Strength train – 4 times a week using the Faster Way workouts.
- 1 HIIT day a week – From the Faster Way workouts (for the cardio endurance; nothing over the top)
- 2 rest days a week
- Fast about 12 hours each night, but I’m not super strict about this. Just stop eating after dinner and eat again the morning when I wake up (within 30 minutes of waking).
What I DON’T Follow From the Faster Way Program
- Fasting 14 or 16 hours
- Low macro days
- Low carb days (carb cycling) – I eat the same amount of fat and carbs every single day based on the macros provided by my coach.
- 2 HIIT days a week – nothing against HIIT at all, I just prefer an extra day of strength training instead (usually an extra leg day)
- Special “belly blast” etc. programs – Faster Way puts these mini challenges out a few times a week as a way to motivate and bring in new clients. They’re a great way to get a feel for the Faster Way if you’re curious about the program, but if you’re a client there is no need for you to do these series- just keep hitting those macros and strength training.
In the end, the basics of Faster Way are the most important: nutrients (macros/calories based on your goals), strength training, and movement (walk daily). Outside of that, everything else is cool to learn, but you don’t have to implement or practice those items to see success (unless you want to).
What will you learn in a 6-week round of the FWTFL program?
As I mentioned, you must complete a 6-week round of Faster Way to start. The first 6 weeks are all about education and building habits. After this, you can continue with a month-to-month VIP membership (much cheaper than the 6-week round).
So what should you expect if you join Faster Way and go through a 6-week round?
- Custom Macros With a Certified Nutrition Coach– Your coach will have you complete a survey after joining and, based on this info (such as your current goal, diet history, height, weight, etc.), will send you custom macros. Not all coaches do custom macros, but my coach does, and that’s why I recommend her.
- Macro Tracking – Your coach will then teach you, over the 6 weeks, how to track macros (you get access to the Faster Way app and macro tracker, or you can use an app like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer).
- Small Group Education – Over the 6 weeks, you’ll be placed in a small group with your coach and other people going through their first round. This is a place to stay accountable, ask questions, and learn. Your coach is there to teach, guide, and help you.
- Carb Cycling – Faster Way uses “carb cycling,” which means eating more fat, fewer carbs (net carbs), and the same amount of protein 2 days a week. Then, 5 days a week, eating higher carbs, lower fat, and the same amount of protein. I practiced carb cycling for over 18 months and loved it! In the summer of 2023, I stopped carb cycling due to personal preference. This is a fantastic nutrition strategy to learn during your first 6 weeks.
- Intermittent Fasting– Faster Way also uses a strategy called intermittent fasting, which doesn’t mean skipping a meal. Fasting is simply giving your body time for digestive rest. I still eat all meals, including breakfast and dinner, and fast for 12 hours each night. Your coach will help create a custom fasting schedule for you that’s safe and based on your goals and body. This is the beauty of Faster Way: once you learn how to track macros and strength training, use intermittent fasting safely, and have the help of your coach, how you utilize these strategies can be completely customized to you and your lifestyle.
Do I Recommend Faster Way to Fat Loss? My Honest Review
100%, yes!!
- Best Decision – Joining Faster Way is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It’s completely transformed my body, relationship with food, strength and energy levels, and outlook on aging.
- Not a Fad, Diet, or Gimmick – Faster Way isn’t a gimmick; it’s not some crazy fad. It’s a clinical-trial-backed, evidence-based program focused on eating the right amount of calories/macros to meet your unique goals and strength training. Those are the fundamental tenets.
- You’ll Get an Education – Over the past two years, my understanding of fat loss, weight loss, and muscle has completely changed, and as a woman, I feel empowered and excited to age.
- Consistency = Results – I’ve seen results because of the compounding effect of consistency. I’ve never been “perfect” with my macro tracking, and I’ve taken weeks off from strength training (vacations). But my daily habits have been consistent, and I stuck with it even when I didn’t feel like I was making progress. I’ve seen incredible results by not focusing on a result (like a number on the scale) but instead on being consistent and enjoying the process. And those results aren’t just in a physical change, but also my energy levels, hormones, libido, sleep, and more non-appearance markers. Ladies, please stop obsessing over quick fixes; instead, build the habit of consistency. It’s boring, but it works! What if I quit after those first 6 weeks, when I didn’t see a huge change? I wouldn’t be where I am today. Change takes time.
- The Coach Will Make or Break Your Experience – When I first started, my initial coach could have been better. She didn’t set up custom macros for me and was very distant. She was an influencer, not a coach. This was fine during my first few months, but after a while, as I needed more help, she couldn’t provide that help. This is when I switched to Sandi, who has been a personal trainer for a long time and knows her stuff! With her, I saw the progress I have made so far. I can’t stress enough how important it is to choose the right coach. To join a 6-week round of Faster Way with my incredible coach, click here.
I’ve been sharing my journey on Instagram, and since that time, I’ve received incredible messages from people also on a similar journey. Here are just some of the amazing messages I’ve received.
Reader Q&A
If I lift weights, will I get bulky?
No, women don’t easily get “bulky” without a ton of strategic action over many years: eating a TON of food, lifting HEAVY for years, using steroids, etc. You will not get bulky by lifting weight. Muscle is the organ of longevity and the key to looking toned and so many vital functions.
How tall are you?
I’m 5’2″.
How often do you train and how long are your training sessions?
I lift (strength train) 3 times a week with one upper body day, one leg day, and one total body day (about 45 minutes to 1 hour each time- I take lots of rest between sets, so my sessions take more time), HIIT 1 time a week and rest 2-3 days a week (walking). I love Faster Way because this schedule is all programmed for me each week, so I don’t have to think about what I’m doing. I open the Faster Way App and get to work.
I’ve tried everything from CrossFit, to boot camp, to running, weight watchers and even Optavia. I need something that I can stick with and will give me results to better health and a better body that’s good to me. How is Faster Way different?
All of those diets, and even the workouts don’t focus on building muscle, and that is the key to longevity to restoring your metabolism. Things like Optavia put you in an extreme calorie deficit and so does Weight Watchers. And anyone will lose a large amount of weight in those extreme deficits (it’s why they work in the short term with amazing results). The problem is they are quick fixes and how do you sustain the results? Plus when people lose weight on those diets they’re losing both muscle and fat because of how extreme the calorie deficit is. And by losing muscle and eating at such a low calorie number, you’re tanking your metabolism. So when you do go back to eating more food, you’re naturally going to gain a ton of weight.
Faster Way is different because it takes what all the science and data backs as the way to lose fat and build muscle and maintain these results for the long-term. You won’t see any kind of crazy results in 6 weeks, as you can see from my photos. But eating enough to build muscle (and a slight calorie deficit if your goal is fat loss) and lifting weights to build muscle will do INCREDIBLE things for your body and metabolism over the long haul no matter your age. This approach is sustainable and you’ll get results that go beyond just a quick-fix downsizing on the scale.
Is there anything you don’t eat? Are there any foods you avoid or have cut out of your diet?
No, I eat anything and everything (in fact, just enjoyed some Girl Scout Cookies). Learning the strategy of counting macros and calories and understanding how to build muscle has given me incredible food freedom and an amazing metabolism that can handle a lot of delicious food.
Do you have to intermittent fast?
First, everyone fasts. When you sleep and go without eating for 7+ hours, you’re fasting. So fasting doesn’t need to be some extreme thing to be scared of.
But no, you don’t have to intermittent fast; however, most people who ask this think fasting is extreme. Fasting doesn’t mean skipping meals or missing breakfast. It simply gives your body digestive rest (like we all do when we’re sleeping), but it also keeps you from overeating at night out of boredom (this was a massive help for me). I fast 12 hours daily, from sundown (after dinner) to sun up (breakfast), sometimes less. Other options are 14 hours and 16 hours. Your coach should work with you to create a custom fasting schedule that works best for you. IMO, fasting is less necessary than meeting your calorie/macro targets and strength training. Still, it is a good discipline that can be super beneficial and one strategy you’ll learn to use correctly and safely in Faster Way.
I have a lot of weight to lose, will this work for me?
Yes, it will. Faster Way works because it combines a slight calorie deficit (if your goal is fat loss) with building muscle. Whether you choose to join Faster Way or not, these are the two essentials to losing weight and getting that toned look people want. It’s not that Faster Way has some magical secret solution (any program that makes such claims is a big red flag); it’s just that they’ve taken these tenets and packaged them up in an easy-to-follow program.
You can choose quick fixes that will put you in an extreme calorie deficit (which never last because you can’t eat that little for a long time and feel good, but give super fast results), but sustainability is critical. Faster Way does a fantastic job (particularly if you’re with the right coach, which is why I recommend Sandi) at helping people lose fat (through nutrition), build muscle (which will change your body and metabolism in an incredible way), and maintain those results.
Can men join Faster Way?
Yes, Faster Way has a men’s program.
Can you share about low-carb days, low-macro days, and regular macro days in Faster Way?
In Faster Way, you learn how to carb cycle with low-carb days and regular macro days (in VIP, you also learn how to use a low macro day). I practiced carb cycling for over 15 months, but when I went into maintenance, I found it hard to fit my necessary calories with the amount of fat needed on low carb days. But these are amazing strategies that I will always have in my toolbox and can use in the future.
Do I have to weigh food on a scale when I track macros?
I highly recommend doing so initially and for a while as you learn to track macros. Weighing food is far more accurate than using measuring cups. You’ll get a fantastic education and visual on what 20 grams of protein looks like when eating chicken or what 50 grams of carbs looks like when eating rice or potatoes. Taking the time to learn this skill will ensure you’re meeting your macro goals, which provides the best results (particularly in a calorie deficit for fat loss).
Can I drink alcohol and lose weight?
You can, but do I recommend it? No, at least not regularly. When I started my journey, I continued to drink, usually a glass or two of wine or beer a night. But as I tracked macros (which included those drinks), I realized that I didn’t want to waste my calorie allocation on those drinks. I wanted to eat delicious food instead. So, I slowly cut back, and gradually, my desire for it disappeared. As I stopped drinking, fat loss became more accessible, and I felt way better. I still drink from time to time. We recently went to Mexico, and I spent 4 days enjoying margs, wine, and beer. It was fun, but that’s not my daily life.
How fast will I see results?
While I saw some results in the first 6 weeks, I soon realized that this journey is lifelong. I recommend approaching your journey with the same mindset. Over the past two years, I’ve seen my body change incredibly, and if I had been focused on fast and quick, I never would have had the patience to build the consistency and sustainable habits that got me to where I am today. I can’t wait to see my progress over the next year(s) and the compounding effect of consistent daily habits.
Is Faster Way to Fat Loss an MLM?
No, it’s not (and I’ve seen a lot of MLM companies over the years and been very outspoken about many in the health and beauty industry). I get that it feels very gimmicky for many people; I felt that way too. It’s a clinically proven program focusing on the foundation that every fitness professional will tell you is vital: protein, calories (Faster Way also focuses on macros for nutrition quality), and lifting weights. What FWTFL has done so well is taking these fundamental principles and packaging them into an easy-to-follow program, so you have all the tools and support needed to succeed with these essential habits.
Do you need to know how to count macros to join Faster Way?
No, you’ll learn during the first 6 weeks and be given custom macros and have access to the Faster Way App for daily tracking.
Is the month-to-month VIP group worth it?
Yes! For $79 a month, it’s a steal of a deal. Having my workouts completely programmed and done for me (and these aren’t just random workouts; they are strategically developed each week to build muscle and strength over time) is worth every penny. Also, having my coach’s support when I need my macros adjusted, have questions, have felt like I wasn’t making progress and needed help, etc., is worth the month-to-month cost.
Will I lose weight on Faster Way?
You may or may not see your scale weight drop. But scale weight means very little; it’s simply a piece of data (a number) that includes muscle, water, food, fat, bone density, etc. Even if the scale doesn’t move (which, yes, it did for me, I went from 145lbs to now maintaining at around 125lbs for over a year), you will lose fat, build muscle, and see body composition changes if you’re consistent. Instead of focusing on the scale, build the habits of tracking your macros and strength training and take progress photos weekly. You’ll be shocked at what your body can do and how it can change with consistency over time.
Do I need to join a gym to follow the strength training workouts?
No, you can exercise at home using dumbbells and bands or workout at the gym. Faster Way provides options for both. It gives you everything you need to be successful – videos, form training, etc., whether you’re a newbie (like I was) or experienced (like I am now).
Do I have to follow the Faster Way meal plans?
No, Faster Way provides meal plans each week in the Faster way App (included when you join and in the month-to-month VIP membership); however, you don’t need to follow them. This isn’t a diet program where you have to eat certain foods. The meal plans are simply there as a guide, like Pinterest or a blog, to simplify your life if you want to use them. They are not a “diet plan.”
I like barre, pilates, yoga, and other classes, can I continue to do these classes and follow the Faster Way Program?
Yes, you can. Barre, yoga, pilates are both wonderful activities for a rest day (and Faster Way has these options built into the program on rest days with videos you can follow if you choose). But, you need to strength train as that’s the only thing that will build muscle and doing this is essential for your metabolism, appearance, and overall health and longevity. So whether you use the Faster Way strength trainings, or something else, these workouts should be your top priority.
How have you found the macro tracking? Weighing food, measuring ingredients, inputting all your recipes etc. That part seems like a lot of effort and time.
In the beginning, this skill takes time to learn (and that’s what the first 6 weeks are for – learning and practicing with the help of your coach). I keep meals simple and repeat a lot of favorite meals, and the app makes tracking so simple and easy. I do a lot of copy/paste in the app, too (making it so easy and fast to track meals).
Tracking macros is only hard initially as there is a learning curve (just like anything), but the incredible value of learning this skill is worth it and will pay off in the long run. Now, for me, it’s just second nature, and I don’t track in maintenance because I spent the time learning how to track and visualize what, say, 30 grams of protein looks like or 100 grams of carbs. I can eat intuitively now and maintain weight, but I needed to learn this invaluable tool.
How do I sign up? To join a 6-week round of Faster Way with my incredible coach, click here.
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Hi!, does the app work off line? When going away not always I have reception and finding something that I can use everywhere is key for me.
Also, how do you know the macros were not right for you at the beginning? I am concern that I’ll invest 250 and 6 weeks and I will not be pair with the right person.
Thank you for your time!
and you look amazing 🙂
Hey Maria, No, it doesn’t work off line, You can download the workout videos ahead of time if needed. I ONLY recommend Sandi Gravatt as a coach. She will get your macros right and customizes them for each client and tweaks as needed based on how your body is responding. A LOT of Faster Way coaches don’t know what they’re doing with setting up macros. So that’s the only way to ensure the $250 isn’t a waste and why I’m so passionate about the right coach.
Thank you for your insights! I’ve just wrapped up Day 1 on the six-week program and I am simultaneously excited and overwhelmed by tracking macros. Are there any meals that you’d recommend for first timers? I know it will get easier, but I think some simple recipes would be helpful as I learn and practice more.
Hey Jenn, I’m excited for you! It gets so much easier. Just like anything, it’s a lot to learn at first, but after a while it will be second nature. I don’t even track many times these days, because knowing what and how to eat is just second nature now after tracking for so long (and struggling in the beginning with learning how to do so). Simple recipes, as you mentioned, are the key! Grilled chicken, grilled steak, burgers, rice, roasted veggies, eggs, yogurt and fruit, toast- things that are easy to track because they’re not all jumbled together in say a casserole or soup. Then with time, as you get confident with tracking, you’ll find it easier and less stressful to track those kind of “mixed meals.”
Thank you for sharing your journey! It inspired me to join the FasterWay back in March of this year and I’m so glad I did! I am curious what the process is for changing coaches? I am almost 6 months in and I’m not sure I’m with the right coach for me. I love Sandi’s background and her focus on body decomposition and not just fat loss. I am curious how to make the coaching change since no one ever talks about it 🙂. Thanks again for your inspo! You’re killing it!
Hey Krista, That’s so great. You’ll need to write (email) Faster Way customer service or call them to request a change.
Hi Kristin! Just a couple questions….is the weight training part of this program possible if I have a chronic back issue (meaning there is no way I’d ever be able to bend and lift heavy weights) plus I’m still healing from an ankle surgery. Walking is not possible at this time. I’m not sure how aggressive the physical aspect of this program would be. Secondly, must I be a part of social media in order to participate? You look great!
Hey Carrie, I wish you a speedy and healthy recovery. Yes, the weight training is part of the program. The great thing is every workout includes modifications (and a trainer in every video to guide you through those modifications), so it’s definitely doable. You don’t have to be on social media, but much of the 6-week intro education and accountability will be in a small group via Facebook. I know some folks create profiles just to be in take part in that. It’s nice to be surrounded by other ladies who are also on this journey in that group. But email education with your coach is also part of that initial 6 weeks.
Here’s an example of an upper body strength workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuIw-lfv3u0
Thank you so much for responding! Really liked the possibilities with modifying the workouts. Once my ankle is healed, I’m doing this! Thanks for sharing your journey with us.
You’re welcome, Carrie! Speedy recovery.
First of all, amazingly detailed post, you thought of everything! Second, I’ve been putting off strength training for far too long just because I think I’m “too busy” and you have inspired me to get started now and stop putting it off. Thank you and congratulations on all your hard work and success!
That’s awesome, Michelle! So glad the post was helpful and encouraging! I’m excited for you.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I am following another FW coach on IG that I went to nursing school with and I have been curious about the program. I’m 40 years old and need to lose weight (I’ve been a yo-yo dieter my whole life) but I also have a daughter who needs to lose weight. I have a couple of questions about the real foods approach to eating and also FW.
You said that you were using your real, whole foods approach to eating when you started FW. Do you still use a lot of your own recipes or do you eat processed foods now if they fit into your macros? You said you just got finished eating Girl Scout cookies so that had me wondering if you don’t follow the real foods lifestyle anymore? I was actually wanting to cut out processed foods and see if that will help both my daughter and myself, but it sounds like I may need something extra than just cutting out the processed foods if we have weight we need to lose? I would love your insight. Thanks!
Hey Holly,
I still eat real, whole foods just like I preach here on the blog, nothing has changed about what I eat (only the how much I eat has changed). But I also don’t fear food as I did before. I enjoy treats without guilt, which is what those Girl Scout Cookies were.
I think people can be super obsessed with cutting out foods, and while I enjoy home-cooked, real food most of the time (daily as part of what I eat mainly), there’s also a time and place if you want to enjoy a treat without feeling like it’s going to do harm. The stress from taking things to an extreme I think is far more dangerous usually and I see it so often in the real food world (an obsession and fear that becomes disordered).
I think that’s where people can take eating to an extreme. I would encourage anyone wanting to count macros to focus mostly on real food, not ultra-processed foods – you’ll feel better and find you can eat way more food. That’s one reason I love FW – it’s all about real food. They never encourage ultra-processed foods or products. But I also think there’s a lot of food freedom that comes from not fearing foods and being able to enjoy something like some Girl Scout Cookies and knowing you can stay healthy, fit, and accomplish your goals while doing so. I mentioned the cookies not because I eat them regularly, but more to point out that you don’t have to go to extreme measures (like only eating salads) and still achieve fitness goals. Counting macros has given me so much food freedom to understand that and taken away a lot of food fear I held on to for so long. That said, I also realize that I feel best when I’m eating real-foods (and cooking at home) the majority of the time.
I think there’s a big misconception that counting macros = eating processed food. Maybe because people think you need a nutritional label on food to do so. But you can just as easily count macros by by eating veggies and chicken as you can by picking up a box or package. It’s your pick what and how you eat when you count macros and everyone chooses to approach it differently in what they like to eat, dietary preferences, how different foods make them feel, etc. All foods contain macros of some sort, so there’s no one way of eating with macros. It’s so empowering to learn how macros can work as a tool to help you achieve goals.
Hope that helps 🙂
I share what I eat here and more about macros here: https://livesimply.me/faster-way-to-fat-loss-macros-101-guide/
Thank you for your reply. I appreciate your input. I am having a very difficult time finding a good balance and worry about causing problems with my daughters with my yo-yo dieting and also just trying to find a good balance for myself to lose weight and then maintain. I may look more into FW. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Holly.
I have been following and using your recipes for about two years now. We do eat a whole food diet and fast already but I am gaining weight. I think my age(47) has a lot to do with it as I have always been very skinny! Does this program push a high protein diet? What was the highest grams of protein they had you eating in a day? (I know each person will be different). I worry about heart disease consuming a high amount of meat. Thank you for sharing your journey!
Hey Katherine, Thank you so much! As we age, we lose muscle unless we eat enough protein and lift heavy weights. And muscle mass is what keeps a metabolism fired up. So age doesn’t cause weight gain, but a lose of muscle mass (which will slow down your metabolism) paired with a calorie surplus (the only way to gain weight – eating more than your body needs to maintain) will cause weight gain as we age.
Meat doesn’t cause heart disease. Highly recommend looking into the work of Dr. Gabriel Lyons -just one of the amazing doctors who talks about this often and has so many great podcast episodes. It’s so important to eat enough protein and generally the overall recommendation in studies (for fat loss and muscle retention) is .8-1 gram of protein per ideal body weight. You can read more about protein and macros here: https://livesimply.me/my-2-year-experience-with-faster-way-to-fat-loss-review/ That said, you don’t have to eat a ton of meat to get in protein. Check out that post and the FAQ section there where I talk about vegetarians/vegans.
Thank you for the reply and the suggestions of what to look into! TBH, I was seconds from signing both my husband and myself with fasterway, I really like that they include all three facets, fasting, macros and the training videos. I could not find any other program that did that. After doing a very brief research on the company – I came across a lot of negative bbb reviews, I was a bit apprehensive about signing up- the main complaint was it is virtually impossible to cancel your membership. You probably have not run into this issue because you have kept using it. I was so bummed because this looked right up our ally 😞, I just don’t want to be trapped in that gym membership conundrum where you can’t cancel if you have gotten to the point in your journey where you no longer need the extra help!😊
Hey Katherine, You’re welcome. I’ve seen those reviews as well, but honestly I don’t see how that can be. It’s very easy to cancel, literally just write customer service an email or call. There’s no sucking people in or keeping them around if they don’t want to stay. I think like a lot of things, the people who have had a bad experience (whether from their own lack of action or due to not understanding how to cancel) are the ones with the loudest voice. I wouldn’t let that discourage you.
I canceled within a day of joining. I planned to do the 6 weeks, but didn’t want to continue. I told FW that I didn’t want to keep on after that – I was that big of a skeptic and convinced from day 1 that this wouldn’t work! I wrote customer service and had a response in a day. No issue. I then fell in love and wrote them back at week 5 because I wanted to keep on and they changed my plan to allow that.
I also know a few people in VIP who after a year have canceled and continue following the tenants, but now follow other strength programs. Not one issue canceling (I still talk with them). They emailed FW and the cancellation took place.
My guess is the people who have had those bad cancelation experiences were old before FW had customer service to handle their growth, or didn’t proactively write or call and request a cancelation.
Thank you so much for sharing your journey! I love following your stories on Instagram and you are true inspiration as I make my way through the initial 6 weeks of FW.
Thank you so much, Sal! I’m so glad it’s helpful.