Despite what most people think, getting lean isn’t just a seasonal thing.

A lot of people only get lean for summer — and then slip back into “chubby mode” as soon as it’s over.
It’s like going into hibernation.

But this on-and-off approach makes looking good and lean a massive chore.
Every year, you have to spend months preparing for summer — because you’ve spent the rest of the year building fat (and bad habits).

On the surface, it seems like you’re just trying to lose fat.
But in reality, what you’re doing is trying to undo months of poor decisions and habits.

The body you have is built by your habits.
Simple.
Whether you’re overweight or lean — it’s the daily system that got you there.

I’ve experienced both sides.
I was overweight (not morbidly, but it felt massive to me), and now I stay lean year-round.

So I know the truth: it all comes down to your habits.
They’re hard to build.
And just as hard to break.

Most people think staying lean is miserable, unhealthy, and unsustainable.
They assume you have to sacrifice your sanity, your social life, or your muscle.

But that’s not true — not if you have the right systems in place.

In this article, I’ll share the 8 habits that helped me stay lean year-round — and that you can develop too.

Even if you’re not shredded 24/7, these habits will keep you close enough that you never have to crash diet or panic train before summer again.

Part I: The 8 Habits of Year-Round Lean People

1. They Master the 20% That Matters

No matter what skill you’re trying to master — fitness, coding, or anything in between — there’s usually a small set of actions that drive the majority of your results.

This is known as the Pareto Principle:
20% of the inputs create 80% of the outcomes.

In fitness, I’d argue it’s even more extreme.
More like 10/90 — or even 5/95.

You don’t need to do everything.
You just need to do the right things consistently.

If you want to go deeper into this concept, Tim Ferriss breaks it down beautifully in The 4-Hour Workweek — a book that changed how I approach almost everything, including training.

Now, the habits I’ve listed in this article?
They are the 20%.
But the mindset of focusing only on the essentials is a habit of its own — and that’s why it’s first on this list.

Sleep isn’t part of the core seven habits on this list — but let’s be real:
It still matters. A lot.

If your sleep sucks, your hunger will spike, your mood will dip, and your cravings will win.
You’ll feel foggy, unmotivated, and far more likely to make poor food choices — even if your diet is on point.

Quality sleep helps regulate your appetite hormones, keeps your energy stable, and gives your body the recovery it needs to stay lean.

Baseline rule:
Aim for at least 7 hours a night — consistently.

You can get away with poor sleep in the short term.
But if you’re playing the long game — which you should be — sleep is non-negotiable.

2. They Practice Intermittent Fasting

The fewer meals you eat, the fewer opportunities you have to overeat.
Simple math. Not rocket science.

That’s why intermittent fasting is such a powerful tool for getting and staying lean.

At its core, intermittent fasting is just structured eating with built-in breaks.
It limits the window of time in which you eat — and by doing that, it naturally reduces how much you eat.

Now, you might think restriction is a bad thing.
But I’d argue the opposite.

Total food freedom — eating whatever, whenever — is what got most people out of shape in the first place.

Fasting creates healthy boundaries.
It teaches discipline, sharpens your hunger cues, and helps you stop reacting to every craving.

Personally, I fast in the mornings.
Not because it’s trendy — I just don’t feel hungry. So I skip breakfast.

Some say it’s unhealthy.
Some say it’s the best thing since sliced bread.

Here’s what I’ve noticed from years of morning fasts:

• Sharper mental focus (especially when coding — yep, I still code)
• Way less fatigue throughout the day
• I feel in control of my hunger, not ruled by it
• Meals are more satisfying when I do eat

Intermittent fasting isn’t magic.
But it is a simple way to limit mindless eating, create structure, and build self-mastery — which is exactly what staying lean demands.

If you want to copy my exact routine, I simply skip breakfast and fast until 12 PM. I allow myself to eat between 12 PM and 8 PM. I like to keep things easy. But you can do your own research on intermittent fasting and try things out for yourself.

3. They Move Daily (Outside the Gym)

What most people do a few months before summer is panic-cardio.
They start grinding through intense sessions to fast-track their fat loss.

Now look — I joke about cardio on social media all the time, but I’ll admit it:
Cardio works.
It boosts your calorie output and can help with fat loss.

But let’s be honest —
It’s not sustainable.
And it’s not always effective.

Here’s why: when your energy output increases, your appetite usually does too.
Your body wants to balance the equation.

So after burning a bunch of calories, most people end up craving high-calorie foods… and often eat back what they burned (or more).

Let me put it in perspective:
To burn off one slice of pizza, you’d have to run for about 30 minutes.
That’s a pretty unfair trade, if you ask me.

So what’s the smarter play?

Walk more.

Walking increases your daily calorie burn without triggering massive hunger.
It’s low intensity, low stress, and easy to recover from.

Sure — it doesn’t burn as many calories per minute as running.
But as a long-term habit?
It’s way more effective.

Plus, walking isn’t just physical.
It’s psychological.

Studies show that walking reduces stress, boosts mood, and clears your mind.
It helps you stay grounded — and when you’re grounded, you make better decisions about food, training, and life.

Aim for 10k steps each day.

4. They Train Consistently, Not Excessively

Let’s kill two birds with one stone: Look good and stay looking good.

Training doesn’t just make you look better when you’re lean — it actually helps you stay lean.
Why? Because the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns at rest.

Muscle is expensive tissue. It requires energy — which means more muscle = higher baseline calorie burn.

That’s why lean people make strength training a habit. Not an obsession. Not a short-term grind.
A habit.

Here are some core principles to keep in mind when it comes to training:

• Consistency > perfection. Missing a day isn’t failure. Quitting is.
• Ease into it. Don’t go full beast mode your first month. Build your rhythm.
• Form > weight. Nobody cares how much you lift if you look like a lawn chair doing it.
• Adapt your routine over time. As you grow, your training should evolve with you.
• Train with purpose. Sculpt your body, don’t just throw around weight.
  

TL;DR — Consistency and form are king.

Keep it simple. Keep showing up.
The longer you stay consistent, the more you can fine-tune a training routine that fits your lifestyle and shapes the body you want.

That’s how lean people train.
Not to impress. But to express.

5. They Eat Mostly Whole, Low-Carb Foods

There are two major stages when it comes to getting lean.

Stage 1:
If you’re starting at 20% body fat or higher, your first focus should be simple:
Stop eating like the modern world wants you to.

That means cutting out junk like:

• Hot dogs
• Cereal and cornflakes
• Donuts
• Fast food
• Any other ultra-processed, calorie-dense, zero-nutrient trash
  

Swap those for basic, whole foods like:

• Vegetables
• Air-fried chicken
• Tuna
• Eggs
• Steak
• Simple meals you can prep yourself

If you just make this switch, you’ll likely drop to around 20% body fat without tracking a single macro. No exaggeration.

Back in the day, most people hovered around that 15–20% range by default. Why?
Because ultra-processed foods weren’t a staple. They weren’t cheap. And they weren’t everywhere.

Now they’re in every aisle, in every ad, and they’re dirt cheap.

So just cutting that crap out will get you below 20% body fat — no perfection needed, just consistency.

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Stage 2:
Once you’re hovering around 20%, and you want to get leaner, you’ll want to take it a step further:
Lower your carb intake — especially processed carbs.

I’m talking about:

• White bread
• Burger buns
• Sugary snacks
• Pasta
• Even “healthy” carbs like white rice, depending on your body’s response
  

No, you don’t have to go full keto.
You don’t have to cut out all carbs.
But if your goal is to stay lean year-round, limiting carbs is one of the easiest levers to pull.

Personally, I avoid them most of the time — even clean ones — because my body just stays leaner and sharper that way. You don’t need to copy me, but test what works for your system.

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Here’s why lowering carbs works:

• You reduce water retention (carbs store water in your body)
• You stabilize your insulin levels (less cravings, more control)
• You naturally eat less — because protein and fat are more satiating
• You avoid energy crashes from blood sugar spikes

It’s not magic. It’s not trendy.
It’s just a simple strategy that lean people keep using — because it works.

6. They Prep Simple, Repeatable Meals

“If you don’t plan, you plan to fail.”
Can’t remember who said it, but they weren’t wrong.

Most people have no idea how many calories, grams of protein, or how much fiber they’re eating in a day.
And to be honest — they don’t have the patience to track it all either.

That’s exactly why meal prep is your secret weapon.

If you’re relying on your environment — your cravings, convenience, or whatever’s available — you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Stack on top of that the fact that most people don’t even know what healthy food looks like… and yeah, you’re cooked.

Meal prepping puts you in control.
Yes, it takes time upfront — but it saves you hours (and energy) over the week.
More importantly, it gives you peace of mind:
You know what you’re eating. You know your calories. You know you’re hitting your protein.

And no, meal prepping doesn’t have to be boring.

There are thousands of easy, high-protein, macro-friendly recipes floating around the internet.
You just have to find the ones that match your taste and routine.

Here’s an easy way to start:
Look at what you already eat — and find a healthier version.

• If you love fried chicken? Try air-fried chicken thighs.
• If you love rice bowls? Try cauliflower rice with grilled meat and a low-calorie sauce.
• Love burgers? Make your own with lean beef and lettuce wraps.
  

If cooking really isn’t your thing and you’ve got some budget?
Find local restaurants or meal prep services that offer healthy, high-protein options.

Yes, it’ll take a little research to find the right spot — but once you lock it in, you’ve got a go-to that keeps you lean, without thinking.

7. They Stay Hydrated

Most people are chronically dehydrated — walking around in a low-level thirst trap without even knowing it.

And here’s a sneaky truth:
Half the time you think you’re hungry, you’re just thirsty.
Drink a full glass of water, and boom — the craving disappears. No snack needed.

On average, a human being should drink around 3 liters of water per day.
That doesn’t sound like a lot — until you actually try tracking it.
You’ll quickly realize how little pure water you drink in a day.

And no — soda doesn’t count.

Let’s be real:
Soda is one of the biggest silent killers out there.
Packed with sugar.
Packed with empty liquid calories.
One can of soda = 100+ calories.
That’s 100 calories of pure sabotage — no nutrients, no satiety, just a slow drift toward fat gain.

So when I say drink at least 3 liters of water, I mean water.
Not juice. Not soda. Not energy drinks. Not Coke Cherry with a slice of lime.

Just clear, clean water.

It’s simple.
It’s free.
And it makes everything else — digestion, training, fat loss, energy, focus — better.

8. They snack Intentionally

Let’s talk about one of the silent killers of your diet — or if we want to go deeper:
One of the real killers.
Because obesity-related conditions are the leading cause of death in most modern countries.

And one of the sneakiest culprits behind it?

Snacking.

You could nail your diet all day — eating clean, staying in a deficit, hitting your macros with precision.
But then you mindlessly snack on a few Reese’s cups or a bag of chips…
And just like that, you erase your progress.

Here’s the hard truth:
Most popular snacks are high in calories and low in satiety.
I could crush 4 bags of chips and still feel hungry.
No real fullness. No real nutrients. Just dopamine.

So what’s the solution?

It’s simple — but not easy.
Snack on fruit.

Most people don’t eat enough fruit during the day.
Instead, they reach for Ben & Jerry’s, chips, cookies, or whatever’s closest.

And yeah, I said simple, not easy — for a reason.

Because this isn’t a food problem.
It’s a mental one.

Everyone knows chips and ice cream aren’t helping them get lean.
But they’re hooked — not on the flavor, but on the dopamine spike.

Processed snacks are engineered to hit your brain like a drug.
Fruit, on the other hand, doesn’t hijack your nervous system.
It nourishes you.

You won’t get the same instant “hit” — but you’ll feel better long term.
More energy. More control. Less guilt.
And most importantly?
You’ll keep your calorie deficit intact without suffering.

I honestly believe that most of the things around dieting are more of a mental issue than a physical one.

Part II: The Hidden Truth — It’s More Mental Than You Think

Being lean is more emotional than physical.

Through my own journey — and after helping others lose fat — I’ve realized something most people overlook:

Getting lean and staying lean is 100% emotional.

And honestly? I think most of the problems in life are emotional.
But that’s a topic for another article.

When someone is overweight, it’s rarely just about food.
It’s about how they use food to manage their emotions.

When life gets hard, they don’t go for a walk.
They don’t hit the gym.
They reach for comfort food.

Ice cream. Pizza. Chips.
Food becomes therapy.
But not the healing kind — the numbing kind.

And this isn’t just about weight.
Look at the average 30+ year-old.
Most are visibly unhealthy.

Yes, aging plays a role — metabolism slows, hormones shift.
But that’s a small part of the equation.

The real reason?
Stress.

As we get older, stress compounds — bills, work, relationships, responsibility.
And if you don’t have a system to manage that stress,
you’ll fall back on the only one you know: eating.

This becomes your emotional release valve.
And over time, it turns into your default.

Here’s the difference between year-round lean people and seasonal leanish people:

It’s not just discipline.
It’s not willpower.
It’s systems.

It’s habits.

They’ve built habits that automatically help them navigate stress without self-sabotage.
They have rituals. Movement. Support. Awareness.

And believe me — those emotional waves will come.
So you better have something in place when they do.

Because if you don’t, they’ll sweep you.
And every time you fall off, you reinforce the identity of someone who “can’t stick to it.”

But when your mind is rooted, your body follows.

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Conclusion / Wrap Up

Being lean year-round isn’t about sacrificing your happiness.
It’s about creating a strategy that makes staying lean easy and natural for you.

It’s about building habits that align with your life —
habits that become your personal system.

Sure, some people might call your routine “extreme.”
But that just means your standards are higher than theirs.
You have to stand by your goals.
Live and fight for your own vision —
because if you don’t, no one else will.
And you’ll end up living by someone else’s script.

This isn’t about perfection.
It’s about consistency, simplicity, and a mindset that honors your mission.

You don’t have to suffer.
You just have to choose differently — and choose that path often enough until it becomes second nature.