• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The BarBend Logo in white.

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • HYROX
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
  • Community Forum
Home » News » 5 Straightforward Weight Loss Tips From an Olympia Champion

5 Straightforward Weight Loss Tips From an Olympia Champion

Dana Linn Bailey’s shredding secrets revealed.

Written by Matt Magnante
Last updated on February 20th, 2025

Losing weight requires discipline, consistency, and planning. Former Women’s Physique Olympia champion Dana Linn Bailey recently unwrapped her top five straightforward weight loss tips that you can apply right now:

Dana Linn Bailey’s Top 5 Weight Loss Tips

  1. Track Your Food
  2. Cut Out/Minimize Processed Foods
  3. Stay Hydrated
  4. Increase Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
  5. Be Consistent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn6bqvrOYss&ab_channel=DanaLinnBailey

[Related: 16 Ways the Keto Diet Has Evolved]

Tip #1: Track Your Food

A common mistake when trying to lose weight is underestimating caloric intake. Calories can add up unknowingly, hindering weight loss or even causing weight gain. That’s why it’s important to weigh yourself a few times weekly.

First, find out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, then aim for a few hundred fewer calories daily. 

Take a week and track everything you eat.

—Dana Linn Bailey

Food journals and apps are popular tracking tools. Both have been shown to decrease diet plan adherence over time, though. Portion control seems more sustainable than complete avoidance while remaining effective for weight loss. (1)(2) Ultimately, the best weight loss method depends on the individual and their goals. 

Tip: Include protein in every meal. Protein tends to be more satiating than carbs or fats, which may reduce calorie intake. (3)

Tip #2: Cut Out/Minimize Processed Foods

While most foods are processed to some degree, there’s a clear distinction between nutritious foods and low-quality calories (fried fast foods, boxed meals, and packaged snacks). These foods can cause fat gain and retention and worsen health when consumed too often. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DayDay Knucks (@danalinnbailey)

Ultra-processed foods (e.g., refined foods with artificial additives and preservatives) increase caloric consumption and fat gain. (4) Instead, opt for whole foods like fresh produce, lean proteins, and whole grains. 

Meal planning and preparation are key to staying consistent, as they help prevent convenient eating while giving you control over ingredients and portions. Avoid temptation by not grocery shopping when you’re hungry. 

Tip #3: Stay Hydrated

Adequate hydration promotes appetite control and weight loss. A study found that drinking 500 milliliters (just over two cups) of water before meals caused 44% more weight loss. (5) If you prefer flavored beverages, infuse water with lemon, tea, or other sugar-free, low-calorie options.

Is coffee a good hydrating option? While Bailey says no, the literature says coffee is as hydrating as water. (6) 

Tip #4: Increase NEAT

Aside from structured exercise, there are many unplanned ways to burn extra calories, known as NEAT.

“If you have a desk job, stand up and move every hour. Take a walk, do some air squats,” Bailey advised.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DayDay Knucks (@danalinnbailey)

Exercise can strip fat better than caloric restriction, since it also increases resting metabolism, which can prevent fat gain. (7) Using a step counter and aiming for 8,000 to 10,000 steps daily can be beneficial when paired with quality sleep. 

Tip #5: Be Consistent

“The biggest thing is consistency,” Bailey affirmed, not only for losing fat but also for keeping pounds off. Building sustainable habits, such as doing activities you enjoy, setting goals, and making small changes, is important and differs for everyone.

More Bodybuilding Content

  • What Derek Lunsford Eats on High-Calorie Day During 2025 Arnold Classic Prep
  • How and Why These 5 Exercises Generate More Triceps Growth
  • Ronnie Coleman Trains Men’s Open Bodybuilder Blessing Awodibu Through Push Day

References

  1. Kheirmandparizi M, Gouin JP, Bouchaud CC, Kebbe M, Bergeron C, Madani Civi R, Rhodes RE, Farnesi BC, Bouguila N, Conklin AI, Lear SA, Cohen TR. Perceptions of self-monitoring dietary intake according to a plate-based approach: A qualitative study. PLoS One. 2023 Nov 28;18(11):e0294652. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294652. PMID: 38015899; PMCID: PMC10683993.
  2. Roe LS, Rolls BJ. Which strategies to manage problem foods were related to weight loss in a randomized clinical trial? Appetite. 2020 Aug 1;151:104687. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.104687. Epub 2020 Mar 29. PMID: 32234531; PMCID: PMC7305980.
  3. Paddon-Jones, D., Westman, E., Mattes, R. D., Wolfe, R. R., Astrup, A., & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. (2008). Protein, weight management, and satiety. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 87(5), 1558S–1561S. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/87.5.1558S
  4. Hall, K. D., Ayuketah, A., Brychta, R., Cai, H., Cassimatis, T., Chen, K. Y., Chung, S. T., Costa, E., Courville, A., Darcey, V., Fletcher, L. A., Forde, C. G., Gharib, A. M., Guo, J., Howard, R., Joseph, P. V., McGehee, S., Ouwerkerk, R., Raisinger, K., Rozga, I., … Zhou, M. (2019). Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell metabolism, 30(1), 67–77.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008
  5. Dennis, E. A., Dengo, A. L., Comber, D. L., Flack, K. D., Savla, J., Davy, K. P., & Davy, B. M. (2010). Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 18(2), 300–307. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2009.235
  6. Maughan, R. J., Watson, P., Cordery, P. A., Walsh, N. P., Oliver, S. J., Dolci, A., Rodriguez-Sanchez, N., & Galloway, S. D. (2016). A randomized trial to assess the potential of different beverages to affect hydration status: development of a beverage hydration index. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 103(3), 717–723. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.115.114769
  7. Hume DJ, Yokum S, Stice E. Low energy intake plus low energy expenditure (low energy flux), not energy surfeit, predicts future body fat gain. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016 Jun;103(6):1389-96. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.127753. Epub 2016 May 11. PMID: 27169833; PMCID: PMC4880998.

Featured image: @danalinnbailey on Instagram

About Matt Magnante

Matthew Magnante is a seasoned writer and content editor who has authored hundreds of articles in various categories including bodybuilding, strength sports, CrossFit, general health and fitness, and MMA. His childhood fascination with the 80s and 90s bodybuilding legends fueled his passion for living and breathing weight training, nutrition, and everything in between. Matt was involved in martial arts for most of his youth and is a huge UFC fan. Having beaten the worst of anxiety and chronic stress using natural techniques, he’s also learning just as much about the mind and loves to help others improve their well-being and overall health.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest Reviews

EveryPlate Review

EveryPlate Review (2025): A Tasty, Budget-Friendly Meal Kit, Tested By Our Experts

ARMRA Colostrum Review

ARMRA Colostrum Review (2025): A Certified Nutrition Coach’s Critique of this Trending Supplement

Sun Home Luminar Review

Sun Home Luminar Review (2025): Our Experts Sweat It Out With This High-Quality Outdoor Sauna

Cover image for CookUnity review of a filled reusable box of 6 CookUnity meals

CookUnity Review (2025): An Expert-Tested and Flexible Prepared Meal Service

Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens Review

Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens Review (2025): Our Experts Examine This Nutrient-Filled Profile

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2025 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap