We’ve all been there; it’s February, the New Year’s resolutions are fading and that spare tire isn’t going anywhere. What’s happening? You started with good intentions but got discouraged when the scale didn’t budge. Instead of giving up, turn it around by getting down to basics. You need to assess and then adjust; those are the keys to sustainable and lasting weight loss. I know; easier said than done but start with baby steps.
For most people, they run from the scale and put their “tight” jeans in the back of the closet. The first thing you need to do is make an honest assessment of where you are. What is your weight? What are your measurements? Write them down. This is really important. There will be times when the pounds don’t come off but you are losing inches. During those times you will be glad you took measurements.
Next, assess your diet. Take a few days to simply write down and monitor your diet. It’s very easy with a phone app like Lose it or MyFitnessPal. With each of those apps you can scan the barcode on a food item and add it into your daily totals. You can also enter any goals you have for calories for the day, macros you may be tracking or other vitamins or minerals you want to track. You need to think about and track how much cream is really going in that coffee? Are more snacks creeping into your diet?
Things to really be mindful of:
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The number of calories you are drinking (juice, creamer, sodas, smoothies)
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Snacking- how much? When and where? (calories count even if you eat them in your car)
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Portion sizes (How much is a serving of your snack? How many servings are you eating at a time?)
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Condiments and sauces (salad dressings, mayonnaise, sour crème), the calories add up quickly
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How is it prepared? (fried, boiled, sautéed in oil)
It’s so important at the beginning, and periodically in your weight loss journey, to track your calories to get an idea of where you really are. Tracking can give you a lot of information on nutrition, times of day when you are eating and overall calories. Tracking can also help when you think about making substitutions and give you insights into where you can cut down or cut back. You can pay attention to how many calories are coming from drinks, BLTs (bites, licks and tastes), mindless nibbling and hidden calories in foods such as dressings and condiments.
Many times we are underestimating our daily calorie intake. Yes, you may have a protein shake but how many calories and carbs are in it? For example, a smoothie with protein powder, 1 banana, 2 Tbsp of almond butter, almond milk and chia seeds can top 600 calories. And, the issue here could be that you aren’t satisfied with the smoothie in the same way you would be with a “sit down breakfast”. So, in your mind you didn’t have a ‘real meal’ so you then have breakfast, lunch and dinner on top of that 600 calorie smoothie. Watch for calories that quickly add up in salads. Cheese, croutons, nuts, creamy dressings don’t magically have zero calories because they sit on top of romaine lettuce.
It may feel old-fashioned or burdensome to calorie count but it won’t have to be forever. You will get a better idea of where to spend your calorie budget and have knowledge of how many calories and servings are in the foods you eat. Calories are not all you should worry about; really it’s about eating nutrient dense foods that make you feel good and fuel your body. However, it’s an important step in taking ownership of your diet and giving you powerful tools to make good decisions on the road to meeting your health goals.
Michelle Aragon is an educator and certified health coach living in Los Angeles. Her website is soultosoulhealth.com
