Why are you not getting results even though you are eating healthy foods?
You are eating too many calories!
When it comes to fat loss you must remain in a calorie deficit to succeed.
Eating healthy foods is a big part of it as it will help you stay full, have more energy and perform better, but as you can see from the examples below, you can eat healthy food and not be in a calorie deficit.
Taking the examples as a whole days eating, on day 1 you would consume 1,943 calories and on day 2 you would consume 3,680 calories.
1,943 would be enough to put a lot of guys in a deficit and on the track to losing weight.
3,680 is most definately not a deficit for the average guy.
So, how do you make sure you are not eating too much?
Easy, you track your food intake.
Tracking food intake
The reason you will track your food intake is to:
- Ensure you are staying in a calorie deficit
- Learn values and calories of foods
The best way is to use an app, I prefer Myfitnesspal as its easy to use.
Tips for using the Myfitnesspal acurately
- Weigh your portions at first (cooked weight), but after a while of doing this you should get to know rough portions. For example if having a half pot of greek yoghurt just look at weight on the pack and use that.
- Do not add in calories burned, you can disable this in the settings.
- Use the app to plan ahead, sit down in the night and plan out next days meals, then prepare in advance.
- If having a meal like spaghetti bolognase, don’t just search for it in the app as these may not be accurate. Add each of the ingredients individually and save it as a meal. This will be accurate and there for you whenever you need it again.
- Everything goes in the app like butter, oils, drinks and so on.
Tips to make it easier to stay in a calorie deficit
- Plan ahead and be prepared.
-If you know you will be working late tomorrow, bring extra lunch.
-Make a shopping list.
-Do a weekly shop and always have healthy options in the house.
-Clear out ‘trigger foods’, foods you over indulge on once you start.
-Cook in bulk
2.Eat mainly highly nutritious whole foods.
-Eat lots of vegetables, fruits, protein at every meal, healthy fats and carbs too
-Try to cook the majority of your meals and limit eating out as much as possible.
-Use homemade sauces, spices etc
3. Stay hydrated
-Drink 2-3 litres of water a day
-Limit liquid calories such as alcohol and fizzy drinks.
Mindful eating
Eating mindfully will also help you to stay in a calorie deficit as it makes it hard to overeat. It is a skill that needs to be practiced and developed over time. I’d recommend picking one from the list below and try to focus on doing it every meal until you feel you are doing it habitually, then move on to another and do the same.
Ways to eat mindfully:
- Eat slowly = place cutlery on the table after every bite, chew food for longer.
- Sit down and have no distractions = put your phone away, turn off the tv, focus on enjoying your meal as if you were in a fancy restaurant.
- Listen to hunger cues = eat when you are hungry and not out of boredom.
- Drink water = drink a full glass of water before your meal and sip on another glass during your meal.
- Eat until 80% full = eat until you are satisfied not stuffed.
- Eat the correct portion = see 2 different examples of how to monitor portion sizes below
Once you begin to get an understanding of how much you are eating it will become a lot easier to succeed.
If you need help with any of the above or have any questions just ask below.