Tips for Calorie Counting Success
Calorie counting can be tricky at first. Before we wrap it up, we’d like to leave you with some tips for success.
Eat Breakfast
You’ve heard it again and again; breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is true, and it’s also very important if you’re counting calories. You may be tempted to skip breakfast. Don’t. It helps kick start your metabolism and prevents low blood sugar, cravings, and overeating later in the day. It helps you make smart food choices as well.
Eat Smaller Meals
Nutritionists recommend eating five to six small meals a day. This helps you in many ways. You’re better able to keep tight control over your calorie intake. You also won’t get hungry and give into temptation. Your blood sugar levels stay low while you stay energetic and focused all day long.
Eat Balanced Meals
Meals that are high in protein and complex carbohydrates are digested and absorbed more slowly. They’re more satisfying and help you feel full faster and for longer. An example of this would be eggs and fruit salad for breakfast. An apple and nut butter for a snack. A dinner might be a salad, 4 ounces of lean meat, and a side of vegetables like sweet potatoes or whole grains like a quinoa salad.
Moderation Not Deprivation
It’s easy to be eager to lose weight and want to cut your calories way back so you can lose the most weight. However, the best approach is to keep moderation in mind. Don’t cut your favorite foods completely out of your life. Just eat less of them and eat them less often. Counting calories to lose weight just takes a little attention and planning. You can still have a slice of pizza on Friday night assuming you’ve eaten nutritiously and lightly all day.
Track Your Weight Loss Success
We’ve talked a lot about tracking calories in and calories out. But what about tracking your success? You’re striving to lose weight and the best way to stay motivated is to track your successes and take a little time to celebrate them. Whether you’ve lost your first pound or your 50th, each pound you lose is a success that deserves acknowledgement.
Should You Weigh Your Food?
Because calories depend on the volume or amount of food you’re eating, it may make sense to weigh your food on a kitchen scale. For example, it can be difficult to know what 4 ounces of meat looks like. Weighing your food will help you more accurately track your calories.
However, weighing your food can also feel overwhelming, tedious, and restrictive. If weighing isn’t for you, then learn portion size. There are many tools that help you learn what four ounces of meat looks like – for example, a deck of cards or a hockey puck. There are great websites that help provide visual cues, for example this one http://myfitnessnut.com/portion-size-guide.
Congratulations!
You now have everything you need to track what you consume and what you burn. This information provides you with the knowledge you need to lose weight and get control over your health and wellbeing.
