Losing weight can be difficult.
Maintaining it long-term can be next to impossible. Permanent weight loss is something that everyone wants, but few achieve. The reason is that most diet plans offer rapid weight loss, but the plans are not sustainable in the long term.
Technology has provided some amazing tools, but in my experience counseling people, technology gets in the way and eventually becomes a barrier.
Let me explain: while things like MyFitnessPal and FitBit are great for helping people get started, they tend to overcomplicate what should be a relatively simple process.
Think about it: how many days are you going to log your food in the MFP app before you give up? How many times are you going to use your FitBit before you are no longer excited about how many steps you have taken during the day and stop using it? My guess is not that long.
Do you see what I’m driving here?
These tools help you get started, but they can actually get in the way of helping you stick to a healthy eating plan for the long haul. What you have to do is go super LOW TECH. Can you hear me. Completely unplug when it comes to overhauling your diet and losing weight. This means no smartphone, fitness tracker, or computer-generated meal plan. Get back to basics and start losing weight for real.
Follow these 5 daily eating habits and you’ll lose weight without counting calories, worrying about macronutrient pie charts, or weighing your food like some kind of mad scientist. See if this approach doesn’t make sense to you:
1. Eat slowly and STOP when you are 80% full.
It takes about 20 minutes for your gut to tell your brain that it is FULL. You can pack a lot of food during those 20 minutes. To avoid overeating, eat slowly. Take a bite and put your fork down and talk, drink, take a break. Try to spread your food out over a 20-minute period. When you start to feel full (80% full), stop eating. Take what’s left on your plate and put it in Tupperware to eat later.
2. Eat protein-dense foods with every meal.
This would visually be the size of the palm of your hand. This is 30 to 40 grams, or 4 to 6 ounces. By eating this much protein at each meal, you’ll boost your metabolism, improve muscle mass and recovery, and reduce body fat. Examples of high-protein foods are:
* Lean meats such as beef, chicken, turkey, bison, venison
* Fish such as salmon, tuna and cod
* Eggs
* Dairy including cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and cheese
* Beans, peas, vegetables, tofu, tempeh
* whey protein
* Plant-based protein – pea, hemp, rice, soy
3. Eat non-starchy vegetables at every meal.
Aim for 2 fist-sized portions at each meal. That includes breakfast.
4. Eat some carbohydrate-rich foods with most meals.
Especially AFTER exercise. This would consist of a cupped handful. Carbohydrate sources include:
* Breads and cereal grains – Whole grain or sprouted grain
* Pasta – Whole grain or sprouted grain
* Rice – Whole grain
* Oatmeal – Steel Cut
* Quinoa
* Sweet potatoes
*Corn
* Vegetables, beans and lentils
This does not include refined carbohydrates. As we discussed, if you have to open a package to eat it, don’t. I understand?
5. Eat foods high in healthy fats with most meals.
This would include 1 thumb of high-fat food with most meals. This would include the following:
* Saturated fats: animal fats (found in eggs, meat, dairy products, butter, cheeses, coconut oil, and palm oil)
* Monounsaturated fats: nuts, olives, olive oil, peanuts, peanut butter, avocado, canola oil
* Polyunsaturated fats: fish oil, algae oils, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, soy nuts, walnuts, flax oil, chia seeds, Brazil nuts
Also, try to drink 70 ounces of water per day. Start as soon as you wake up. Drink 8 to 10 ounces during EACH meal. If you are exercising, drink more. Dehydration kills your body’s ability to lose weight.
Try this. I think you’ll find the approach a refreshing change and one that you’ll be able to stick with over time.