None of this will be new to the vets of the sub, but there are always fresh people coming in so I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in just because I've changed a few things that have really helped me be more consistent and lose weight faster:
- At first I didn't count calories during the weekend at all because it's the hardest time for me when I'm with my partner and don't have the control I have during the week. Big mistake. By not counting over the wkend, every Monday became "starting over" instead of staying on course. And think about it: all the weekends in the month amount to over a week! That's at least a pound a month I used to not lose. Now that I count every weekend also, it keeps me in line and forces me to see how many extra calories I'm shoving in, and THAT makes me stop eating so much. Seeing that I only have X more calories for the day can really put the brakes on gorging. Staying consistent just makes counting a part of life, too, instead of it seeming like a hassle I have to go through every week, then I get a break from it during the wkend. Additionally, all those extra calories do add up for the next week too.
- I now always count during car trips and vacations. I used to think that vacation was a time to give up on the scheme entirely. No longer. We used to get a Costco sized bag of Veggie Straws or Sun Chips for every road trip. Did you know that ONE sun chip has 10 calories? Hells Bells, I used to not count and therefore would eat probably 800 calories in one sitting. Bringing healthier snacks is so much smarter, OR I allot myself a set amount. I'll tell you what, though, eating only 10 or 15 of those is more masochistic than just not having them in my presence at all!
- This may be the most controversial, but it's been a game changer for me. I skip breakfast, then go to the gym, then have a protein bar for snack before lunch. I've learned this about myself: I like a bigger dinner and can't seem to stop myself from going over in the evening, so cutting out breakfast is worth it for me. Some might argue that I workout less energetically, but it's always been the actual calories that seem to to be the biggest problem, not the burning of them. It also allows me to have a nightly "dessert" of a yogurt and blueberry concoction I make.
- I just don't believe I'm burning 700 calories on the elliptical in an hour, so I've started entering in around 400 instead. I really think some of those machines are NOT accurate, so I've taken it upon myself to give a value that I think is more appropriate. My hiking app tried telling me I burned 1100 calories on a 6 mile hike. I just don't believe it. If I adhered to those numbers, I'd be allowing myself SO many more calories a day that would just hold me back. I think they want you to feel good about exercising, but in the end it's really pretty scummy of them. Yes, perhaps if the hike was a super aggressive double black with an extreme grade it might burn a lot more, but most hikes (in my area at least) are quite a bit more tame. I hear the treadmill is the most accurate (put it on incline for burning WAY more). I do know that getting some extra calories to eat by working out helps me. I like to not feel like I'm starving all day so it's a good side benefit that I'm also getting in excellent shape.
- If I'm not absolutely sure of how many calories something is (like at a restaurant, or I don't have time to weigh it or whatever), I err on the side of way more than what I "want" it to equal. I admit that sometimes at the end of the day when I'm getting to the red zone I want to fudge the numbers a bit to stay in the green. If I put in a little more earlier in the day then I feel like if I go over a bit it won't be as huge a deal. You have to be careful with this though because you might start assuming you have more calories than you do. I used to set my clock in the car 5 minutes fast, for instance, and got used to thinking I had that extra 5 minutes, so the same can happen here. I only usually go over 20ish calories unless it's a restaurant meal.
- I listen to my body better now. For instance, last night I ate fish, asparagus, and instant mashed potatoes (yeah, I know, but I like them). Part of me wanted to get more but I felt my stomach and could tell it was actually satisfied. I liked the taste and wanted to keep eating for pleasure but it's not worth it after doing so good all day, and I had eaten plenty and was definitely full enough. Eating slower also seems to help to so the brain can catch up with the stomach.
- I can be super indecisive but now I have eating habits that make life easier. I have my morning snack and don't have to think about what I'm going to eat. Many of my lunches are either salads or a Madras lentil pack. Easy. I realize it's good to vary the diet but during weight loss, not having to think too much about what I'll have removes a lot of wasted energy from life. Dinner is sort of the only meal that I put any thought into, and that's fine because it's my favorite and preparing it has become actually something to look forward to than to dread (as is usual).
Sorry this was so much longer than I intended but more ideas kept popping up.
Most importantly remember that numbers don't lie. Don't do yourself the disservice of cheating when counting the calories. It doesn't help. Be honest with yourself and don't beat yourself up if you go over, but don't not input those real numbers to attempt to make yourself feel better about slipping. If you have to, track every time you eat because it helps keep you in line, I think. One thing I know for sure about myself is that counting is the ONLY way I've ever lost weight.
tldr: count and track!
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