If you don’t want to track calories this is totally cool, there are other ways to create an energy deficit without actively tracking.
Truth be told I have never used the very popular ‘My Fitness Pal’ app to track calories and I loosely track using the calculator on my phone. Having been in the industry a long time I am a very calorie aware so always have a rough idea of intake.
Now, Initially when I work with a client I very rarely get them to track calories. Chances are is that they have gotten into a rut with poor nutritional choices over time and very little exercise therefore I look at improving these factors without even mentioning calories.
Below I have listed some ways to get you into a deficit without actively tracking.
And these things we have been doing with you for years in previous plans.
1) Start to move more either by using some of our workouts or simply increasing your NEAT.
2) Swap processed food for vegetables. Veggies are awesome because they are packed full of vitamins and minerals and contain very little calories meaning that you can load your plate with them.
I’ve already said that you should be eating lots of veggies but here’s the reason why. Veggies are extremely low in calories which means you can pile them high on your plate.
Remember when I told you how I gained weight eating a tonne of pasta, rice, potatoes and bread?
It’s not that these foods are inherently bad, it’s just they are easy to overeat. I remember when I cut down (not eliminated) these types of food and ramped up my veggies,
I instantly lost weight and still felt as satisfied. Why? Well vegetables are water based which means they expand in your stomach helping you feel fuller for longer so it’s literally win win.
That’s not even going into the countless vitamins and minerals that foods like broccoli, spinach, kale, watercress, spinach, cauliflower, sprouts and green beans contain.
Seriously lads, experiment with reducing starchy carbs in every meal and and get the veggies on your plate and your waistline will thank you for it. Also don’t just limit veg to evening meals, get it at morning and lunch too!!
3) Eat plenty of protein such as fish, chicken, turkey and other good quality cuts of meat. Protein is the hardest food for the body to digest meaning that you will expend more calories in the digestion phase. Protein will also help keep you fuller for longer.
4) Get to bed early and focus on a good quality 7+ hours sleep a night. Being tired produces a hunger hormone called grehlin which actually makes you want to eat more.
5) Stay hydrated with a minimum of 2 litres water per day to keep you energised and preventing unnecessary hunger pangs which can be a sign of dehydration.
Doing the above will help you get off on the right tracks and start to lose weight if you have previously been leading an unhealthy life and pretty sedentary.
Then when you have made the above a part of your lifestyle you may want to take things further and start tracking.
