Many of you may quiver when you hear those words "counting calories". It often brings up the notion that you‘re going to be starved, hungry or unhappy. This is because many people have developed a bad relationship with dieting in the past. How many people reading this have done a crazily low calorie diet before? Quite a few I would guess and quite a few would have put all the weight back on too. This is because this type of diet is completely unsustainable for long term weight loss and maintaining that weight loss. Simply counting calories and having a calorie target set by a PT or Nutrition Coach enables you to stay in control. Now you will need to use a tracking tool to do this correctly. MyfitnessPal is by far the most comprehensive tracking software. I will leave a link at the bottom of this blog.
When losing weight being in a consistent calorie deficit is the first step you should take. Then you can begin to improve the quality of food you intake. Now you are going to encounter days when you are going to go over those calories. The key is in these situations look at your calories in a weekly format so for example if you have been set a daily calorie target of 1500 to put you in a deficit. Then this means over the week you have 10,500 cals over the week to play with.
So if you know you've got a heavy weekend coming up, you can off set that damage by reducing calorie intake during the week... an example could be this:
Mon - 1500cals
Tuesday - 1000cals
Wedsnesday - 1000cals
Thursday - 1200cals
Friday - 1300cals
Saturday - 3000cals (Birthday Party)
Sunday - 1500cals
Total weekly cals 10,500
This maybe something you haven't thought of before. My advice would be use this method sparingly however.. it's easy to forget things and end up over your target. If your having to use this method each week then maybe the problem is your lifestyle and the activities you are doing. Maybe swap a pub lunch with pals for something more active. A bike ride? A countryside walk with a healthy picnic?
If alcohol is your undoing then look at reducing the amount that you go out. Choose other fun things to do with friends, movie nights with healthy snacks? Bowling? If your out every weekend try reducing to 2 out of 4 and see how that effects your weight loss and calorie intake.
Just some food for thought.. Love KW