"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.ā
ā Confucius
For those of you that don't already know, I'll be getting married in just about 6 weeks.
I bought my dress over the summer and though my weight usually does not fluctuate much more than 5lbs in either direction, I did my fair share of celebrating over the holiday season and by January 1st my clothes were feeling just a little snug.
Today I'm going for a dress fitting.
Knowing that this fitting was on the calendar, I reduced my calorie intake slightly over the past two weeks.
Despite what any Internet Guru or Netflix Documentary may lead you to believe, in order to lose weight you must be in a caloric deficit.
You can achieve a deficit in a variety of ways:
A daily deficit - consume less energy than you use every day
A weekly deficit - consume less energy than you use over an entire week
Some methods for a daily deficit include:
Counting calories/IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros)
Portion control via hand measurements or designated plates/containers
Diets which reduce calories by cutting out entire food groups/types (Aktins, Paleo, Vegan, Keto)
Some methods for a weekly deficit include:
Intermittent Fasting
Hi/Low calorie days
Increased exercise frequency/volume
While there are many methods (and some that are arguably "healthier" than others), none of them are magic.
The only method that matters is the one that suits your lifestyle, mindset and eating preferences best.
Personally, I knew there were areas in my diet where I could make small sustainable changes on a daily level that would get me where I wanted by the time of the dress fitting and that I could maintain up to and beyond the wedding.
Because of my work schedule, most days I'm having my first meal of the day between 10 and 11am.
And while I'd love to say that this meal is eaten mindfully (as I wrote about last week), it is usually the opposite. More often than not I'm between clients, so my time is limited. In addition to being rushed I'm also replying to emails or messages and sometimes don't even sit down.
Not the recipe for a very mindful meal.
It's not perfect, but neither am I. So I've come up with strategies to keep me successful when I know I'll be in less than ideal circumstances like this.
I bring my food from home so that I'm not tempted by the cookies next to the Whole Foods salad bar.
I always use the same containers so portion sizes stay consistent.
If I know I'll be short on time, I won't pack anything that requires a lot of work to eat (like salads or raw veggies that need thorough chewing).
Usually, that first meal is just a simple protein shake (whey, non-dairy milk and a "superfood" greens powder), a piece of fruit and some nuts. It's quick and provides a full serving of protein, carbs and (as you'll see) lots of fat.
The container I use for nuts is below (can of beans for scale). A coworker often comments on how cute and little the container is. I agree that it's very cute, but it's not all that little as it holds 1/2 cup of nuts (double the suggested serving size). In an effort to reduce my caloric intake, I decided to start by swapping out the container I use for nuts for something smaller and even cuter ;P.
This exchange was pretty simple. I only had to make the change once. And when I did, I didn't have to think about it again.
It's not a decision I need to face on a daily basis ("Should I get a cookie or not?") or that requires extra willpower ("Don't go back for a second helping!").
It's like setting up recurring transfers to a savings account, or like the Ronco Rotisserie oven...just "Set it and forget it!"
It's a simple swap, but it can add up to powerful results. And while I knew this to be true, I was curious just how much of impact this particular change could have.
So I dusted off my old food scale and did some measuring.
The old container holds 2.7oz of nuts = approximately 459 calories and 40.5 grams of fat
The new container holds 1.45oz of nuts = approximately 246.5 calories and 21.75 grams of fat
This equates to a reduction of 212.5 calories and 18.75 grams of fat!
If I didn't change anything else except the container I use for nuts at breakfast Mon-Fri, I would be reducing my caloric intake by 1,062.5 each week.
Maintaining this calorie deficit would lead to a 1 pound weight loss in about 3.5 weeks (it takes a reduction of approximately 3,500 calories for 1 lb of weight loss).
Now I know you may be thinking, "Amanda, 1 lb of weight loss in 3.5 weeks is not impressive" and I agree with you.
But, it is:
Sustainable
Relatively painless
Practically fool proof
And dare I say it...easy.
Plus, it's just ONE OF MANY small tweaks you can make that over time will add up to big results.
So if weight loss is one of your 2020 goals, keep these key points in mind:
You must create a caloric deficit. There is no way around this.
There are many methods, none are magic. Experiment to find which work best for you.
Small changes can add up to big results. Instead of attempting a complete overhaul of your diet, look for the simplest swap you can make with the least amount of effort and then aim to build on it.
Size matters. Weigh, measure or use smaller containers to keep portion sizes in check.
Need help identifying simple swaps you can make to your diet? Drop me a note with a food journal attached and we'll schedule a quick 15 minute call to discuss. You'll walk away with a handful of small steps that can lead to big results, no strings attached!
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