I recently wrote about my experience with counting calories. You can read the full post here, but spoiler alert: it didn’t become my new lifestyle. Why? First off, I enjoy food. Period. Counting calories removes all joy out of food in my humble blatant opinion. Secondly, I choose happiness. When I’m hungry all day every day, I’m not happy. I also enjoy having friends, and no one wants to be this girl’s friend when she’s hungry. Lastly, and most importantly, I believe in the quality of food vs the quantity. I don’t do low fat, no sugar, or “frankenfoods”. I want the option with the fewest ingredients and least amount of processing…..most of the time….sometimes I legit need that Speedy Gonzalez combo from my local Mexican restaurant. Everything in moderation :).
All that being said, I definitely took some good lessons away from my adventure down the measuring, weighing, tallying, rabbit hole. Here are some tips that you can incorporate into your eat healthy no-diet lifestyle.
Drink Water. I drink very few things. I have black coffee in the mornings (this was a struggle, but I finally kicked the flavored creamer habit about a year ago), water, water, and more water throughout the day, green tea or coffee in the afternoon, and either a seltzer water or wine in the evening. I occasionally splurge with a caramel macchiato from Starbucks or a spiked seltzer, or beer on the weekends. But that’s honestly it. I don’t do juice (unless it’s a mimosa at brunch….I’m health-conscious, not dead). I quit sodas about a decade ago. And southern lady or not, I’m not into sweet tea. I never have been, so this was an easy one. I don’t drink energy drinks, Gatorade, flavored waters, or any other random thing we’re tricked into believing is a viable beverage option. Drinking water is something we definitely don’t do enough of as a society. It’s amazing for you, it helps you lose weight, and get this…..it’s free!! Get a filter for your fridge, find a cute glass bottle (love this one), and chug your dehydrated little heart out! When I was counting calories, I drank water like a marathon runner for the little bit of relief from hunger it provided. Want to know how much you should drink each day?? I don’t count how many glasses or ounces or any of that. I know that I’m hydrated when my urine is clear. Hi, we just became much closer. But it’s the truth. Everyone’s bodies are different and there’s no magic number. If you’re thirsty, drink, if you’re hungry, try a glass of water first, if your urine is a shade away from Mountain Dew, then get to chugging.
“Would You Like a Hot Beverage”-Sheldon Cooper. If you are a fan of Big Bang Theory, you get this title. If you aren’t a fan of Big Bang Theory, then you should be. Turns out hot beverages are not just helpful for those in distress (again, check out the show). Warm liquids like tea or black coffee help to fill you up and can get you through a sweet or evening (or both) craving.
Get Spicy. I have an amazing recipe for Buffalo Chicken Quinoa that I love for many reasons. It’s beyond yummy, it’s easy, and it’s healthy. The protein from the quinoa paired with the kick from the buffalo sauce make it an incredibly satisfying meal and you don’t have to indulge in a huge portion. There are different theories as to why spicy foods may make you feel fuller. It’s also been noted that spicy foods may boost your metabolism. I’ll leave the conclusive research to the experts and will meanwhile reap the benefits. On a side note, if you have issues with spicy foods (ie: my hubby), you may consider taking two DigestZen before the meal.
Chew Slowly. This is something that I always knew I should do, but since becoming a mom, I basically eat my meals as if I’m in a contest at the state fair. I imagine it’s a survival mechanism developed by mothers decades ago in an attempt to finish their meal before the baby either A: finishes their meal and then promptly throws it onto the ground or B: wakes up from their nap. Whatever the case, it’s a habit I definitely needed to break. While calorie counting, my portion sizes were tiny and I knew there wasn’t any going back for seconds. I actively chewed each bite and ate as slowly as I could. This allowed my stomach to fill up at a more leisurely pace and I felt satisfied with a smaller amount of food. Not letting yourself get too hungry will keep you from eating too fast and consequently too much. It takes your brain a minute to catch up to your stomach, so enjoy the meal that you’ve prepared (or paid for). Try to savor it instead of mindlessly noshing.
Listen to Your Body. I had read once about keeping a food diary. You basically write down everything that you eat (sounds eerily familiar, doesn’t it). The biggest difference between this and what I was doing with my calorie counting app is that you aren’t keeping track of calories with the diary. The point is to hold yourself accountable and also recognize any intolerance you may have. I know you’re thinking, “wait I don’t swell up when I eat anything, so I obviously don’t have any food allergies”. This isn’t always the case. Have you ever eaten something and then gotten a headache? This can be a food intolerance. If you write down your meals, you can (somewhat) easily discover things that give you acid reflux, stomach aches, or just plain make you gassy. Part of the exercise is to write down how you feel after each meal. This serves as a good reminder that maybe we don’t eat the entire combo meal plus the large fries in one sitting because we feel terrible about 5 minutes later. Your body is very intuitive and will let you know what it wants. If you’re hungry, eat. When you’re full, stop eating. Cravings are a different subject entirely. But, here’s a quick tip: once your body isn’t used to having that trigger craving (usually sugar), it doesn’t ask for it anymore.
Quality vs Quantity. Not all calories are built the same. The very first time I ever counted calories was about three years ago and I stuck with it for a few weeks (much longer than this latest time). The difference then was I wasn’t quite as hardcore and did it more just to hold myself accountable. Anyway, the process was exactly the same and it seemed to be going ok. My reality check hit the moment that I considered having a Tyson frozen chicken patty for lunch, vs whatever else, because the calorie count was relatively low. Now, if you know me or have read even half of my posts, you know my philosophy on food. I eat real food….almost always. You know what’s not real food?? That chicken patty. Chicken has one ingredient….one. If you bread it, then maybe three. That “frankenfood” consists of about 16 ingredients, which is actually tame compared to most frozen grocery store fare. I quit counting that day. It was an aha moment of “this is not me”. Take a look at all of the diet meals out there. Seriously, the next time you’re at the store, wander down the frozen food aisle….past the 500 types of ice cream…..past the 20 types of veggies…..and into the sad sad single serving microwave diet dinners. There are a million choices in every ethnicity and flavor combo you can imagine. It makes losing weight seem just a two minute radiation spin away. The calorie count may look great, but there is a serious issue of quality happening here. Many of these meals are filled with preservatives, flavor enhancers, and a hodge-podge of other chemicals to make them taste somewhat decent. You eat and stay satisfied for all of an hour before you’re relentlessly shaking the vending machine for a snack. Calorie counting makes you choose quantity over quality. You lose focus on if what you’re eating is actually nutritious for your body, and just focus on what that number says. Stick with whole foods (5 ingredients or fewer), eat slowly and enjoy each bite, stop eating when full. The end.
Use a Smaller Plate. There’s an entire generation out there who were brought up being told to “finish their plates” at each meal. This well-intended demand turns out not to be a great habit after all. First off, as our American waist lines have expanded, so has the size of our dinner plates. Secondly, this notion makes us completely shut down contact with our bodies. There’s no connection of being full and stopping. It’s just eating on auto pilot until there’s nothing left to shove in. If you do this at a restaurant, then you’re really in trouble as some entrees often contain more calories, fat, and sodium than you should consume in an entire day, let alone one meal. Portion control is a huge aspect of weight management. It all ties back into eating mindfully, but re-wiring your brain can definitely be tricky. If you find yourself having a hard time, then trade in the dinner plate for a more modest salad plate. Eyeballing your portions is much easier when you’re working with a smaller surface area. When you feel the urge to go back for seconds, make yourself wait 10 minutes and make sure you’re actually still hungry.
Please remember that I’m not a doctor, dietitian, or a health teacher. I am a thirty-three year old mom just trying to do things right, and motivate anyone who is considering a similar path. Taking care of yourself by eating well can improve your overall mind and body by leaps and bounds. However, don’t take my word for it. Use my words to motivate you and then re-educate me on what worked for you. I’d love to hear any tips that you’ve picked up along your journey!
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