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Weight Loss Strategies
Intro Why Strategies, not Goals Strategies are what you execute on daily Setting a goal is important, but you can’t achieve it if you don’t execute every day Goals are important, but once you’ve set your goal it’s better to not think about it so hard and just focus on your daily activities Set it and forget it Strategies Intermittent fasting, only eating between 12pm and 9pm. Tracking calories. No alcohol, ultra-processed foods or sweets except with company. 10,000 steps a day walking target. Shopping at green grocers and speciality stores, not supermarkets. High protein, high fibre diet. Scheduling in break times. Setting a goal for a specific amount of time (12 weeks/90 days) Light exercise, not hunger inducing Tracking my progress Tracking calories I don’t count fitness towards my calorie deficit, the amount of calories burned from low intensity exercise doesn’t really make a dent I use LoseIt! to track my calories I don’t use the bar code scanning option often, as a barcode usually relates to specific ultra processed foods, which I’m trying to avoid. Try to eat “generic” products, whole foods. Work out the calories per 100g for your staple foods and use that as a basis to calculate food. If you know that 100g of cooked roast chicken is about 215kcal (double and a bit), you can guesstimate calories while you’re weighing. You develop a feel for it after a while. Some foods are a lot higher calories per weight, like pork belly and chocolate. You won’t feel full after eating them, so better to save them for a treat or eat less and have them with some other things that are more voluminous so you feel satiated. Try to eat fibrous veggies first, it lines your stomach and slows down digestion, so you feel fuller faster and for longer. I try not to have a significant amount of calories until noon. Breakfast tends to make me hungrier (if I don’t have enough) or sleepier (if I have too much or lots of carbs). Having a fibre drink (psyllium husk and flaxseed powder) in the morning seems to help with satiety, I mix it with a bit of apple cider vinegar. If you’re going to have a treat or feel like binging, own your decision and do it, but record the calories anyway Work out your maintenance level and aim for a small deficit, mine is about 2250kcal, so I aim for 2000kcal Don’t fret if your calories aren’t perfect, just log them consistently Work out your calories per week, if you have an event planned ahead, try to eat a bit less the days prior You can adjust calories to fit your weekly schedule, so you might want less during the week and more on weekends, but I find it easier just to stick with one number Eating out If I’m not sure how much oil is in a dish, I’ll just add 10g to my calorie count. If I’m in a restaurant I’ll add 20g, as they tend to add extra. I’d rather be overestimating than under. If I’m just going to a cafe or bar, I’ll try to plan out what I’ll have in advance. I usually order similar things, so I can usually guess what it’ll be, and I can adjust my earlier meals if I think it’ll be a big meal. If I can’t easily record my calories, I can at least take pictures of what I eat or drink and refer back to it later. I can guesstimate calories, but I will tend to overestimate than underestimate when I log them. Guidelines, not rules These are guidelines, not rules. I stick to them when I can but allow for a bit of flexibility. Consistency is more important than perfect. I will try to create a streak for my calorie counting. You won’t be perfect for 12 weeks, but keep track of it anyway. You don’t need to record every bit of data, your weight and calorie count should be enough. Don’t be discouraged if your weight varies from day to day, look at the average weight over the week. If you stick to a small calorie deficit, expect to loose between 25-80g per day, it won’t be noticeable Take progress photos once a week, but do it from the same spot at the same time of day and lighting, so it’s accurate Weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you eat or drink Healthy habits 10k Daily Steps 10k steps is an arbitrary number It equates to about 90 minutes walking per day Setting a total step goal, so I have something to work towards that’s part of a bigger picture I actually have a goal to complete 1 million steps in 90 days, which is 11,111 steps per day I use a route planner to calculate new routes I’d like to try sometimes If I’m going to a meeting, I’ll choose a place that’s far enough away to walk to within 90 minutes Try to avoid the bus and tube if I can walk there and the weather is pleasant Try to build up a surplus of steps for days when I’m not able to walk 10k steps An indoor treadmill when the weather is bad, that I can use at my standing desk Listening to an audiobook or using the time to take audio notes using dictation/transcription software is a good way to use the time effectively, or just use it as time to unwind You don’t need to do all 10k steps in one go, you can split it up into segments, like going to the shops If you can, try to schedule your walks early in the winter, so you’re not walking in darkness, the sunshine will help with mood Light exercise I try to incorporate a light exercise routine when I’m dieting Moderate to heavy exercise induces hunger, which makes it difficult for diet adherence Walking at a fast pace burns a decent amount of calories, but it’s more beneficial for an elevated heart rate I try to do combination training, calisthenics or kettlebell workouts, they incorporate strength, mobility, and cardio, making better use of my time Keep the workouts short and focussed, compound movements like burpees, kettlebell swings, or Turkish get-ups are great full body exercises that combine strength, mobility, and cardio Doing your routine first thing in the morning before a shower wakes your body up and leaves you with less time to make excuses about not training Shopping I try to shop at local green grocers, the fresh produce is the main focus and much more appealing and flavourful than at supermarkets You’ll know you’ve found a good shop when you can smell the produce, supermarket produce doesn’t have any smell You’re supporting local businesses by going to green grocers, in most cases The specialist shops have less room for inventory, so they won’t have as much to pick from When I go to supermarkets I browse and pick up things I don’t need, especially if I’m hungry, there are entire aisles dedicated to junk food and I’m not above temptation Only shop for what you need at the time, don’t need to buy extras to cook later gets you out of the house every day to help with your steps reduces food waste reduces binge eating when you’re hungry Favourite foods Rotisserie chicken Flatbread Broccoli Beans Collard greens Cottage cheese Potatoes Sweet potatoes Frozen blueberries greek yogurt pork loin ribeye steak peaches plums dates Cooking Use a spray bottle for oil, you get better coverage on your pans for a smaller amount An air fryer is perfect for small, simple meals and doesn’t need much oil for cooking Eating I try to eat healthy, whole foods, lots of veggies and meat, with a small amount of carbs (potatoes, rice, or flatbread) When I’m by myself I avoid processed foods, alcohol and foods with added sugar Fruit as a snack, a couple extra large dates are very satisfying Find simple, but healthy foods that are treats, nuts, dates, coffee, etc. buy the best quality and enjoy in a small amount Use small plates so it looks more full Drink a glass of water before eating Conclusion
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