simple weight loss hacks: keeping it real

There is, and has always been, one key element to weight loss. Forget what the fad diets and drug companies say, the solution is simple: energy in should be less than energy out. This mean that the amount of calories you intake should be less than the amount of calories you expend. It is simple, and it is straightforward.

Except that it isn’t. Most of us lead normal lives that do not involve food scales and calorimeters. And while I am all for writing down the foods you eat on a daily basis (as well as exercise information), I think it’s absurd and non-productive to measure food and count every single calorie.

Don’t get me wrong - there is some benefit in engaging in these activities in the short-term. Wearing a calorimeter for a few days can help give you a good sense of what your activity level is really like. Counting calories helps you understand portion size and lets you set realistic goals. But you can’t spend the rest of your life doing this.

Instead I like to advise on a few practical and simple tips that help you lose and maintain weight. Some of them are obvious, but unless you’ve actually tried them, you might not realize how powerfully effective they really are.

1. Eat a piece of fruit before every meal. Note the key terms here: “before” and “every”. Most people eat 3 meals a day, so that’s 3 servings of fruit at minimum. If you eat more often, then it’s a judgement call, but generally, your biggest meals should involve fruit. Also, it is important to consume the fruit before the meal. Why? Simply because fruit is mostly fiber, sugar, and water, and it will help fill you up. A piece of fruit consists of a small apple, banana, orange, or 1/2 cup of berries (for example).

2. Drink plenty of water. You don’t need 8 glasses, necessarily. But everytime you crave a snack or a sweet, drink a glass of water first. You can even drink a glass of water before every meal. Just don’t over do it.

3. Cut out the fake drinks. This goes for sugar-, hfcs-, and artificially-sweetened beverages. That means no crystal light, diet coke, gatorade (unless you have a hang over or are exercising), in addition to the usual suspects (fake juices, soda, etc). Diet coke might not have any calories, but it has no nutritional value either. In fact, some research is suggesting that it only makes you crave sugars and processed foods even more. If you need a flavored or sweetened beverage, just go with 100% natural juice. Better yet, eat a piece of fruit and drink a glass of water.

4. Eat in season. Food has growing seasons for a reason. When something is locally produced, buy it locally. The freshness and seasonality ensure that you are receiving the most nutritional value possible. When you eat food out of season (or flown in from far away), you lose important nutrients.

5. Be colorful. Food should not be monochromatic. Instead, make every plate a rainbow. This doesn’t mean skittles, this means a variety of vegetables. In general, aim for an orange or red vegetable and a green vegetable with meals (ideally, every meal, but realistically, 1-2 times a day).

6. Replace oil with oil spray. Stop frying your food in oil. A few spritzes from an oil sprayer (for best results, buy an actual sprayer and fill it with oil - you’ll also save money over the long run) means less oil used and thus fewer calories consumed.

7. Eat Real Food. Forget about the 100-calorie snacks. Forget about micronutrient-infused water/yogurt/tea/oatmeal. Eat real, eat whole, and maybe even eat raw. Need a snack? Have some nuts or carrots. Forget about anything packaged. If it has a brand or a trademark (except perhaps organic or fair trade labeling), forget it.

8. Be mindful. If you pay attention to what you’re eating, and I mean, really pay attention, you’ll notice something significant: crappy food tastes like crap. You just never realized before, because you were too busy watching TV or chasing the kids. So the next time you crave a bag of chips, try this: put one chip in your mouth and let it sit on your tongue for a few seconds. Experience the taste, the texture, the consistency. For 10 seconds, do nothing but become aware of this chip. Then, do the same with a raisin or an orange slice. You’ll see what I mean.

These are just a few really simple steps that anyone can implement. There’s no need for fancy diets, or points, or measuring anything (unless you are just completely clueless about portion size). I don’t count calories at all. I just try to keep it real.