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Hello everyone!
Today I want to talk about a topic that can be awkward to talk about but also needed. A majority of our country is overweight or obese because.. well, we eat too much. There are so many yummy foods out there (chocolate chip cookies please) and they have hidden calories that we can’t necessarily see. This can add on pounds even if it feels like we aren’t eating a lot.
My experience
It happened to me where I was eating pretty good but then treating myself to going out to eat quite a few times in the week. I wouldn’t finish all of the meals and felt like I was eating a lot less in the day. But I underestimated the number of calories and gained like 4 lbs. Granted, most of it was probably water weight, it could have been avoided with these tips!
^^ delicious but probably high in calories, me and the hubby went to Graze 1910 in Tampa Florida for Vacation..
Hard time losing weight?
If you have a hard time losing weight, you don’t like to track calories, or just want to lose some water weight to feel less bloated and have more energy, I would encourage you to try at least one of these tips. You will notice a huge difference! There are so many ways to lose weight, these are mostly behavior and habit changes that take time.
Try not to go from 0-100 as well. It takes small steps to live a healthy lifestyle, and that is what I want to promote. Not weight loss, but getting back to your healthy self and feeling good. Here are my tips to effortlessly eating less.
11 Ways to be in a calorie deficit
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Volume eating
Eating a diet that is low in calories but high in nutrient density can help you be in a calorie deficit because it makes you feel fuller! It can also stabilize blood sugar levels, and provide lots of vitamins and minerals to your diet making you feel more satisfied during the day.
Combine a little fat and some protein to these high-volume meals, and you have a balanced diet. When you eat this way, you won’t want to go back to the high-calorie foods you once enjoyed. This will also play into point 3.
Related:
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Meal prepping/ planning ahead
I have to meal prep or plan ahead so I can stick to eating a balanced diet. If you are always busy and have a hard time thinking about what to make and how to include more fruits and vegetables, take some time for yourself Saturday evening with a cup of hot tea and scroll through pinterest. Write down or save your meal ideas to a board and make a plan to make 1-2 of those meals for the week. This can also help you with your grocery list and ONLY get what you NEED 😊. You can SAVE MONEY by doing this and eat more nutritious in the process. And when I say make 1 or 2 of these meals, make sure you like them because the recipes are usually in a serving of 4, if you live alone or with a spouse, this will last for 2 days, 2 meals each. If you are by yourself, it will last 4 days.
For example, if you decide you want to make salmon and veggie fried rice, the recipe serves 5. This will supply dinners for 5 days. If you have another living with you, they can eat it too and it will save you time and effort 😊.
Related:
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Making your favorite foods with fewer calories
I usually apply this with all recipes I use. Do whatever you know will work for you. For example, one easy way would be to swap out a regular coke for a diet coke to save you 140 calories. Another example would be to lower the amount of oil, this can save about 300 calories! I also like to use monk fruit or other low-calorie sweeteners for certain desserts if I have a sweet tooth.
Another way would be to just add more vegetables to the meals so it looks like a lot but it’s lower in calories than before. For example, adding cauliflower rice to oatmeal can make the portion larger for fewer calories and more filling.
Related: 10 Satisfying, Healthy and Sweet Treats to Try!
How to Turn a Protein bar into a dessert!
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Eating at least 3-4 meals a day
Making sure you are eating enough calories throughout your day will save you from binging on junk food at the end of the night. Make sure you have your meals or fruits and veggie snacks ready to go at all times for when you are hungry. Give yourself permission to eat when you are hungry because it is never good to not eat when you need too.
Related: Heavenly Healthy Snacks to Make
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Tracking your food
This can help lots of people but can also be triggering for some. Do what feels right to you. It ultimately can help you just be more mindful about the food you are eating. You might think that smoothie is low calorie but then you calculate it out and find its actually 500 calories. This can wreck your weight loss goals and actually add on pounds!
- My Fitness Pal
- Cronometer– This one is also free and has all the micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, water etc)
- Macro Calculator – see how many calories you need, approximately, in a day
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Food journaling
Another way to be more mindful without being analytical, is food journaling OR taking pictures of the meals you are eating. Both are a great way to keep yourself accountable. It is also a way to see what you are eating and reflect on what you felt before or after you ate. I like to do this sometimes if I feel a little funky (like I ate too much or something) and I will record it at the end of the day and reflect on what I could have done to prevent the feeling of bloating etc.
Get a nice journal and pens from amazon!
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Being Busy
This will help so much because you won’t be bored! Being busy throughout the day can help you keep your mind off of food and more focused on being present. It can also help you burn more calories because you are more active. Work also counts as being busy.
One of my favorite things to do when I notice myself getting bored is to go thrifting or on a walk to a local coffee shop.
Check out my Poshmark store 😉
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Walking more & taking the stairs when possible
This will naturally allow you to burn more calories thus creating a calorie deficit. If it’s possible to take the stairs, try it! You don’t have to do it every time but it might help a lot more than you think. Other ways might include:
- Walking up the escalator instead of standing there
- Walking to the coffee shop instead of driving
- Standing instead of sitting while working
- Walking while on the phone
- Walking while watching a movie (works great for treadmills)
- Biking to the library or other place instead of driving
- Cleaning
- Dancing
- Parking farther away
Related:
- 10 Quick Workout Ideas for College Students
- Why Walking Works for Weight Loss + Tips on How to get more steps
- 6 Lazy Ways to a Bigger Booty
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Having a set time to exercise
When we have a set time for something, we will naturally be inclined to do it. Make it a point for yourself, when it’s best for you, to set aside 10 minutes to exercise. When you start small, you will be more inclined to do it. Do something FUN as well. Don’t do a hiit workout cause you think you should or you have to.
Do something you want to do. Maybe it’s dancing? Biking? Swimming? Tennis? Doing something with your kids or spouse? Your friend? Sometimes we just need to experiment and try new things.
Every day explore something new if you want! Before you know it, it will be a routine and you will look forward to it and want more time than 10 minutes.
Check out the book Atomic Habits to learn more about how to change your habits.
Vegan kale caesar salad dressing with sweet potato and chicken.
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Being mindful about what you are eating
Ah, this one. Being mindful of what you are eating can be a difficult thing to do. But I promise you its worth it because you will eat less. You will listen to yourself and feel how you are inside after you finish or during your meal. You might be surprised to find that you only ate half of your dinner and that next time you can serve yourself a smaller portion.
Ways to be mindful with your food include:
- Listening to calming music while you cook rather than being distracted
- Eating something you actually enjoy
- Adding all elements of taste to your meals (yes including textures, smells, herbs, fats)
- Having a set place to eat that feels special and like you are looking forward to the meal.
- Having nice cutlery, candles, and light music going on
- Eating with friends or people you enjoy
- Drinking water before and after the meal- not during.
- Not having any screen time going on while you eat- critical in our busy world.
Try these tips and let me know if they change your life!
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Eating out less often
Like I mentioned at the beginning, these meals pack a TON of calories. But if you meal prep, plan, and make foods you actually enjoy and taste good, you won’t want to eat out as much as you might be. You will recognize how much better it tastes at home.
There are chemicals in these foods that make you addicted to them so that’s why it can be hard to get away from it. Especially if it’s a habit or a routine to get pizza every Friday. Maybe you want to have a homemade pizza party at home, this can help make more meaningful moments and you can control what goes into your food! It will also encourage us to be more local and organic with our foods instead of letting the industry control our taste buds. 😊
Local Breckenridge brewery bar food… did not finish this, lol. Highly recommend if you are in the Denver area.
One last tip is to notice your triggers. Why do you want some of the foods you go for? Is it for comfort or boredom? Lack of preparation? The chemical addiction to the foods? Take time to be mindful and ponder these thoughts.
Related: 35 things to do when you are bored besides eating
Summary
Using these simple tips can help you eat less food without really trying. Sure, it does take discipline and time… and patience. And maybe a bit of self-control. God is the only one that can help me with this- personally! He can help you too, all you have to do is ask Him😊
But you know what? I believe in you because you took the time to read this post to better yourself. This is the first step and it will continue to take more steps! But you got this 😉
PlUgZ:
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Stay well, happy, healthy and good my friends 🙂
Dacia
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