Dear Simple Steps:

I’ve been told that weighing and measuring my food and recording it in an APPs like My Fitness Pal is the best way for me to get the body composition results I’d like. The thing is, I am overwhelmed at the thought of it.  Is this level of minutiae necessary?  If so, how can I get started? I want to lose 10 pounds, rock the beach this summer and feel good in my skin.

Yours,

Unsure in Vancouver.

Dear Unsure:

First, let’s tackle your comment that weighing and measuring your food is the best way to get the results you seek.  The best way, my friend, is the way that works for your lifestyle.  It might be weighing, measuring and recording or it might be eating whole foods and hitting the gym 4 times a week.  You won’t know what works best until you try.  In that spirit, here are some pros and cons on weighing and measuring food as a health improvement strategy.

Pros.  It creates true awareness of what you are eating.  You may not have had a full grasp of this before.  Little bites that we don’t really even think about, can add up and sabotage our best efforts.  When you commit to recording every morsel you think twice about that handful of chocolate chips, nuts or your kid’s scraps.

You may believe you consume a lot of protein but when you weigh and measure it the results can surprise.  When they record matters many people find they are actually under-eating. Recording can reveal patterns, such as the impact of loosening the reins on weekends. Knowledge is power! Once you understand what is holding you back from achieving your goals you can take productive action. Using a basic weighing and measuring framework you can figure out the number of calories you need daily to reach your 10 lb weight loss goal in a sustainable fashion. Once sorted,  the next step is to break down those calories into a daily allotment of grams of protein, carbohydrates and fats.  Your goal can be to reach these numbers each day, give or take 5 grams one way or the other.  Stick with it and it will work. A good first step for you would be to record everything you eat for a week.  Skip worrying about ratios and calories.  Just get the facts down.  See how that step feels and observe what it teaches you.   No judgement for choices allowed.

Cons.  It takes time and effort.  Look at your schedule and figure out where you can make space to meet your goals. Re-set your priorities and let something else go for awhile while you tackle this project.  Some organization is required.  Get at the ready a scale, measuring spoons and cups.  Prep for possible push back from loved ones, who may think you are going overboard. Respond respectfully. Let them know you are running a health experiment that involves educating yourself on the fuel your body needs for top performance in life.

I’m going to jump back to the Pros here.  View taking on weighing, measuring and recording of your meals as a strength building opportunity.  Aim for a 100 days of it.  Believe it is an chance to learn what your body needs for optimal function.  A very important thing to know! You are investing in figuring out how best to care for yourself and you can’t go wrong there!

Email me and I’ll send you a free guide on how to get started with this self-care project.

[email protected]

Simple Steps Nutrition

Get started and get sure!

WEDNESDAY WOD

12.1.21

Warm up

3 rnds 1 min per:

Shoulder pass throughs
Bear crawl
Plank
RDL (L,R,both)

Tech:

Box jump
Push Jerk
Bike, ski, row

WOD

10 minute AMRAP

10 box jump 20/24
15 Push Jerk 65/95
20 sec echo  bike (cal)

Cool down

  • Leon