How To Lose Weight Without Tracking Calories?
What is so great about tracking calories and how does it work?
As a specialist women’s fitness coach and pre and postnatal fitness coach, I am often asked what is the best way to lose weight. There is no blanket rule, everyone is different. As busy mums, it can be quite unachievable to weigh out every single gram of food you eat every day. However, for many of my clients, I do recommend they track their calories. I do it a bit differently though, rather than measuring out every gram it is more about weighing out carbohydrates for example bread, pasta, cereals and rice, as what you think you are eating vs what you are actually having can be very different. This is a great insight into where you are spending your calories. I ask them to measure out other food consumed too but do not ask to track veggies or spices and herbs. What I tell my clients to do I do every single day, I get how crazy it can be as a busy mum. Tracking calories is one of the best ways to start your weight loss journey simply because it gives you a real self-awareness as to what you are having and you can manipulate energy in vs energy out. For example, increase steps rather than decreasing food.
Other methods for losing weight?
Not everyone wants to track calories, certainly, when you have young children at home the last thing you want to do is track all the food you are consuming. That being said it works for some people. There are three things you can start with to help your weight loss journey without tracking calories.
Resistance training for fat loss
Resistance training is great for kicking off the metabolism that can continue after you have finished your workout too. Research shows that this type of training causes changes in the way the fat cells operate. Muscles get stressed through lifting and in response to this fat cells release a substance that sends a signal to fat cells prompting them to start the fat-burning process. If you are a beginner to resistance training ensure you start small and increase gradually. If you are unfamiliar with the compound movements and would like more support around this I offer online coaching programs which are perfect for the beginner wanting to start resistance training. You do not need to purchase an expensive gym membership, you can absolutely workout from home with your children. Grab a pair of dumbbells and get started.
NEAT for fat loss
NEAT, non-exercise activity thermogenesis refers to the calorie burn during daily non-exercise activities like walking and standing. NEAT can increase your overall calorie burn. Walking is a great exercise for busy mums as it is something we can all do even with little ones. Increasing your daily steps can increase your daily energy expenditure, therefore, aiding weight loss. If you track your steps then start by increasing your daily steps by 2000, remember to start steady and increase gradually.
Protein for fat loss
Eating a diet high in protein boosts metabolism reduces appetite and changes several weight-regulating hormones. A higher protein intake actually increases the level of satiety (appetite-reducing) hormones, while reducing the levels of your hunger hormone (gherlin). Digesting and metabolising proteins makes you burn more calories too. Due to the high thermic effect of protein, it boosts the metabolism. Protein cuts cravings and reduces the desire for late-night snacking, this is the biggest thing I see from busy mums. The children go to bed and then the snacks come out, this could be due to boredom or even attached to the habit of watching TV, it gives you some kind of comfort. However, swap your carb-heavy dinner for a protein-rich meal packed with lots of vegetables this could reduce the late-night cravings.
The bottom line
If you are wanting to lose weight then remember you have to do something that is sustainable and that can fit in around your lifestyle. Do not be tempted by what your friends are doing that you see working, they may not have children and they may have endless support so can go to the gym 3 times a week. I guarantee if you reduce the amount of snacks, sugar and processed foods in your diet you will start to see a difference in your weight. Once you have mastered this then build on it by increasing the protein and NEAT. Once you have mastered these things then introduce resistance training, which can also be done at home. My FIT MAMA Powered By Mari Carmen Fitness app has lots of at-home strength workouts that be done using only dumbbells.