How to Achieve a Calorie Deficit Without Counting Calories

"The best way to predict your future is to create it."

— Abe Lincoln

If you want to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit.

If you're not losing weight, you're not in a calorie deficit.

If you want to gain weight, you need to be in a calorie surplus.

If you're not gaining weight, you're not in a calorie surplus.

These are indisputable facts. You are not the exception to science.

The most efficient and effective way to determine whether you are in a calorie deficit / calorie surplus is to track your food.

But with all that said, here are a bunch of strategies to naturally achieve a calorie deficit without counting calories:

Eat More Protein

High protein foods generally make you fuller, quicker, reducing your overall appetite and boosting your metabolism. High protein foods include lean meats, chicken, turkey, eggs, lowfat yogurt, whey protein, lentils, tofu, and peanuts.

Eat More Fiber

Similar idea to protein - high fiber foods fill you up quicker and keep you fuller, longer, making you less likely to snack. High fiber foods include avocado, oatmeal, lentils, beans, chickpeas, berries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and almonds.

Drink More Water

Oftentimes people think they are hungry, when they are in fact thirsty. Next time you find yourself reaching for a snack, have a glass of water first and see how you feel. Have a glass of water before and with every meal to help curb your appetite and slow down your pace of eating. Water has zero calories, and also boosts your metabolism.

Sleep More

When you are sleeping, you are not eating. If you're a night owl, think about all the mindless calories you consume after 10 PM. Want a super simple way to cut all of those out? Go to bed! Sleep is also when your body sheds fat during a fat loss phase or builds muscle during a bulking phase. I used to rarely get in bed before midnight. I now rarely get into bed after 10 PM. And my health gains and productivity have skyrocketed.

Prepare More Food at Home

My fridge is basically perpetually stocked with lean meats, chicken, and fish, a couple different veggie options, and fruit galore. I have at least 5 high protein, delicious meals that I could whip up in less than 15 minutes at any time. Cooking at home puts you in complete control vs. eating out - you can manage your portion sizes, know with certainty all the ingredients going into your food, and avoid unnecessary added fats, sugars, and oils that inevitably make their way into most takeout orders.

Eat Mindfully

The primary trigger for eating should always be hunger. And then you should enjoy every single meal thoroughly. If you find yourself constantly eating because you're bored, stressed, or due to an uncontrollable craving, you need to clean up some aspects of your diet.

Eat Slowly

It can take as much as 15-20 minutes for your body's satiety (fullness) signals to kick in. So if you eat too quickly, you may have consumed that second serving before you realized you didn't even want it. Aiming to stop eating once you hit 80% fullness is a great goal. Find ways to slow down your meals like putting the fork down in between bites, chewing 15-20x per bite, or taking a sip of water in between bites.

That's 7 different strategies you can implement this week to help you naturally achieve a calorie deficit and lose weight. Pick the ones that resonate the most, and commit to them this week.

Stay well this week,

Hal the Health Coach