Few things are as frustrating as a weight loss plateau. If you’re unsure why weight isn’t moving, it can help to consider the following three questions:
𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲? You probably remember what you ate for breakfast yesterday, but what about lunch 3 days ago? Well, that might be a little harder to recall. We often think we have a good handle on what we’re eating, but it’s hard to be sure unless we’re keeping some kind of record. Perhaps it’s not surprising then that research suggests those who keep food logs are significantly more likely to reach and maintain their weight and health related goals.
𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? If you think you’re good at eyeballing portions, think again! Studies show that we consistently underestimate portion by at least 20% and it’s a phenomenon that affects almost everyone. Is that piece of meat four ounces or five? Is the dollop of cream in your coffee one tablespoon or three? These portions are visually very similar yet those small differences can add up to several hundred calories over the course of a day.
𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬? The mayo on your sandwich, the two-bite brownie at work, the specialty coffee in afternoon… While each item individually may seem like a rather insignificant source of calories, they still count. Consider that using one tablespoon of olive oil when cooking will add 120 calories to a meal, and it’s easy to see how these little extras can contribute more than we think. If we don’t track them, we’re likely to wind up with an inaccurate picture of our overall intake.
