Weight Loss Hack that Actually Works

WHAT DOESN’T WORK?
At some point in our lives, most of us reading this have committed to “eating healthy” or eliminating certain types of food deemed “bad”. And yet, we still don’t lose weight or see changes in our body. Why?

There is a colossal difference between what we think we eat (and how much) versus what we actually consume – and not for the better! If you’re feeling “stuck” with weight loss or aren’t seeing changes in your body despite your “strict adherence” to a healthy diet, you may be suffering from “dietary recall”.

Dietary recall is the behavior of relying solely on memory when assessing what you ate and how much. But let’s be real – this only sets you up for failure because we tend to grossly underestimate how much we eat, or easily forget about the bite size Reese’s we popped in between meetings. Days are long and memories, short! The risk of dietary recall is consumption of excess calories and you guessed it – weight gain!

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“Even when priming your plate with healthy foods, we still overconsume.”
Fact: Most of us eat way more than the recommended portions. Even when priming your plate with healthy foods, we still overconsume. Without tracking your food and becoming more aware of what you’re eating and how much, you can’t know with 100% certainty that you’re eating the right foods and the right amount of each. Because of this, dietary recall will never work when your goals are weight loss.

There’s only one solution for dietary recall and that my beautiful friend, is food journaling!

WHY FOOD JOURNALING WORKS!
You know when you first wake up in a super dark room and someone decides it’s a good idea to turn the lights on? So, you blink your eyes and slowly adjust to the light in a ridiculous fashion? Then, once you open them you can see everything muuuuch clearer than in the dark? Food journaling is exactly like that.

What we’re saying is, writing down or recording what you eat instead of “dietary recall” or, committing this information to memory, is going to drastically help your weight loss goals – we promise – and here’s how:

1. You notice how much you are eating (and of what quality)

Want to know the most common thing I hear when someone hands me a food log? “This was a really bad week, I don’t usually eat like this.” Yes, you do. In fact, I bet this is actually normal for you but you never really noticed it. I might lie and act like I believe you, but don’t worry! I don’t. Being able to look at what you have eaten in the past day, week, and month is a huge eye opener that reveals exactly what and how much you have eaten as long as you are honest.

2. Without even trying, you typically start to eat healthier

One of the most beautiful things that happens after stage 1 up above? You might mentally decide that you don’t want to write down any “bad” food, so you just won’t have it! Or, because you know it will be seen by others (mayhaps a coach such as myself??) you subconsciously make better choices.

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“Writing down or recording what you eat instead of ‘dietary recall’ or, committing this information to memory, is going to drastically help your weight loss goals.”
3. You notice trends

Ever notice if you always eat a meal at the same time? What about in the same spot?

Speaking from experience for a moment, one of my personal trends is that I will always reach for something to eat (usually pistachios) if I sit on the right side of my couch and watch a show. Its uncanny, but something I never would have noticed before. Now I know to avoid that situation or enact a different plan if need be.

Another common scenario is noticing how much you snack. Internal monologue “I had a small snack at 10:00 but then had lunch at noon. Then I hit my afternoon slump and had a quick protein bar. Then, I had one after putting the kids to bed during my ‘me time’. That seems excessive.” This happens all the time.

4. You notice what you tell other people about yourself might not be true

Ever tell someone you’re something you aren’t? Come one, be honest! I’ll go first. I once told people I was cool and I mean… come on. Sometimes, we inflate the truth to make ourselves sound better in front of peers. But then, we start to believe in this person we have made without actually living that life. Journaling your food intake might reveal:

• You aren’t as healthy of an eater as you thought.
• You don’t eat as many veggies as you tell us.
• Or, despite the fact that you tell people you only eat whole foods, a whole lot of other shit made its way into your log somehow.

In a nutshell, here’s a visual of what typically happens with dietary recall: