Priorities for Weight Loss
If you’ve read my pieces before or have followed me on social media, you’ll know I prefer setting goals based on performance rather than weight loss. Getting stronger and gaining endurance will likely impact your life far more than losing a few pounds.
But I get it. Whether for medical reasons or personal reasons, weight loss is often at the forefront of our intentions. The bonus- losing weight can sometimes go hand in hand with our performance goals and realistically, make them easier, so let’s talk about what we need to prioritize when it comes to weight loss.
In the hierarchy of healthy habits, getting a good night’s rest and being hydrated are important for any goal. It’s difficult to make progress without your basic needs being in check. Beyond these foundational habits, being in a calorie deficit is the only true way to lose weight.
Keto, Paleo, Plant Based, Intermittent Fasting or any variety of commercial plans will work IF you are in a calorie deficit. Many people will try to sell you otherwise, but this is the simple and effective truth. Even if you do not choose to track calories, your body will. There is no way around it.
Simple? Yes. Easy? No. Doable? Definitely.
Within that deficit, you’ll want to focus on protein. I talk about protein a lot, with good reason. Prioritizing protein during meal/snack planning has many benefits, such as building muscle, speeding recovery, and aiding digestion. It also can help curb hunger when you are in that deficit.
Aim for 0.6 - 0.8g per pound of your goal body weight per day. (Ex. Someone with a Goal Weight of 160lbs would aim for 96g to 128g of protein daily.) Mathematically, that will be about 20-25% of your daily calorie intake.
Make a list of your favorite go to proteins and choose your protein first when planning meals and snacks. Fill in the rest with healthy carbohydrates and fats but don’t sweat those numbers as long as your calorie total for the day is on target.
Nutrition is definitely the driver with weight loss, but further up the pyramid, strength training and movement, are both important as you look to maintain muscle while losing body fat. Bonus, physical activity can keep you on track mentally too. Performance activities are more fun with proper nutrition. More on this topic here.
And while all of this is true, there is something even more important to explore before you begin any nutrition program: your relationship with food.
I’ve talked about emotional eating in the past. Here we will look at ways to develop a healthy relationship with food.
Do not label a food as good or bad.
Do not give moral power to food. While it is true some foods make you feel and perform better than others, some occasions call for cake. Cake isn’t bad or good. It’s just cake. If you are serious about weight loss, calculate the calories of the slice you have, log it, and move on. The less we give in to the notion that foods should make us feel guilty or shameful, the better your relationship with food will become.
You didn’t fail. You ate something. Hopefully you enjoyed it!
Do not be overly restrictive.
This coincides with the morality issue with food. Forbidding foods will set you up for failure, often leaving you to crave them even more. This is where you have to know yourself and get very honest. Will allowing yourself a Krispy Kreme donut every day in your daily calorie budget keep you motivated and in the game or will it derail you completely? Only you know the answer to that question.
No matter what you eat, if you track correctly and stay in a deficit, you will lose weight. Focus on the foods you enjoy, being sure to include a variety of food groups that will nourish your body, don’t forget protein, and budget a little wiggle room for the fun things that satisfy your soul.
Important note: do not go in too deep of a deficit. Restricting too many calories is not healthy, can lead to binging, and will not be sustainable. Talk with a professional when setting your caloric goals.
Do eat when you are hungry.
I know we have all heard that if we are hungry, what we should really do is drink a glass of water. While you will never hear me tell you to not drink water, if you are having feelings of hunger, honor that and EAT. I get it. Sometimes we eat when we are bored. But if the feeling is persistent, drinking water is not going to cut it. Eat. I don’t care if it is after 9pm. Calories don’t care what time it is. Check your log for the day- chances are you are in too deep of a deficit and you may need to reevaluate your plan. Your deficit needs to be sustainable!
Do seek support.
Find an accountability partner. A coach, a friend, or a family member. Find someone you are comfortable being honest with and be clear about what kind of support you need. Do you need them to help build the plan? Do you want them to just be a place to check in? Or simply cheer you on as you go? Those are all valid requests. Building a healthy relationship with food often requires reflection, sometimes an outside view of the plan, and always a friendly face to point out your wins.
The pyramid looked more complete with acknowledging our need for a healthy relationship with food, but I still could not shake the feeling that we needed to add one more level to see the whole truth:
You must- MUST- love the goal setter before embarking on any wellness journey. All actions you take towards your goal must come from a place of love and respect for self.
Love yourself first.
Your goals should be for you and you alone. Of course, there may be a side benefit for someone else, but ultimately this is a time to be self-absorbed. What do YOU need? What will help YOU be your healthiest and most confident? Dig into your goal and do this for YOU.
Love yourself enough to:
Create a sustainable plan and stick to it.
Seek help and support.
Forgive yourself when you falter- and start over as many times as needed.
Celebrate your successes.
Speak kindly to yourself.
Be honest, with yourself and others.
Stand up for what you need.
Believe you are worth the effort, the planning, the time and the attention.
Because you 👏are 👏definitely 👏worth 👏it 🙌
Love you,
Missi