Here is a common conversation I’ve had many times before: (Let’s call the other person: Sammy) The (calories in brackets) Is what’s going on in my head!
Sammy:: Frown
Me: Ok hold on, so tell me, “What do you eat every day?”
Sammy: Not much really, barely anything!! Cry
Me: But tell me specifically. What do you have for breakfast? Smile
Sammy: Just a smoothie
Me: What’s in the smoothie..?
Sammy: Oh, just some fruit, maybe 1 cup Full cream Plain yogurt (100cal), a cup of milk (160cal)...that’s basically it.
Me: Ok sounds tasty, so what types of fruit?
Sammy: Oh, just 1 banana (110cal), handful of strawberries (50cal) and handful of raspberries (50cal)…
Me: Ok, then after breakfast, what’s your next meal?
Sammy: Hmmm…I have a bag of Almonds at my desk, so I would just have some nuts throughout the morning…
Me: Oh..ok so do you know the total grams of the almonds?
Sammy: Huh? No, I have no clue, it’s probably around two handfuls throughout the day (320cal)…
Me: (sigh) Well ok then, then what do you have for lunch?
Sammy: I’m usually so busy at work so I’ll just have a Granola bar..(190cal)
Me: Ok, so no meal…when do you eat again?
Sammy: When I get home, I’ll have dinner with my family.
Me: And a typical dinner would be?
Sammy: USUALLY just some Roasted Vegetables (100cal) with chicken (150cal) or steak (270cal)…something like that..
Me: Ok, that’s a great meal…Any salad with that?
Sammy: Yes, and salad. You see, I barely eat, but can’t seem to lose weight...
Me: Ok, just wait a bit…do you throw in Feta and avo in your salad or only greens? And do you consume ANYTHING else during your day? Coffee? Mints?
Sammy: O yes, I’ll have some avo (half) (120cal) and feta (80cal) with my salad and some olive oil, probably 1tbsp (120cal) & balsamic vinegar (15cal) -but I mean that’s fine, right?
And then I do have about 5 cups of coffee with Full cream milk (160 cal), I hate fat free…and then I have a bag of mints at my desk, which I have now and again throughout the day…(100cal)
Me: (interesting) any other sauces?
Sammy: O yes, I usually have some mayonnaise with my dinner, but not much, 2 tbsp (180cal)…
and 1 cup hot chocolate (80cal), with milk (160cal) before bed…..
Me: Ok Sammy, for you & most people it sounds like you are eating barely anything: 1 Smoothie, some Almonds, a Granola bar and a healthy dinner with vegetables & salad...Sounds good right?
But in REALITY, you are consuming around 2300 calories per day !!!! And that’s excluding the weekends when you are definitely having more food with the family. You have a desk job and you don’t go to the gym. You said you go for walks 2-3 times per week for 30 min- which is great, but you are only burning around 300 calories.
So, for you (70kg female), your estimated maintenance requirement (to maintain your weight) is around 1500 calories. Let’s be nice and add the 300 that you "use" with your activity, so now you can eat 1800 calories to maintain weight. So, you are OVERCONSUMING 500 calories PER DAY on weekdays!!!
So, for 5 days x 500= 2500 calories (per week EXCLUDING weekends). So, you will actually gain weight as the weeks go by…
Oh, and your barely eat ANY protein and overconsume on Fats and Carbs!
The conversation above…happens A LOT just in different scenarios. It’s a known fact (proven by research) that most people underestimate what they consume! Most won’t even say or recall what they’ve eaten through the day. PLEASE be honest with yourself!
Start to be aware of what you are consuming daily. That’s the only way you can start to make progress!
To understand how to track and be flexible with your food choices:
Check out my UNDERSTANDING NUTRITION program or become a GOLD MEMBER today!
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