Kickstart: Practical Nutrition Methods
We have hammered the point on the numbers of effective nutrition plans, that’s the good inputs. The other part is the ability to stick to the plan.
In todays lesson we’re going over exactly that: what methods and approaches are effective over the long term?
Awareness over consumption - check ✅
The first most robust step is to understand the calorie value of foods. As world renowned management expert Peter Drucker famously said, "What gets measured gets managed."
How many calories are in a bowl of cereal?
What meals are high calorie but leave you feeling hungry?
What foods are most filling?
What is the difference between a salad with no dressing compared to a salad with 2tb of olive oil?
The two months I spent in 2006 weighing my food and calculating the macronutrients and total calorie intake of each meal has served me for almost 20 years.
Building an intuitive understanding of the energy makeup of foods is a skill you learn once, and it continues to work for you, making every food decision easier.
Intuitive calorie cycling - check ✅
Remember how I said sustainable weight loss is the cumulative effect of your calorie intake? Well, not every meal or everyday needs to be the same.
For example, if you know you're going out for dinner, you can mentally allocate 1000-1500 calories towards the evening and adjust the surrounding meals to compensate.
Again, having a nutritional literacy means you can make informed decisions that keep you on track and make it more of a lifestyle.
Bottom line for weight loss and nutrition fundamentals
What matters ABOVE AND BEYOND EVERYTHING ELSE is that you find ways to your good inputs.
Good nutritional inputs, as it relates to body composition: target calorie intake, protein and fat minimums.
The best and most reliable way I’ve ever found to ensure good inputs is to weigh and track your calorie intake and macros. Maybe not forever but for now.
Tracking your nutrition turns the task of eating “healthy” into a playful game you can engage with and improve upon.
And make the process feel easy and like you’re in the driver's seat.
Choosing fun and making the process engaging and under your control is an underrated skill.
Action list
- Set nutrition focused SMART goals for this week (what will success look like?)
- Set nutrition focused implementation intentions (if-then and coping plans)
- Complete the nutrition quiz!