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You see it everywhere today, calorie counting apps are the new trend in weight loss.
We know how exhausting it can be to track your calories.
Are you constantly weighing out portion sizes and worrying if you’ve logged every part of your meal properly?
It can take the joy out of eating.
Here at Inspired Nutrition & Health, we want to bring this joy of food back to you!
It’s time to start your holistic journey to weight loss, where you aren’t bogged down logging every ounce of food you eat.
Your sustainable weight-loss journey
Losing weight and starting your health-centric journey shouldn’t be a daunting task. It can seem like a lot to manage at first, but when we break it down to its bare essentials it’s really not that bad - and can even turn out to be fun.
The goal with weight loss is for it to be something that happens and then stays, we want it to be sustainable.
Trust us, we’ve heard horror stories about nutrition and meal plans telling you to completely give up certain foods. Shhhhh, we’ve got a little secret - that’s an unrealistic way to lose weight.
Cutting certain foods out of your diet is going to have the inverse effect on what you are in search of. Avoiding certain foods for too long can cause your body to crave this food, as all it wants in the end is this balanced diet. This craving’s impact can sometimes be the kryptonite to your weight loss. It can result in binging, poor sleep, and general unhappiness with your diet plan.
Something we preach at Inspired Nutrition and Health is that change needs to be a long-term lifestyle change. It’s not just a quick fix that is going to help you see rapid results (that don’t last).
There’s one method that we think everyone looking to see weight loss should live by.
And trust us, you don’t have to cut out any of your favorites - not even the ice cream!
The 80 / 20 rule
The 80 / 20 rule is something that we live by at INH.
It’s a simple trick that can take all that pain away from counting calories, all while maintaining your weight loss goals.
The thought process behind the rule is this: 80 percent of the time your diet should include nutritious, whole foods that are beneficial to your weight loss. The other 20 percent of the time your diet can have whatever fun treat you want!
One of our favorite parts of the 80 / 20 rule is keeping our fun Friday pizza nights!
It’s an approach to weight loss that is manageable. It doesn’t affect parts of your life that might be altered when you eliminate certain foods.
With the 80 / 20 rule, you can still do things like:
Go out for tacos on the weekend!
Get your favorite ice cream on a hot summer day!
Have a hot dog at the ballpark!
Enjoy some hot cocoa on a cozy winter day!
Now, you might be thinking…
I can do ALL of this and still have fat loss?
Yep!
No more counting calories.
No more tracking those macros.
Start to follow the INH method and trust the 80 / 20 rule!
Eating Mindfully
At the end of the day, we love the 80 / 20 rule so much because it boils down to mindful eating.
To eat more mindfully, you need to tune into your body's hunger and fullness cues.
Many tactics can lead to more mindful eating. Tactics like slowing down while eating and savoring each bite - truly enjoying what’s in front of you.
Along with aiding in your weight loss journey, mindful eating can help you enjoy food in general. Eating mindfully and truly paying attention to each bite can completely alter your view of food, positively.
Practice mindful eating, avoid ultra-processed foods, tune into those hunger and fullness cues, and sustainably lose weight - all while LOVING what you eat!
Tips and tricks for how to lose weight without counting calories
So now you know about the 80 / 20 rule, these are some tricks that will help you throughout your time practicing that.
High-quality sleep
Getting enough sleep is so much more important than people think for weight loss. Aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep per night can help you support your weight loss efforts. Having this quality rest along with a relaxing bedtime routine, avoiding screens right before bed, and creating a cozy environment to sleep in can make your weight loss journey so much easier.
Prioritize getting that high-quality sleep, you’ll thank yourself when you wake up each morning refreshed and ready to go!
Manage intake of sugar
Added Sugars are going to be something that creates the opposite effect of what you are looking for when losing weight. That being said, there are so many amazing alternatives to sugary foods and beverages! We recommend going with fresh fruit or veggies or an unsweetened alternative.
All about that natural sweetness!
Make a couple of easy swaps so you can lower your calorie intake, without counting them!
Cut back on calorie-dense foods
Calorie-dense foods tend to be sugary sweet ones, that are especially easy to overeat. These are the ones you really gotta watch out for (but with the 80 / 20 rule, you can sneak em’ in eventually!). To make things easier with managing weight loss, minimizing calorie-dense foods can truly help.
Instead, go for a minimally processed alternative and start mindfully snacking!
Indulge Wisely
Follow your mind and your body while you are indulging. Make sure that you keep focused on that 80 / 20 balance while you are having a treat!
All of this being said, these are just general tips and tricks.
If you want to dive in and get a personalized weight loss plan, set up a consultation today!
We want to be by your side the entire time, helping your weight loss progress.
Conclusion
The idea of weight loss shouldn’t be scary, although many people see it as that.
It can be exciting, rewarding, and in some ways, it can be really fun.
Don’t be convinced that you need to spend hours of your day logging calories. That’s a thing of the past and not something you should worry about if you want to lose weight sustainably.
If the idea of losing weight without having to count calories is something that interests you, but you think you might need some help along the way - we are here for you.
Don’t exhaust yourself with those calorie-tracking apps, reward yourself with sustainable weight loss that feels good!