In phase 2 I explained how to reduce small amount, but you reach to the point that reducing more doesn’t make any sense any more.
For example can you survive on one meal a day?
You might, but for sure you shouldn’t. It’s unhealthy and it always end up in binging or even worse eating disorder.
Phase 3:
Getting help
Having a coach will help you find the plan that is best for your lifestyle, preference and get you the result you wanted. With the help of professionals you finally find out what works for you, high carbs, high fat, high protein, low carbs, vegan, vegetarian etc.
Having a coach gives you realistic goals and result, all you need to do is to be ready for change and challenges.
You don’t need a coach for rest of your life, keep on learning to be independent.
The goal here is find what’s works the best and possibly for rest of your life. For more info check out our article about how to “Find a good coach” we got some fantastic coaches on the FORME team.
We are biased here and we recommend our amazing coaches who has experience with clients at any fitness levels.
Phase 4:
Optimizing the chosen plan
With help of your coach you know what plan works for you, now it’s time to put everything in practice which means knowing how to weigh your food properly.
Weighing your food raw is most accurate because when you cook any food it either absorbs water or water evaporates.
For example, 100 grams of uncooked chicken will weigh less than 100 grams once its cooked. The weight change will depend on the cooking method and time. For example, chicken that is cooked to perfection will weigh more than overcooked chicken, because it is still holding some moisture.
Other examples of foods that will change weights/volume when cooked are rice, oats, frozen fruit and so many more. If you track the macros of uncooked rice, but weigh it as cooked, you’re not accounting for all the rice.
On the other side, if you track 100 grams of raw chicken and then measure that chicken out once cooked, you’d be eating more than you accounted for. Can you weigh your food raw 100% of time? you probably can’t, but it’s okey because there is alway a way.
The great thing about having a healthy lifestyle is that is so flexible that no excuse is acceptable. Sometimes you’re out, at a restaurant or friend’s house or you forget to measure your food raw… it happens! Now what?
If you must track cooked food, make sure the entry you use in your tracking app matches the food you’re measuring as closely as possible.
For example, if you’re eating grilled skinless chicken breast then search and enter exactly that. Its important to pay attention to method of cooking as well, you can’t eat fried chicken and measure boiled chicken.
This applies to frozen vs. fresh fruits, grilled veggies vs.raw veggies and so on.
WHAT EVER YOU EAT SHOULD BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU ADD ON THE APP
Tips
- Chicken or any frozen poultry must be completely thawed before weighing it raw. When it is frozen, a lot of water is bound up and will make the weigh much more than it should. Your servings will be so puny! Trust me, I already made this mistake.
- Pay attention to cooking methods, steamed, grilled and oven backed have less calories than frying your food.
- Spices: go with dry spices rather than pre-made sauce as they content lots of sugar.
- Weigh your vegetables dry and before washing.
- if you are using olive oil or any kind of cooking oil make sure to weigh them before putting in the pan.
- Don’t forget those small snacks, little chocolate here , some peanut there, what ever you eat has calories and it need to be measured in order to achieve yours goal.
Great post.