9 PROVEN FAT LOSS STRATEGIES THAT DON’T INVOLVE TRACKING MACROS
At Kate Lyman Nutrition, we strongly believe in the power of macro tracking because of the education around food composition and insight into one’s nutritional choices and behaviors it can provide. That insight, even if only examined closely through numerical data for a brief period of time, can be a tool that continues to serve someone for their whole life. In fact, we also strongly believe in moving away from macro tracking regularly once someone feels solid in the foundational habits they initially used tracking to develop and hone!
Not everyone is open to or comfortable with the idea of tracking their macros as a path toward a nutrition goal, and for those clients, we still want to equip them with tools that can serve their aims of long-term success, whatever that looks like for them. For a large portion of clients that we work with, that often looks like pursuing and then maintaining a leaner body composition (working towards fat loss goals). The precision of macro tracking is tough to beat in this regard–think of it as being similar to tracking one’s financial budget to achieve a particular money-related outcome - but there are a number of other approaches to shifting energy balance to favor a calorie deficit that can feel more doable.
Some of our favorites amongst these non-tracking self-monitoring tools include:
1. Utilizing the hand portions method for measuring food.
This is a method of measuring that we believe even pro-macro trackers can benefit from knowing (we especially love it for estimating portions at restaurants!) By using our own palms, cupped hands, closed fists, and thumbs to assess portion sizes, we are more likely to choose amounts of each macronutrient category that make sense for our body’s needs. For more details on recommended amounts of each across one’s day, see Precision Nutrition’s guide.
2. Following true hunger and satiety cues and ending meals at ~80% full most of the time.
Knowing the difference between hunger and appetite is a mindful eating skill that can take time to develop (which we discuss in this blog post about emotional eating) and no doubt adds nuance to this tool, but most of us have experienced the extreme physical discomfort that comes with eating well past satiety at some point or another. If we think of hunger and satiety as a scale, this post-eating experience would be a firm 10, with a 1 being the type of hunger one might recognize or expect after having gone without food for a full day or more. Ideally, we are spending most of our time in the 4 to 8 range: hungry enough leading up to meals to recognize the sensation that it’s time to eat again soon, then building to and ending at a place where we no longer feel hungry. This approach can be a way of helping us to reduce unnecessary calorie intake if fat loss or maintaining a leaner body composition is an aim.
3. Practicing methods that slow down eating.
Examples of this include:
Putting down utensils between bites.
Chewing bites thoroughly (20-30 times).
Taking note of tastes, textures, and smells.
Eating without distractions.
Plating all foods, including snacks.
When we take measures to slow our eating speed, we give our satiety cues ample time to register. Explore more mindful eating practices here.
4. Eating in order from the most satiating foods to the least.
When considering a well-balanced plate – a protein source + starchy carbohydrate source or fruit + vegetable + additional fat source (as needed) - the protein and veggies are most likely to be the most physically satiating due to their higher volume and slower digesting natures. By starting with these first, in conjunction with practicing methods that slow down eating, we may reduce caloric intake at that meal (and we’re more likely to meet our protein and fiber needs, since we’re ensuring we don’t miss out on those portions!).
5. Eating in a more repetitive nature.
This doesn’t inherently have to mean boring, nor do we think it should (because satisfaction with our meals is strongly tied to our ability to stay consistent with our nutritional approach!) Rather, this might mean keeping grocery lists and, in turn, meal compositions similar across most weeks and foods simple in terms of flavor profiles rather than elaborately layered to toe the lines of hyperpalatability (i.e. that thing that can easily drive us to turn away from noticing satiety).
6. Using smaller bowls and plates.
Reducing the size of our serving vessels will reduce our overall portion size(s) in our meals. This also has the dual benefit of making a smaller portion appear larger, which greatly appeases the sensory part of the hunger and satiety equation.
7. Reducing the amount of cooking oils/fat sources that we are using.
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with dietary fat intake–dietary fat is essential for cell, organ, joint, and hormonal health, and is crucial for vitamin absorption!--but since fats clock in at 9 calories per gram in comparison to protein and carbohydrates's 4 calories per gram, alongside most fat sources being very low volume, those calories can add up quickly without necessarily aiding in satiety. You can use cooking oil sprays instead of liquid or take opportunities to deglaze your pan with broth or water instead of oil for certain dishes.
8. Using a “color system” (red, yellow, green) for foods according to our current relationship with them.
We believe in a dietary approach that includes all foods that benefit one’s health and happiness on all fronts, but during periods where someone is wanting to prioritize fat loss, this might be a smart tool to call upon. E.g. “red” foods would be ones that someone might benefit from keeping out of the house because they tend to override satiety cues with them; “green” foods are ones that pose no issue; “yellow” foods might be ones you bring home in small quantities.
9. Limiting meals out, or setting similar boundaries around foods/meals with calories that add up more quickly.
We know that meals from restaurants are often more calorie dense than what we cook at home. Ingredients may be different, and restaurants often use more liberal amounts of cooking oils. The goal here isn’t avoiding meals out; rather, it’s staying in tune with your goals when navigating a meal out. Is your goal to adhere to a calorie deficit? Then it may be helpful to order a less calorie-dense meal for the sake of alignment with that goal, or eating beforehand, and just enjoying a side dish and drink with friends. This is not a requirement, of course, but just something to keep in mind as we underestimate our calorie intake when eating meals out the majority of the time.
The concept of flexible nutrition is oftentimes viewed as being an approach to nutrition that means no foods need to be excluded, and while this is absolutely true (barring food sensitivities, allergies, or strong dislikes, of course), there is nuance to that notion, especially if someone is adamant on taking a non-macro tracking approach.
When one’s macro “budget” isn’t being monitored, food choices and eating behaviors will need to be considered more closely. These are tools that everyone can benefit from, whether working towards a fat loss goal or not, and regardless of their outlook on macro tracking, because they all share the common ground of prioritizing less processed, nutrient-rich foods and putting us more in touch with our bodies and food behaviors and habits.
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