In This Episode
Want to lose weight but just don’t think tracking calories/macros is for you?
Good news: it’s not the only way!
In this week’s episode of The Live Diet-Free Podcast, Esther shares a handful of actionable tips to help us start to lose weight without tracking anything.
While this episode is about not tracking our calories and macros, Esther does encourage us to take some ownership of our current nutrition and consider tracking for even just a week to help us build awareness around the way we are eating. She tells us that this minimal tracking is simply a tool to help us build mindfulness on our way to not tracking.
Esther reminds us that often when we are told that we should focus solely on intuitive eating and not tracking that this advice is likely coming from someone who at some point has spent time tracking and developing a deeper understanding of calories and macros. While the advice isn’t ill-intended, it can be a bit misguided when given to someone who hasn’t mastered some of the basics of nutrition that can make intuitive eating successful.
When we decide not to track our nutrition, Esther encourages us to take inventory of the things we are doing that we know don’t support our goals and create a game plan to address those things in a meaningful way. She suggests doing a “brain dump” to identify these areas and then be willing to put in the work (and time) to address the willpower necessary to adjust.
She says, “Developing more mindfulness, more reflection, more self-awareness, taking more ownership, that’s something that just is going to be a change. It’s going to take a while to have those things come naturally to you. And you need to give yourself the gift of the time that it takes to learn those things.”
Esther ends the episode with a list of habits she believes can make this process a little less daunting – including reducing liquid calories by finding ways to make water more appealing and not treating our bodies like garbage disposals.
You’ll Learn:why having data about your current nutrition is an important place to start
how weight loss and financial budgeting are similar
alternatives to tracking your calories for weight loss
new habits that can support your weight loss goals.
Previous Episodes Mentioned:
Episode 7: Mastering the Weight Loss “Big Rocks”
Episode 13: Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss – Should You Do It?
Episode 50: Mastering the Weight Loss “Intangibles”