Food tracking not for you? Do this instead
Before we get too excited, let’s start by laying down a basic fact: Tracking or journaling your food intake is one of the most effective ways to account for energy intake accurately when you have a specific goal. Whether that is weight loss, maintenance, or muscle building, not tracking your meals can be the equivalent of walking blindfolded and expecting to cross the finish line.
From a behavior perspective, the simple act of accounting for calories, macros - or whatever approach you want - increases awareness, leads to more mindful eating, provides immediate feedback, and builds self-efficacy as you learn to correlate the visual portion size with its nutritional value.
That being said, tracking food can also be a hassle, another thing to add to the thousands of other daily chores, worries, and stress we already have to deal with. So, it will not always be the right approach for everyone, and different life circumstances will require different strategies.
So, if this is you, what can you do to put yourself on a better path towards your goals?
Adjust your expectations. Let’s get this one out of the way first. A less organized approach could, in many cases, be slower. The worst way to sabotage ourselves is to start a lifestyle change under the impression that our effort will translate automatically into progress. Even when we do track food, this won’t necessarily be the case in the short term. You’re 2, 3, 4 weeks into your improved habits, and you still haven’t seen a transformative progress. It’s just not going to happen. For some rare, lucky people, it might. Good for them. For the vast majority of those with average genes and overall sedentary lifestyles, it’s unlikely. So focus on your own lane and let go of this idea that you can see a drastic body transformation in a few weeks, particularly if you’re not doing careful tracking.
Go to sleep early. Going to sleep early and prioritizing sleep quality is crucial for weight loss and overall health. Poor sleep disrupts key hormones like ghrelin and leptin, which regulate hunger and satiety and increase appetite and overeating. Sleep deprivation also raises cortisol levels, contributing to fat storage, particularly around the abdomen. It lowers the resting metabolic rate, making it harder to burn calories while reducing insulin sensitivity, which can lead to weight gain and increased diabetes risk. Sleep-deprived individuals often crave unhealthy, high-calorie foods and struggle with fatigue, reducing motivation to exercise and hindering muscle recovery. Consistently sleeping less than six hours a night is linked to weight gain over time, while good sleep supports fat loss and muscle preservation. Disrupted circadian rhythms further impact metabolism and appetite control. Ultimately, quality sleep, combined with a balanced diet and regular exercise, enhances weight loss efforts.
Reduce or eliminate alcohol. Alcohol consumption can significantly hinder weight loss efforts. It is calorie-dense, providing 7 calories per gram, which adds up quickly, especially with sugary mixers. These "empty calories" provide no nutritional benefit and can lead to weight gain if not accounted for in daily calorie intake. Alcohol also slows metabolism by prioritizing its breakdown in the liver over other nutrients, reducing fat burning. It can disrupt hormone levels, increasing appetite and cravings for unhealthy, calorie-rich foods. Additionally, alcohol impairs judgment, leading to poor food choices and overeating. It also disrupts sleep, which affects recovery, energy levels, and hunger-regulating hormones, further complicating weight loss. In short, regular alcohol consumption can sabotage weight loss through its calorie content, metabolic effects, and impact on hunger and decision-making.
Walk more. A lot more. Walking is an effective, low-impact exercise that supports weight loss by burning calories and boosting NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.) It helps create a calorie deficit, especially when combined with a balanced diet. Walking can be easily incorporated into daily routines and is accessible to people of all fitness levels. It also promotes fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass, vital for maintaining a healthy metabolism. Regular walking improves cardiovascular health, boosts mood, and reduces stress, which can help curb emotional eating. Walking enhances digestion, regulates blood sugar levels, and supports better sleep—all key factors in successful weight loss. Its low-impact nature makes it sustainable for long-term fitness and weight management.
Veggies first, protein second, carbohydrates third, and fats last. In other words, fill your plate with the least to most energy-dense foods. The two main things I tell my athletes to pay attention to are the amount of lean protein and fiber in the form of leafy greens and vegetables because these are the two most satiating and the least calorie-rich. If you notice, we aren’t eliminating any macronutrient from our plate; we are simply doing a smarter redistribution.
Invest time in finding alternative ways to cope with negative emotions. We don’t always eat because we are hungry; sometimes, we eat because we seek comfort and relief. Eating is one of the most pleasurable things the human body experiences, which is no coincidence. If we lacked appetite, if eating didn’t instantly trigger a biochemical cascade of hormones and neurotransmitters that make us feel good, we’d be much less likely to make the effort to find food, and potentially put our lives at risk for it. We no longer suffer from this issue in our developed world. Now, our stressors are different and often chronic, and an abundance of calories and highly palatable foods are just a few steps away from easing our anxiety, distress, or sadness. Unfortunately, I don’t have an easy answer for this other than just as we would invest time and money into our physical health, we should prioritize our mental health as well. We are lucky to live in an era where there is much less stigma around eating disorders, and many more tools are available now, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or medication when it is necessary. Instead of putting a band-aid on it through ever-changing diets and workouts, let’s nip it in the bud and give our emotions the attention they need.
Challenge your aerobic and anaerobic systems. In other words, do both cardio and strength training. Exercise, in general, can function as an appetite suppressant. It can also make you more mindful of what you eat because of how it makes you feel during your workout. Training both your muscles and your cardiorespiratory system will, in the long run, make you more efficient at utilizing energy. However, don’t expect to “burn off” a significant amount of calories through exercise and think it’s enough to counter an improper diet, especially if you’re a beginner. The benefit of exercise in weight loss is not really because of how much energy you burn through it. Think of it instead as a potentiator of good metabolic health and lifestyle habits.
Successful weight loss requires a combination of mindful habits, realistic expectations, and consistency. It’s a gradual process demanding patience, balance, and a global approach to physical and mental well-being. Tracking is a tool that we use and nothing more. I feel successful as a coach when my clients learn to eat intuitively thanks to how much they learned through the initial stages of tracking. But in the end, the best approach is the one that works for you and adapts to your circumstances. It’s not called a journey for nothing.
