In this article, I wanted to breakdown one of the main reasons why people struggle to lose fat, even while adhering to a ‘supposed’ calorie deficit!
The reality is, fat loss comes down to being in a calorie deficit. Period. This means, if you’re not seeing the fat loss you’re looking for, the first step is to lock in your calorie tracking.
This question was brought to my attention in my elite
coaching program. Which made me want to bring it to your attention as well.
Here’s the question:
“Why am I not losing weight with carbs being 35% of my diet and calories set to 11 calories per pound of goal weight? I’m using myfitnesspal and the nutrition breaks down as laid out. If I lower carbs to 100 or less on non-workout days and cycle so carbs are higher on workout days the weight falls off at 11 cal per pound of goal bodyweight. Lost .5 of an inch on my waist in a week doing this. Holding onto water and or fat when carbs are 35% continuously.”
Let’s get to the bottom of this mystery…
You’re Not Calorie Tracking Properly
The fact of the matter is, we need to address how to track calories first. As I just mentioned in the beginning and I’ll say it again. No calorie deficit. No weight loss. Period.
Now here’s the thing, tracking your calories can get a bit complicated.
As it turns out, some nutrition labels on foods can be misleading. You could be messing up the servings sizes or even not reading them correctly.
For example, you could read the label for “cooked” nutrition facts but use that measurement or portion size when the food is still “uncooked.” This is pretty common with rice and pasta. Leading you to eat a lot more calories than you thought you were getting.
You can even run into a similar problem at Chipotle! Reading the nutrition facts online is one thing, but you cannot control the exact size of each scoop of food the person behind the counter is giving you.
Always opt for measuring your foods “uncooked” to be on the safe side.
Also, getting an electronic food scale is one of the most powerful tools for tracking calories to lose weight!
This will help build your database of the food portions you eat. When you go out to eat, this will help you better estimate (or eyeball) how many calories you’re getting because you’re used to the portion sizes.
Trust me, you’ll get better over time. You just need to start moving forward.
Then you’ll be able to do this without using an app or electronic scale for calorie tracking.
Track Everything!
Whether it’s those extra little bites you sneak in while you’re cooking to even vegetables and fruits.
You need to get into the initial habit of tracking everything!
The majority of the time, people are underestimating what they are truly eating. It happens all the time. This is going to require you to sharpen your calorie tracking skills. Learning how to track calories is easier than you think. Once you get the hang of it, it’ll be second nature and you’ll build the fat loss momentum you’re looking for.
Find The Foods That Work Best For You
The easiest way to get the hang of calorie tracking is to find the foods that you enjoy the most and support your fitness goals.
Then you can take the time to really make sure you have the nutritional facts dialed in so you know what you’re getting.
Buckle down and eat the same foods for 2 to 3 months. You should not be worrying about keeping your diet interesting and full of variety if you’re consistently failing over and over to any noticeable fat loss.
Gain momentum going first. And then feel free to expand your diet and add more variety.
If you try to do too many things at once when learning how to track calories to lose weight, then this is when it gets complicated and more difficult to stay in that calories deficit.
Calorie tracking takes a lot of will power. That’s why it’s so easy to stick to the same foods so you always know what you’re getting for the time being.
And to touch again on the question, I don’t believe carbs are the issue here. Medically, 35% of daily calories coming from carbs is considered a “low carb” diet. Sure, this is a lot higher than the mainstream “low carb” approach, but I think you get the idea.
Lock in your calorie tracking before you jump to any other conclusions. Mastering the calorie deficit is the most important aspect of fat loss.
Your Kino Question For The Day: What foods might you be tracking incorrectly? Let me know in the comments below.
