Why not just track your food?

Looking at numbers associated with food and/or weight is triggering to some and not beneficial nor necessary for everyone.

You shouldn’t have to track your food for the rest of your life- this is not a normal way to live.

The goal of not tracking is to get to know your body, your appetite, your trends without the emotional trigger of numbers, minutiae, and morality often associated with calories, numbers, etc.

To Start:

Define what a balanced meal looks like to you.

I recommend:

a carb source
a protein source
a produce
something to make it taste good (usually a fat source)

We do not have to worry about serving sizes at this point.

Bird’s Eye View:

Without “trying”, how many balanced meals do you naturally eat per day?

Check a box or shade a circle each time you eat a balanced meal.

Just Observe Yourself.

What patterns do you notice?
What meals seem the easiest to balance?
Why?
What days do you struggle with balance the most?
Why?

Troubleshoot

Let’s. say you struggle to get in a full meal for lunch most days.

Could this be why you can’t stop snacking at 9pm? Could be.

Are you not eating lunch because you’re trying to “eat healthier?” Expand your options, loosen the reigns, revisit the framework.

Do you need to plan ahead? Prep lunch the day before or morning of. Make extra dinner to take to work tomorrow. Cook in bulk 2-3x/week.

Do you need more convenient options? Microwaveable, frozen, canned, pre-packaged foods are food. Use them.

Nuance

There is nothing special about “3 square meals.”

There are days I eat 3 square meals and nothing else.

There are days I eat 2 larger meals and lots of snacks.

Other days I eat 6 small meals.

It depends on the day, my schedule, what I have on hand, my activity level, stress level, and appetite.

You don’t need to eat the same way every day.
Do what feels best and what works with your life.

“Will this help me lose weight?”

No idea.

Your body is constantly responding and adapting to its environment.

Some people sweat in 76 degree weather and others don’t.

Weight loss is kind of like that.

Gaining weight doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong.
Losing weight doesn’t mean you’re doing something right.

Your body will respond however it’s going to respond.

You need to eat regardless.

Eating red flag: you only know how to eat when you’re tracking your food, and you’re anxious when you don’t.

In some cases, I do have clients track their intake; it’s almost always when a client is bought into the idea of EATING ENOUGH.

They aren’t triggered by numbers, scale weight, and understand the utility in tracking to eat MORE- not less. We DO NOT track food here to eat less. In fact, I don’t encourage eating less ever.

👉🏽most of your food, health, body, and exercise woes will be “cured” by eating more.

👉🏽just because you “feel fat” doesn’t mean you’re eating enough. There’s a good chance the magic is hiding in your meals and their composition.

Skipping breakfast and inhaling shit after 9pm? Of course you are!

You’re not a glutton- YOU’RE HUNGRY. It’s all related.

Only eating one egg for breakfast and wondering why you have so many cravings? That’ll do it.

👉🏽create a non-numbers related system, define what needs to be true in order to check the box (define your minimum requirements), and just see what happens. More below.

👉🏽I typically just eat as I go. I work from home which is a huge perk for this. I mentally run the framework. Low on protein for bfast? I’ll eat more protein at lunch or dinner or get in a protein shake. Not a huge deal if I don’t 🤷🏽‍♀️

👉🏽effort matters. Bacon isn’t a exactly a great protein source but it’s better to have bacon + toast vs just toast. 🤷🏽‍♀️ you can also use bacon as “taste good” and have eggs, too. It’s meant to be fluid, flexible, and fun!

👉🏽decide what you want to do with your observations. You don’t have to do a damn thing if you don’t want to.

👉🏽getting hungry shortly after a meal? Eat again. Consider eating a larger meal next time- revisit the framework.

Food is fun! Let it be. We’re on a rock spinning in outer space circling a fiery hot sun- eat the hotdog. Eat the cookie. Eat the tortellini. Pair it with a protein.

That’s it!