A simple way I look at high-calorie foods.
Your overall diet should be predominantly minimally processed foods. Prioritise filling your plate with lots of veggies/fruits and a lean protein source. Ensure you consume an appropriate amount of healthy fats and whole-grain carbohydrates sources for your activity levels.
Your diet will also include treats, social occasions, meals out, and possibly alcoholic drinks as part of a happy and balanced lifestyle.
The key to weight maintenance is eating within your calorie needs. This will support healthy body weight. Learning how to eat to ensure health alongside maintaining a healthy weight range is part of the online nutrition coaching process. The process has helped clients successfully lose weight and maintain their weight loss success long term. You don't need to give up the foods and beverages you enjoy to achieve your goals. The picture and explanation below detail one of the methods I use to help clients lose weight with an active social life.
When consuming foods or meals that are higher in calories which may cause us to exceed our calorie requirements or the calorie deficit we require to lose weight, we need to ensure it is worth it. Like most things in life, we assess the cost versus the benefit. In the case of a high-calorie meal, I suggest asking if it is worth it.
Worth it foods will be individual to you. What one person loves to eat; another person would place in the not worth its box.
We all love higher-calorie indulgent foods and drinks. Clients find the best way to keep higher-calorie foods within limits is to enjoy them when they are worth it. Worth it situations might include enjoying a meal out, cake and coffee with friends, or ice cream with the family. It can also be less of an event, such as consuming a bar of chocolate eaten with no distractions.
Being responsible for your own choices allows you the freedom to choose. Situations I discuss with weight loss clients include being mindful of calories consumed at restaurant meals. Order a starter and main or a main and dessert instead of all three courses. Other situations have included going out for a cake (baking) or dessert once a week and making it an occasion instead of consuming it because it is in the office lunchroom. Many clients enjoy alcoholic drinks. Discussions with clients have included going alcohol-free throughout the week and only drinking in moderation (i.e., not more than 2-3 drinks) on the weekend.
It can be beneficial to plan a specific portion of high calorie foods you wish to consume using the Logical dose of enjoyment method that I educate clients on. To use this method, ask yourself how much of this high calorie food do need to enjoy it? This way, you can pre portion an amount to satisfy your palate. This helps you become a mindful eater who pauses, allowing space for a thoughtful decision making process which supports your goals and what you value.
Hopefully, this method and the examples given will guide you towards making mindful decisions around portion size (how much of this food or drink do I need to enjoy it?) or the ability to pause and ask yourself (do I want this food right now?) around high-calorie food choices. Life is too short to miss out on the foods we love and the social occasions we enjoy. If this approach to weight loss resonates with you, but you feel like you need some accountability to adhere to the principle, it is worth getting some support from an accountability partner such as a friend, spouse, or online nutrition coach.
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