Calorie counting to lose weight
Should I Track my Calories Using My Fitness Pal Forever?
Tracking your calorie intake is a tool nutritionists use to understand how many calories approximately a client needs. The client's calorie requirements depend on their goals such as weight loss. Other factors that influence calorie intake include the client's age, height, sex and their energy output via daily activity or formal exercise.
When tracking calories with tracking apps such as My Fitness Pal you are providing an approximate daily calorie intake. No-calorie tracking tool comes without error. It's extremely common for underreporting to take place as well as food label and tracking tool errors. Tracking provides an education process on portion sizes, calorie awareness, and how to eat in a calorie conscious manner to achieve the individual's goal. This makes it a great feedback tool for nutritionists working with clients online and in person.
After a period of working with a nutritionist, the client will develop a good understanding of informed eating. The client will also have worked towards achieving their desired body composition goal that may have needed tighter restrictions for some time. Once they have the calorie awareness learnt from tracking their calorie intake, they can transition away from calorie counting in as much detail.
The client can then decide to use the tool of tracking calories at different stages within their life. This will usually be to target a specific goal such as weight loss or sports performance etc. A client may also use tracking if they need to re-check their portion control to establish if they are meeting their nutritional needs.
Many people assume that using a calorie counting app such as My Fitness Pal is the only way to lose weight. When working with a nutritionist at Hannah Sweetman Nutrition you will work as a team to find the best method to support your educational journey as you learn to become calorie conscious.
Some of the different methods used to educate clients on calorie awareness are:
- A calorie tracker such as My Fitness Pal or Nutra Check
- A food log. This can be handwritten or logged-in notes on your phone or a spreadsheet. It needs to include timings, all foods and drinks, and the amounts consumed. (Food logs can also be used to help track emotional eating).
- Photos of all foods and drinks consumed.
- By using meal templates which has been custom made for you to give you meal ideas. These can also be used alongside making your templates with the template builder.
- Cycle tracking and only tracking what is needed. e.g., tracking four days per week instead of seven or tracking only protein and calories. Only tracking meals that change often and sticking to a rotation of a couple of choices at other meals.
- Food-scapes or meal planning with a coach.
- Habit tracking (using a tick box habit tracker).
- My portion control guidelines sheet.
Clients find as their nutrition education evolves while working with an online coach. They start using one tracking method and move to a less time demanding tracking method once their calorie and portion size education has grown.
People hire a nutrition coach to help them lose weight which is one of the outcomes of working with an online nutrition coach. Weight loss is just the visual result of working with a nutritionist the most important aspect is the education you gain throughout your coaching journey. This enables long term weight maintenance once you achieve your desired body composition.
The habits you work towards establishing to successfully lose weight are the habits you will need to maintain long-term even after you achieve your desired look. Pictured below are some of the research-backed habits we establish with clients during their weight loss journey. These have been proven to support weight maintenance post-diet.
In summary tracking your calorie intake for a period of time alongside educating yourself on your calorie requirements, how to make balanced meals and portion control for your individual energy requirements are an important part of maintaining a healthy weight and therefore, leading a nutritious well-balanced lifestyle.