How to Manage Calories Without Meticulously Counting
Tiny Tummy Tips, Issue #10 -- A New Way to Think About Calories
In This Issue
1) Calories Matter
2) Top Down Vs Bottom Up Calorie Approach
In a world where carb grams, sugar grams and protein grams have taken center stage, the concept of calories has gotten totally lost. So I need to keep talking about calories! Bear with me. Here’s a new way to look at calories.
“Top Down” Approach vs
“Bottom Up” Approach
A “bottom up” calorie management approach means starting at zero (calories) and stopping when you get to the top of your assigned budget (800 calories per day, 1000 calories, 1200 calories, etc.).
In other words, counting calories from the bottom, up.
A “top down” calorie management approach means you have no idea how many calories you’re eating, but you look for ways to make small calorie cutbacks daily.
In other words, snip some calories off the top of some unknown number. It still counts as cutting back!
Small Cutbacks Build on One Another
Smart, painless calorie snips to your diet can result in a mountain of weight loss!
Did you know that if you order a hamburger instead of a cheeseburger, you save 100 calories? Do that 3 times per week and you save 15,600 calories per year (300 calories per week x 52 weeks per year).
That's the equivalent of 4.5 pounds of body fat!
-OR-
Order a "tall" nonfat latte instead of a "grande". At a 40-calorie savings with a 5 day per week habit, you'll be creating a 200 caloric deficit per week. That translates to a 3 pound weight loss per year from one simple change!
-OR-
Having a bad day of binging? Use a smaller bowl for the ice cream or popcorn binge. Eat 1 less handful of crackers than you usually do.
Am I encouraging binging…no. Do I know that it happens…yes. The “top down” calorie approach can be used even when you feel out of control.
The Takeaway
You don’t have to be a perfect calorie counter to successfully lose weight. Small consistent calorie changes are additive and ultimately lead to BIG results.
And small changes are easier to make than extreme ones.
The bottom line when you're trying to watch your bottom line is that calories matter. Even after bariatric surgery.
You can avoid sugar or carbs like the plague only to overeat your protein (and thus calories) and experience weight gain or a weight loss stall.
Make small caloric changes...
...every day.
Let time go by...
...and watch the pounds disappear!
No calculating necessary.
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Tiny Tummy Tips Newsletter delivers practical, professional advice and simplifies what to eat after weight loss surgery.
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See you in the next issue!
In Health,
Suzette Kroll, RDN
BariatricDietGuide.com
