Weight Loss...Every Little bit Counts

I was looking at the calorie counts on a few baked goods at panera bread the other day while trying to decide on what to eat. Many of the items were within 50 calories of each other but there were some big calorie bombs in there that were 200-300 calories higher.

Some of these items are double the calories of the others.

A 200 or 300 calorie difference is quite obvious and a no brainer if you’re trying to reduce calories. There is simply no hope of losing weight if you’re consistently making the highest calorie choices when you eat. But the real trick to getting really lean is also making the 50 calorie choice as well.

When it comes to losing weight every little bit counts, even the difference between a 200 calorie item or a 250 calorie item really matters. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but over the course if a few days and a few weeks these little decisions could add up to losing a pound of fat or not.

If you eat 3 times per day, and you find a way to cut out just 50 more calories each time, that is an extra 150 calorie deficit each day x 7 days that is already 1050 calories for the week…or a 3rd of a pound of fat. Add that to just an extra 15-20 minutes in the gym to burn an added 50 calories and it all starts to add up.

Once you understand the concept of calories in vs out and what your daily calorie needs are, the little things really do matter. This could be the difference between having sugar or sweetener in your coffee, or having milk vs cream in your coffee.

Even taking a fat burner can add a few extra calories to your daily burn. And all of it matters.

Weight loss is tough. Effectively dropping even 1 pound of fat in a week takes a daily effort. And it’s the little things that seem trivial that will end up determining if you get there or not.

We all tend to selectively forget some of the food we eat when we add up our daily intake. Making the effort to find the lower calorie choice in as many was as possible will always serve you well.

John

Posted by johnbarban in Calories, diet

8 Responses to “Weight Loss…Every Little bit Counts”

usernametooshortnowitstoolon Says:
June 27th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Personally, I favor the extra 50 calories if it means a tastier and more fulfilling meal. Some may not find the 50 calories worth it. Regardless, it all comes down to 2 things for me:

(A) whether it fits my caloric budget and
(B) whether it’s sustainable.
gadzukks Says:
June 27th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
People who don’t use a food log or some other means to track their calories usually eat more than they realize. It is difficult to get people in the habit of keeping a log, but it makes a huge difference in your diet.-G
usernametooshortnowitstoolon Says:
June 27th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
People who are overfat and not losing fat need to familiarize themselves with the caloric values of popular foods. When people ask things like “Isn’t that a lot of trouble to count calories?” or “Isn’t that way of eating too restrictive?” it shows not only do they not understand the relationship between calories and body fat, but also that they THINK there are other ways to lose fat besides calories in vs. calories out. I think this is the root of why so many people resist our message.

Of course, you can make arbitrary restrictions on entire food groups and HOPE that you’ll be eating below maintenance, but even so, that is unsustainable for the vast majority of people. This is why I think there is no other way but to learn the value of calories. Much like how financially responsible parents teach their children the value of a dollar.
jasetagle Says:
June 28th, 2011 at 12:28 pm
John–do you know if there is a positive correlation between folks who keep track of their calorie intake and weight loss/weight maintenance success? In other words, not the diet that is followed, but the act of counting calories itself.
johnbarban Says:
June 28th, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Jason, good question. I don’t know if that data has been collected that way per se. I’d imagine that it correlates well to weight loss over a defined period of time (such as a 12 week goal oriented run at it, or a weight loss study etc).

The issue with this is there is no well defined definition of someone who is a ‘calorie counter’ or what it means to ‘calorie count’ per se. I don’t actively count calories as much as I eyeball things based on experience of counting in the past. So it’s tuff to say if I’m actively a calorie counter any more or if I’ve just learned to categorize in my head what constitutes a big meal vs a snack, vs a small meal etc.

Good question though and interesting thought. I’ll look into this more.
usernametooshortnowitstoolon Says:
June 29th, 2011 at 3:11 am
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/forget-protein-and-carbs-focus-on-calories-researchers-say-2304093.html

“The researchers randomly assigned the subjects to one of two diet plans, one high in protein, another high in carbs, with similar calorie intake. Both diet plans yielded similar positive results.”

Obviously, you can’t trust the media (or most people for that matter) when it comes to interpreting research, but I think the irony here is that focusing on calories is now considered sensational news now that everyone thinks that protein and carbs are what causes fat loss, haha.
Jeremy Says:
July 3rd, 2011 at 12:55 pm
I agree with your post as it relates to people who are attempting to get really lean (ie every 50 calorie difference can make impact). Although it still makes a difference for the average person aiming for weight loss, I don’t think it is practical. I believe you can get reasonably lean just by using ESE and making the choices that are 200 – 300 calories less. In my opinion, the problem is that most people cannot even “eyeball” or distinguish the 200 – 300 calorie difference or if they can they may not realize the impact it has on their weight loss goals.

The primary method I used to get really lean was overestimating calorie amounts, but in this case I first had to learn how to estimate calorie amounts by reading labels. I would say it took me over a year to feel comfortable estimating calorie amounts without having to look at a label. I still look at a label occasionally if it is a food I don’t have often. As you mention in your response above, estimating calories is something you’ve learned over the years.
Jeremy
How to Overcome 4 Biggest Barriers that Are Preventing You from Getting in Shape Says:
November 7th, 2011 at 10:12 am
[...] will comeHave monthly expectations for fat loss and yearly expectations for muscle growthLogging calorie intake might help you to control your weight and how much food you eatIt’s best to not have the food [...]

Weight Loss…Every Little bit Counts

8 Responses to “Weight Loss…Every Little bit Counts”

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