Three Tips For Losing Weight - Part 1

The "Lose Weight" series is being written so you can glance at it quickly. It should be a three-minute read, tops. 

My hope is that after reading through the series, you have a few "no kidding, I hadn't thought of that" moments.

Let's talk some behavior changes.

Stop Drinking Calories

I'm saying "calories" but what I really mean is sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and other carbohydrates. Here are some examples: Pepsi, Minute Maid Lemonade, and Miller Lite.

If you drink a lot of sugary / carb-loaded drinks, chances are you have some weight to lose.

My personal reasons why I don't drink calories:

• I can drink a 12 ounce can of Pepsi in less than five minutes (even faster with beer). For me, drinks are just easier to consume than real food, and because of that, I have a tendency to go overboard.
• These drinks have little to no nutritional value. You've heard the term "empty calories" right? They have no value for your health.
• I purposefully reduce the amount of sugar I consume so my risk of becoming a Type 2 Diabetic is almost non-existent.

A Different Way to Think About Portion Control

I like to weigh and measure my food. It's just how I do it. And I "meal prep", so a lot of the "calculation" is done in one or two sessions. 

You'd be surprised how much time I save doing this (I estimate 2 - 4 hrs a week). The idea that prepping or measuring your food is a time waster is utter nonsense. But it's not for everyone so no problem.

If you don't like to meal prep, weigh, or measure, but have some issues overeating, or perhaps with portion control, try this.

Put down the fork... That's basically it.

I'm not being satirical or derisive. I'm totally serious, and here's how I do it.

• I set a timer for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. I set it to repeat 10 times.
• Every time I see 0:00, I fill up my fork or spoon, and I take a bite.
• I then set my fork down and don't touch it again until I see 0:00 on the timer.

I never overeat using this method. My brain has time to catch up so it understands that my stomach is getting full. And with repetition of this process, I've developed the exact amount of food it takes to feel satiated. I never waste food. I never feel bloated due to overeating.

Now, do you need to set a clock? No of course not, and I certainly don't pull out my cell phone timer when dining out. But I absolutely put the fork down between every single bite and make sure I'm engaging in conversation or being mindful about my next forkful. This is probably my most favorite and the most impactful behavior change I've incorporated. It works.

Go to Sleep Before You Snack

When my nutrition is off course, it's not in the next town over, it's on a different planet. In my household, we actually have a term for my poor nutritional choices - #OTR (Off the Rails). It's the absolute worst when I'm staying up late. And most times, I'm not even hungry when I'm snacking on the couch watching TV at 10 PM.

The solution is exactly as it's written, get yourself up to bed and horizontal before the snack temptations start. It's just harder to resist those temptations when you're tired.

That's it, three easy, behavioral tips to help you lose some weight. I'll post a few more of these little nuggets in the upcoming weeks.

I'm Coach Joe Marcavage. I've owned CrossFit Vertex since it opened in 2012 and I've been working on my own health and fitness for over 30 years. Let's get together to discuss your biggest weight loss barriers. Joe's Schedule.

Joe Marcavage

Owner, CrossFit Vertex