Is your diet depressing you?

Do you feel like you’re being held hostage, unable to do the things you enjoy or eat the foods you love?

If so, you’re doing it all wrong.

No matter what diet or nutrition protocol you choose, weight loss comes down to calories in vs. calories out.

That means, you could follow a paleo or a keto diet but if you’re eating too many calories for you, you will not lose weight. No matter how ‘in ketosis’ you are. If you become a vegetarian and are eating extra carbs to replace meat and dairy and the calories are still too high, you won’t lose weight. If you cut out donuts and ice cream but replace them with too many ‘healthy’ alternatives, ones that cause you to consume more than you’re burning, you won’t lose weight.

So, how do you know how much is too much?

First, google TDEE. This is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. These are your maintenance calories. If you track your meals in MyFitnessPal for a week and find yourself at this number, you will maintain your weight. If you’re eating over, you’ll gain weight.

In order to lose weight, you’ve got to eat under this. About 300 calories under. Each day. Consistently. This will provide a healthy, safe weight loss that will be sustainable.

Where should you start?

Calorie counting is the best place to start. Not a meal plan, not a food list. Calories matter, as much as we hate it, when we want to lose weight. If you have a good handle on how many calories you’re taking in and how many you’re burning off, you’ll have better control over your results.

How do macros come into play?

Macro counting is calorie counting. But it is smart calorie counting. What that means is that by counting macros, not only can you lose scale weight, you can also use macros to change your body composition, meaning fat loss. Calorie counting can’t guarantee fat loss or body composition change. Macros can.

By using proper macro counts for your body type, exercise routine, and specific goals, you can achieve successful weight loss and long-term maintenance.