Today we’ll talk about some useful tools I’ve found to be of great help in weight loss journey. These will give you concrete data on your progression which will make making a change in your life easier. Believe me, you’ll try 😉
1. An app for keeping track of the eaten amount
I use a free Finnish app Fatsecret myself, but you’ll find an app in your own language for sure. The app should enable you to preplan the schedule of your weight loss and to determine the maximum amount of calories per day. Losing weight is simple mathematics after all: use more calories than you take in, and you’ll lose weight. There is no need to starve yourself, just control your intake.
Here is a Business Insider review on some of the apps: https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/fitness/best-weight-loss-apps?op=1#best-for-at-home-cooks-fooducate-6
Please note, that I haven’t tested any of these myself and some have quite the steep price in my eyes. I have no idea how predatory they are. But if you find one that works for you, I think its worth the money spent 🙂
2. Scale for food
In order to control the amount you eat, you must know how much you eat. Foodstuffs have ingredients and the calories labeled, and there are also sources for the calorie intake online. The app I use also has a user maintained database which has a reasonable amount different foods available.
Here are some useful websites with calorie databases and calorie counters:
https://www.nutracheck.co.uk/CaloriesIn/#url
Sometimes you of course might not have the chance to weight your food. That is perfectly okay. In those cases I mark up an amount slightly more than I estimate it to be. For example, if I’ve eaten something I determine to be 50 g, I might mark it as 70 g. Then in reality I may end up eating less than I expected.
3. Scale for you
Scale is not your enemy. Using it can be stressful if you view it as such. However, if you view it as a conrete proof of you moving forward, it becomes something useful. Seeing the numbers go down every week, even for a small amount, is simply very encouraging and inspiring.
4. Water bottle
Last but not least, water intake is surprisingly important. I personally thought it was just a fad, something influencers yap on about for clout. It turns out I was soooo wrong! I bought a 1 liter water bottle and started to chug it down daily. For some reason it was easier for me to drink the amount of water needed from a bottle than from a glass.
The effect was genuinely amazing. Suddenly my brain felt sharper than before and I was able to do more of the things I wanted to do. The notable effect has of course diminished now that I do it regularly aka the sharp brain has become the default state instead of dehydration. But I prefer this to a foggy brain any day. Even as I write this, the water bottle is on my desk, next to my morning coffee 🙂
I hope these tools get you started. Let’s gooo!
Yours, (with both tasty coffee and fresh water in her system), Minna
