Count every BLT!

Count every bite, Lick and Taste!

It is easy to forget about crumbs, bites and nibbles when you are on a weightloss challenge. These invisible extras are so small you barely notice them, plus how many calories can possibly be in that little bite of cake or in that tiney smear or peanut butter?

Add them all up and they’re a lot. BLT’s (Bites, Lick and Tastes) can add a lot of unplanned calories to your day. In fact, they’re often the culprits behind plateaus.

It is easy to eat BLT’s quickly and mindlessly, so you’re not even aware you’ve eaten them. Sometimes, you know in the back of your head that they’re probably worth some calories but you choose to ignore them anyway. Sound familiar?

Think about what a difference it would make to your weightloss journey if you decided to become aware of them and eliminate them. Your weight loss would probably pick up pace again, ant that might just be the motivation you need to make it to your goal.

What if you knew that those little nibbles of candy added up to the same amount or even more calories as a second serving at dinner? Would you choose seconds at dinner instead? Would you leave both in order to stay within your calorie target?

Here are some factors that might make you more likely to not account for invisible extras:

Lack of variety in your diet
Eating triggered by specific emotions
Skipping meals
A change in routine

Try to be especially awaare of these factors when little nibbles of candy are easy to come by:

Track your BLT’s:

Tracking the piece of bacon here, the slurp of soup or the handful of pretzels can be challenging. Awareness is key. Download a calorie count app to help you remember and record them. I use the app Chronometer.

Stop snacking at work:

Make sure you have a healthy snack on hand so you can avoid the temptation of chocolate, doughnuts, bagels or pizza. They seem harmless, but indulging in the office candy bowl can pack on the calories and ultimately cause a weight gain.

If your working calender is filled with lunch meetings, you might be faced with endless stream of take-out or catered lunches. Such meals often leave you with few healty choices. Plan ahead to avoid the most fattening fare. You can eat with the everyone, but keep your portion sizes small and order condiments on the side, using them sparingly. Snack on something filling and nutrious beforehand to cut your hunger. Try a handful of almonds or a low-fat yogurt.

Soft drinks and energy drinks takes up a lot of calories. Buy a sporty waterbottle and keep if filled with water on your desk. A glass of water and high-fibre, whole grain cereal bar with a fruit filling is much better than a sports or energy drink.

Avoid the vending machine. Make sure you’re never caught in an emergency “I need a snack” situation by keeping your desk stocked with healthy snacks.

Fight Late night cravings:

You’ve eaten right all day but when evening hits, the pantry cabinet beckons. For dangerous moments like these have a plan of action.

If you reason you had a really stressfull day at work and deserve some junk food. Develop a food free strategy for de-stressing:

Find alternative tension tamers, post a list of 10 non food stress relievers. Before you give in to an urge to splurge, check the list and choose one thing to do.
Connect with someone. Try calling a friend or relative instead hitting the fridge.

If you have to have something sweet before bed:

Take a walk, not only are you burning calories but you’ll also get further away from the fridge.
Have something to do, find a project that inspires you or challenge your kids to game of scrabble.
Think ahead to a healthy tomorrow, instead of hitting the kitchen for a late night snack, hit the kitchen to prep tomorrow’s healthy breakfast and lunch.

When you are on a weightloss challenge it is key to stay focused and count every calorie you consume. It is never easy to do a weightloss challenge, so why make it longer by not counting your BLT’s.

Here is the workout of the week!

Warm up: 5-8 minutes of light jog or bicycle