How much do I eat to lose weight?
At Northglenn Health and Fitness (NHF), we understand that one of the biggest frustrations women over 30 face is the question, “How do I know how much to eat to lose weight?” The confusion often stems from years of conflicting diet advice, failed attempts with fad diets, and feeling unsure or even unaware of what we are eating everyday.
We’re here to help you with one quick 7 day strategy to get started.
Keep in mind, living a healthy life isn’t just about food—it’s about balanced nutrition, quality sleep, stress management, hydration, and daily movement. Nutrition coaching at NHF takes a whole-LIFE approach to help you feel your best with a plan that works for you. But until you are ready for that next step, the way to work with a coach to really speed up your current progress, we’ve got some actionable steps you can take below to start understand what to eat by looking at starting with waht you eat now.
Why Tracking Can Solve the “How Much Should I Eat?” Problem
The truth is, most of us think we have a decent idea of what we’re eating, but without tracking, it’s easy to miss the mark. Food tracking provides clarity about what’s really on your plate, helping you identify gaps in macronutrients as well as a lot of other patterns in your nutrition.
Here’s how it helps solve the problem:
Awareness
Tracking gives you insight into your eating habits. You may think you’re eating enough protein or staying within your calorie goals, but tracking often reveals surprises.
- Examples:
- You might discover your “healthy” snacks are loaded with extra calories.
- Or, you’ll see that your dinner doesn’t provide the energy you need, leading to late-night cravings.
By identifying these gaps, tracking allows you to make informed adjustments that align with your weight-loss goals.
Confidence
When you know what you’re eating and why, decision-making becomes easier. Tracking helps you:
- Learn to eyeball portion sizes—like what 4 ounces of chicken or a half-cup of rice actually looks like.
- Recognize patterns and make smarter choices without feeling like you are living in science class, weighing and measuring everything for life.
With this confidence, you’ll stop second-guessing yourself and start feeling ready to make changes.
Results
Tracking isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress. Even short-term tracking can:
- Highlight which foods are helping or halting your progress.
- Show how small changes (like adding more protein or cutting back on processed foods) lead to big results over time.
You’ll go from guessing to progressing, building habits that work for your lifestyle and work long term.
How to Make Food Tracking Work for Your Personality Type
The best way to track your food is the one that fits your personality and lifestyle. Here’s how to track to lose weight based on who you are:
The Detail-Oriented “Data Dana”
- Who You Are: You love precision and structure. You love getting into the weeds on specifics and enjoy analyzing data.
- How to Track: Weigh and measure your food using a food scale*. Use apps like MyFitnessPal to log every detail.
- How Long to Track: Aim for up to 30 days to build a strong understanding of portion sizes and nutrients.
- Why It Works: Your attention to detail ensures accuracy, helping you spot patterns and make meaningful changes.
The Flexible “Free Spirit Fiona”
- Who You Are: You value freedom and simplicity. Too many rules feel overwhelming.
- How to Track: Log just one meal a day or focus on tracking one macro, like protein. You can use this to easily measure food*.
- How Long to Track: Try it for 7 days to gain awareness without feeling constrained.
- Why It Works: Minimal effort helps you ease into tracking and decide if it’s worth continuing.
The “Results-Driven Roxy”
- Who You Are: You’re all about efficiency and only want to track if it’s going to deliver results.
- How to Track: Focus on metrics that matter most (e.g., calories and protein) or go all-in for short bursts.
- How Long to Track: Start with 7 days to identify patterns, then tweak and repeat as needed.
- Why It Works: You’ll see measurable progress without getting bogged down by unnecessary details.
The “Big Picture Bonnie”
- Who You Are: You’re focused on long-term habits and lifelong changes rather than daily details.
- How to Track: Use tracking as a learning tool to identify trends over time.
- How Long to Track: Commit to 7 days, analyze your habits, and then use what you learn to make lasting changes.
- Why It Works: You’ll gain clarity without feeling like tracking is a chore.
What Now, When You Want to Get Serious About Your Health and Fitness Goals?
✅ If you want to lose weight, my 12-week starter program will change your habits for life. I tell you exactly what to do, and you just do it.
✅ If you want to feel better, increase confidence, and reduce stress, focus on fitness. Start semi-private training, an affordable solution to personal training.
✅ If you want overall health and a body that matches, make improvements to both your fitness and nutrition and book a call with us below.
Book a quick call with Coach Jennifer to learn if NHF would be a good fit for you. No gym intimidation because we aren’t just a gym—we’re a coaching facility that has a gym in it. 😊 *I do earn a commission on the food scale I liked, but I will NEVER recommend anything I haven’t tried myself. Get it girl!
Click here to book your free intro call!