Chasing Zebras

Before we really dive into this topic, I want to make a quick disclaimer before the internet goes wild - there are and will always be situations in which a medical condition, medication, and so on affect our bodyweight or performance. This post is by no means intended to ignore that fact. With that said - let’s get started.

“When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras.” - Dr Theodore Woodward

There’s a strong chance that if you’re reading this, and work in the medical industry to some extent, you’ve probably heard this quote in one form or another during your education (or just in the office). 

“Zebra” is a slang term used in medicine to describe a situation when a more unique, uncommon diagnosis is made for something that is probably best explained by a more common one. It was popularized sometime in the 1940s by Dr. Theodore Woodward, who was a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. So why am I bringing up medical slang from the 1940s today in 2019 to talk about nutrition? Great question! 

Because we chase our own zebras - all the time.

It’s easier for us to think of any unique, less common reason to explain our lack of progress than it is to look at and acknowledge the common ones. Why? For a myriad of reasons. One of those being that admitting we may, in some way, be at fault for something we are unhappy about is difficult to do - especially when it comes to our health. 

We read articles, see commercials, glance at posts, and otherwise see or hear things that make us think something might be wrong. So we latch onto the idea of that thing - that something is wrong with us or that we are a special scenario. 

“I think my hormones are completely messed up. Could that be it?”

“Maybe I’m not eating enough, and that’s why I can’t lose weight? I swear I don’t eat that much.”

“Linda…listen - it’s Christmas!” 

“My FitBit/Apple Watch said I burned a ton of calories! So I ate what MyFitnessPal told me too.”

Did you read those and think “hey I’ve said that,” or another thought along those lines? If so - great! Welcome to being human! But the reality is that it’s less likely one of those things, and more likely to be something more common. 

“What could that be?” I’m so happy you asked! Let’s talk about a few of the more common things that could be preventing us from losing weight and seeing a stall in progress, causing “unexplainable” weight gain, or otherwise have us chasing zebras.  

1. Not tracking our food properly - counting macros, hand method, or otherwise.

That’s right, it happens. Even the best coaches, trainers, dietitians, and athletes on the planet are guilty of not tracking as well as they could. It, much like many of the things below, are all part of being human. Put simply - we aren’t truly as aware as we might think, even when we are trying our best.

Sometimes it’s as simple as us ball parking a food item that we think is say, 100 calories, when in reality it’s closer to 200 calories. It’s a small mistake up front, but over the course of a week or even months it begins to add up or add onto our waistline. Other sneaky tracking ninjas that we may not think about can be minuscule, and common. Three of these can be found in habits like grazing, taste testing, and cooking fats.

Grazing is when we grab small hand fulls or pieces of food that we just casually start snacking on, while taste testing is referring to little bites of a dish we are cooking (have to make sure it’s going to turn out). The other, which is cooking fats like olive oil or butter, are sneaky calorie bombs that we tend to not think about. A “drizzle” of olive oil here, or a rub of the pan with butter there might not sound like much, but it can be a quick way to throw on a few extra hundred calories throughout the day or week. While you may not be eating butter and olive oil by the spoonful, the calories in them still count when they’re used to cook. Eating out tends to be exceptionally high in fats like these as they add flavor, and often go unmeasured.

A handful of chips and a quick taste of the sauce you’re cooking doesn’t sound bad, but before we know it our progress stalls or even goes in the other direction. These are behaviors we often don’t account for, and if that sounds like you, it might be time to think if maybe one of them could be the culprit.

2. Social settings like parties, holidays, friends, and family.

Thanksgiving means pies and turkey. Christmas is all about the cookies and nog. New Years is about more alcohol than most of us should consume. Birthdays are the king and queen of cake town. Do you see where I’m going with this?

If there is a social gathering or special event, food and drinks are likely going to follow. Along with all of the tasty things around you comes a supersized serving of peer pressure and a desire to “let loose” or fit in. No one likes to feel like they’re dragging the party crew down, or feel as though we are offending someone by turning away some pie, so we just go with it. All of these situations are ground zero for encouraging us to indulge. Chances are that if you find yourself constantly going out on the weekends, eating out a lot with your friends, or other situations where food/drinks are present - it could be another factor into our progress slowing down or not happening altogether. A great way to combat that is by cooking at home, or having a game plan ahead of an event to enjoy it while staying the course.

Our team actually wrote a blog on this exact point, and the importance of being able to say “no” that can be found by clicking here. We also wrote a blog about tips and tricks to help you navigate events like these that can be found by clicking here as well (hit those links). 

3. Alcohol (and pizza - there always seems to be pizza).

Let’s be honest with each other here - most of us who have gone out drinking have also been talked into having more drinks than we care to admit (or remember). To top that all off, and I know this isn’t just a me thing, but pizza or tacos sounds pretty damn good after a night of drinking even if I did just smash a few bags of popcorn at the bar. That’s life - but again, an aspect of life we often overlook as the root cause of a lack of progress.

Alcoholic drinks are generally pretty high in calories, but they also cause us to not think as much about the things we are doing. Guess what that entails? It means grazing popcorn or snacks at the bar, ordering pizza when you get home, or having a few extra drinks with your friends. In the end it’s more food, more calories from drinks, and once again - we aren’t headed in the direction we are shooting for. It’s ok to have a drink, that’s part of being an adult. Just be aware of how many you’re having and if your current goal is to lose weight - try to walk away from sugar rich drinks as well.

4. Our activity level compared to how much we eat. 

The vast majority of us tend not to realize how much food we really need to consume in our daily lives, especially when it comes to our activity level. We assume that a 30 minute, hard workout warrants an indulgent trip to the fro-yo place down the street. While there isn't anything wrong with fro-yo, those calories add up quickly. When we start to think about all of the other foods we eat in that day in larger than normal portion sizes that we justify because of that workout, suddenly, all of this extra food starts to add up.

On the flip side - sometimes we move less throughout the day, but we eat the same as we would if we had worked out. Now we are in a different kind of situation right? Not only are we burning less calories throughout the day since we aren’t getting that workout in, but we are eating the same amount of food as though we did. Less calories burned + same calories consumed = more food than we need. Suddenly, our weight stalls or we gain weight without realizing it. This is especially common in those with athletic backgrounds who are no longer involved in their respective sports, but still eat as though they are (I’m personally guilty of this in the past). So while we need a little extra food to fuel activity, we don’t need to set a fro-yo cup weight record or eat as much food when we are being less active.

5. Catching those sweet, sweet Z’s every night.

This one is kind of interesting to mention, and you’re probably reading this thinking - “How can sleep mess with my weight?”

To keep things simple, being sleep deprived or having crappy quality sleep kind of gives us a “today sucks so screw it” mentality. We wake up, feel like poop, and treat the day like poop as a result. Rather than reaching for the meals we made or the broccoli calling your name in the fridge (if that’s a thing), suddenly Chipotle with extra guac sounds fantastic. I mean you are tired, and who wants to cook when they’re tired right?

Another aspect of sleep worth noting isn’t so much about sleep itself, but when we go to sleep. Have you ever noticed that most people aren’t going out to drink or have a wild time at noon? The saying “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” exists for a reason. Our evenings provide us with some of the biggest opportunities to eat more food, and drink all the drinks. It also affects us at home even when we don’t go out. The vast majority of us are guilty of thinking that a few scoops of ice cream or a bag of popcorn sounds pretty good even though we aren’t hungry while we are bingeing the latest season of Stranger Things. Aiming for a reasonable and consistent bedtime, while doing our best to stray away from those midnight snack cravings in-between episodes is a great starting point.

So what should I chase, if I’m not chasing zebras?

The reality is that more often than not, one of the things listed above is a simple explanation to something we believe is a complex problem. It’s much easier for us to assume that something unique is going on than it is to recognize our own behaviors and habits. Not recognizing them doesn’t mean that we are lying to ourselves, or your coach if you have one, but that sometimes we don’t think to address or look for the most likely scenario that’s staring right at us - and that’s ok.

Take some time to really sit, clear your mind, and think about whether or not any number of the reasons above could apply to you. If they do - excellent! That means there is a good chance that there is room for improvement. If you aren’t sure where to start, reach out to someone that can help! Our team here at Xplore Nutrition is just a handful of the incredible individuals all around the world who are here to help you, the reader, figure out this whole healthy lifestyle thing. Plus if you are already one of our awesome clients, you can text your coach anytime.

This blog was created by Xplore Nutrition founder & nutrition coach - Sam Karoll.