What is a FLEXIBLE DIET Anyway?

INTRODUCTION

First of all, the flexible diet is NOT a diet. It is a way of eating for everyday life. It doesn’t end after a few weeks or months, it is forever. This is a lifestyle change. Because it’s a lifestyle change, you are not restricting anything!

Basically, all you have to do is follow your daily calories and hit your macronutrient targets every day and/or every week.

Macronutrients are: Protein, Carbs and Fats.

It doesn’t matter where the calories and macros come from. Just take a look at the picture. The burger is “supposed” to be bad and the salad is “supposed” to be good. However, take a look at the calorie and macronutrient breakdown: It’s almost the same. So no need to think of food in terms of bad/good. Sometimes you can have the burger and other times, you can have the salad.

The issue here is that it’s a lot easier to eat 2 burgers but not 2 of those salads. The salad is recommended because it fills you up and keeps you fuller longer. The salad also has micronutrients which the burger may or may not have as it’s more processed than the salad. The more processed a food is, the less micronutrients it has, and the more chemicals it has.

 

WHAT TO DO

First, figure out how many calories you should be eating every day, and then figure out your macros. Once you have those amounts, you can eat anything at all to hit those targets. Simple as that! No restrictions, only moderation. To lose weight, subtract 10-20% of those calories, to gain weight, add 10-20%. You have to consistently stay on these targets for at least 2 weeks to start seeing changes. Any “sudden” changes (feeling bloated, an increase in weight on scale, etc) in the first couple weeks are temporary. Ignore it and stick to your calories until your body adjusts.

 

SOME NOTES: 

  • You will need to buy a food scale to measure your food

  • You will need to learn how to calculate calories by trial and error

  • You will need to learn how to read nutrition labels and match the food in the log closely to that label

  • You will need to prepare your food beforehand

  • You will need to spend a few minutes every time you eat to log your food. This takes less than 10 minutes per day

  • Any “sudden” changes (feeling bloated, an increase in weight on scale, etc) in the first couple weeks is temporary. Ignore it and stick to your calories until your body adjusts.

  • *You must consult a dietitian for specific food requirements*

If you would like to learn more about flexible dieting, check out my e-book here:

If you’d like accountability in your journey, get in touch with me here:

 

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What to Look for in a Nutrition Label when Grocery Shopping

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The Basics of Fat Loss