Wouldn’t it be amazing to lose weight without getting frustrated that you’re stuck on a rigid meal plan? A meal plan that doesn’t allow you to eat certain foods or go out to eat with friends and family? A meal plan that leaves you envious of your coworkers, enjoy pizza Fridays! There really is a way to lose weight while still eating everything you love and it’s called the Flexible Diet or IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros).
The science of weight loss
People will argue that calories don’t matter, but they actually do for weight loss. When it comes to losing weight, it’s calories vs. calories burned – that’s science. For example: Suppose you are a small woman who wants to lose weight and you calculate that her calories to lose weight are 1500. Now she can eat 1500 calories of pies a day or she can eat 1500 calories of chicken, rice and broccoli . per day or you can eat 1500 calories of beans and tofu per day, the end result is the same, you will lose weight. Now this example is not about general health and energy, so when it comes to being healthy that is also where the type of food you choose to eat plays a role. But in terms of losing weight, food selection doesn’t really matter.
flexible approach
This flexible approach allows you to essentially eat whatever you want, as long as you stay within your daily macronutrient budget. Your macronutrients are your proteins, carbohydrates, and fats; these will add up to your daily calorie intake. One gram of protein = 4 calories, one gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories, and 1 gram of fat = 9 calories. Flexible dieters will use apps like MyFitnessPal or MyMacros+ to track their food intake, as well as using measuring cups and kitchen scales for the best accuracy. Using this flexible approach, you can now eat those cookies or chips, or have a donut at the office, go out to a restaurant, or eat with your family and still lose weight! While strict meal plans work for some, they can’t be sustained long-term, don’t teach people how to eat on their own, and have been known to cause eating disorders. Those who “fall off” these strict meal plans because they had a little treat usually feel guilty and throw in the towel: they either go all out and eat as much as they can or give up altogether until maybe the next one comes along. Monday. So why not incorporate some chocolate or some cookies into the day and make the whole process easier and more enjoyable? It is responsibility with flexibility. Think about the 80/20 rule for your nutrition. Whole foods should make up 80% of your diet and sweets can make up 20% of your diet. This will keep you sane and you’ll be more likely to stick to your weight loss plan without losing your sanity and social life.
A Quick Note: Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss
Now, I don’t want to confuse weight loss with fat loss because they are two different things. Hitting a calorie goal will ensure weight loss (muscle, water, and fat), but if we want to make sure we’re losing primarily fat, then we need to have a balance of our daily macronutrients. A protein increase of approximately 0.8 to 1.1 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day is a good starting point. Eating adequate amounts of protein will prevent muscle loss when dieting and the body will use more fat for fuel instead of breaking down muscle tissue. Some examples of excellent sources of protein are lean meats, eggs, fish, protein powders, tempeh, and lentils. There are several more, but I’ll save that for another article.
What to do in restaurants
With the flexible approach, there are a few things you can do:
* plan ahead by checking the restaurant’s nutrition information and eat according to your goals
*if no nutrition information is available, stay flexible by using your best estimates or find something similar in your app
* you can occasionally swap carbs and fat (total calories) while keeping protein the same. For example: If you didn’t allow yourself a lot of fat for the rest of the day, but decided on a higher-fat meal, then keep carbs low as long as you stay below your total calorie goal.
* structure your day to include more protein and vegetables because your “meal out” will likely be higher in carbs and fat
*consider intermittent fasting (more advanced approach) to allow more calories to be consumed later in the day
* just enjoy food in moderation and get back to your plan the next day
There you have it, it IS possible to lose weight (although we really should be focusing on fat loss) and maintain your sanity and social life. Be responsible with your nutrition, but have fun, live life, be happy, and be flexible in your approach.