So, the holidays are over. During the holiday season, you have put on some extra weight, and now is an excellent time to get rid of a few of those extra pounds. Are you considering a quick fix, or what if you started building a sustainable diet instead?
Losing weight is usually associated with restrictions, endless calorie counting, and a fear of slipping, which may result in overeating. What if you could lose weight without feeling hungry and having a bad conscience over a treat or two?
Diets make you gain weight
People on a diet tend to lose approximately 7-11 pounds. And it all comes back within a year. Only 5% of dieters achieve their goal and maintain their ideal weight.
There are a lot of reasons why diets are failing us.
- One of the main reasons for failure is the need for more allowance. A diet is often all-or-nothing. Food permitted can be very different from what you are used to. If the diet is one-sided, it may lack essential nutrients, meaning you never feel satisfied even if the portion size is sufficient.
- Calorie counting, on the other hand, often results in a situation where you start ”saving” calories for treats, or you start waiting for the day when the diet is over, and you can “eat again.” Sounds familiar?
Dare to eat
Surprisingly, when losing weight, eating sufficiently and often enough is essential. Especially if exercise is involved. With these rules, you can lose weight by eating:
1. The Balanced Plate Method
Half of your plate should be vegetables, and the other half should be 25% protein and 25% carbohydrate. We tend to eat the same amount of food regardless of calorie density. The calories are naturally lower when you always fill half of your plate with veggies.
2. More veggies
Veggies should make up half of the plate in each meal and snack. Include vegetables, fruit, and berries in your meals. They give you the feeling of satiety without adding a lot of energy. At the same time, our body gets essential antioxidants and nutrients.
3. More protein
Sufficient amounts of protein bring a long-lasting feeling of satisfaction. Breakfast, especially, should include enough protein. Good protein sources are meat, dairy products, eggs and legumes, nuts, and seeds.
4. Good fats
If we only decrease the amount of fat, we also reduce the amount of unsaturated fat, meaning all of a sudden, our diet lacks the necessary omega-3 fatty acids! Good sources of fats are, for example, canola oil, nuts, seeds, fatty margarine, and avocados. You should eat a couple of teaspoons daily, at least!
5. Regular eating
Regular eating means 4 to 6 meals a day. This keeps blood glucose levels stable, so your hunger doesn’t grow too much, and cravings for unhealthy food stay away. Your energy levels don’t change, and you keep going all day.
A given diet plan or sustainable weight loss?
Diet plans often list permitted foods and a few options for each meal. A planned diet sounds tempting since we make over 200 food choices daily. There’s no need to figure it out myself! But a diet plan is only temporary. When it ends, you need to be able to make those 200 decisions by yourself so that you keep the extra pounds off.
A sustainable diet is one that last all year round.
What if I told you there is a sustainable diet?
The My Plate Coach app helps you to make small healthy changes in your diet that make a big difference in the long run. We don’t tell you exactly what to eat but guide you towards more nutritious food choices and make them a part of your daily meal plates. You get instant feedback on your meal choices. Also, other assessment tools and daily nutrition tips motivate and help you reflect on your eating habits.
We also believe that a treat or two once in a while are part of our daily life and don’t harm anyone. Quite the opposite!
When 80% of your food choices are healthy, you don’t have to stress about the remaining 20%. The My Plate Coach app calculates the 80/20 rule Score for you weekly based on how balanced your meals are.
Permanent weight management becomes possible.
Eat for a healthier mind and body – sustainably!
Marika, Mike & Mia
Health Revolution -team