Sticking To A Diet
So many people dread the word “diet”, and it’s usually because they simply have the wrong idea of it! You may tend to assume it means you have to restrict yourself to foods you don’t like, and you have to stay hungry all day long. This is the wrong idea and just simply not true! A good diet or meal plan can consist of a vary large variety of foods that you already eat and enjoy! You just have to understand how to do it right. And that’s why I am posting this! So you can stick to a diet you like and gets you results. Nothing needs to be super drastic You only need to burn 500 more calories than you eat in a day to loose a pound of fat in a week, which are accomplished by small changes. Restricting too much can cause negative effects!
Setting your goals
So lets start with a plan you can see yourself sticking with for at least a few weeks. If you limit yourself to foods you hate, you probably will not stay with the diet long enough to see the right results. So why do that! The best meal plan is the one you stick to! Next, pick a goal and remember it every morning! This will increase your motivation and help keep you striving towards your goal! These should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely goals.
Pick a few foods you really enjoy, and know that you are not giving them up completely! The reason you can fit some of these foods into your diet is because of balance! It’s called a macro fitting diet or IIFYM.
This allows you to eat foods you like while sticking to healthy ratios and good portion sizes. Macronutrients (Macros) are carbohydrates, fats, and protein (the nutrients that make up calories). By getting the right amount of each in your daily diet, you can see quick results and enjoy your meals to!
Most importantly:
– Make sure you do get carbohydrates through out the day (mostly complex carbs)
– Get 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight
– Chose mostly natural foods
– Drink plenty of water (1/2 oz per pound of body weight each day)
I also like to monitor sugars and saturated fats! It can be very beneficial to keep sugars under 60 grams per day, and saturated fats under 30 grams per day!
Now, I know everyone wants to hear about eat meals. And yes! They can be an important part of sticking to your diet! I recommend one cheat meal every one to two weeks as long as you are actually following your meal plan! Notice I am calling it a cheat “meal”. Not cheat “day”. A simple meal that is different from the usual diet can help you stay on track and keep your metabolism in check.
Lastly, be creative! Mix or spice up your meals with different seasonings, lemon juice, or your favorite protein powder (depending on the meal). A meal plan, just like anything else, if stagnant, gets boring! And be smart about your cooking. For example: Chicken is great when made on the grill, baked, or over the stovetop! It doesn’t need to be deep fried, or drenched in oils. Eating the healthier option is a simple change that can taste great, make you feel so much better, and may even save you some room in your diet for some extra carbs, fats, or protein at the end of the day.
So a super quick overview:
- Set goals
- eat the right amounts of each macronutrient and enough micronutrients
- self-regulated cheat meals
- don’t restrict yourself too much
- and utilize your creativity!
So start making these simple adjustments and you will begin to look, and feel much better, and still enjoy what you eat!
If you would like help staying on track
Check out our Meal Recipes
Purchase a Custom Meal Plan or our Recipes and Nutrition ebook.
or Contact Dakota
