When it comes to nutritional strategies, there are a lot of conflicting ideas hitting the headlines. Should you follow a high-carb/low-fat diet or a high-fat/low-carb diet? The verdict is out regarding high-fat or high-carb diets; when calories and protein are equated, it doesn’t matter, one is no better than the other for weight loss. The most important factor when choosing a diet is sustainability and adherence.
What makes a diet sustainable and how can you better adhere to your diet? Here are my top 3 tips on choosing a diet that you can adhere to and sustain:
Find a diet that works for you.
We often want to hear that eating a specific food or eliminating a specific food is the key to weight loss success. But the reality is that there is a lot of individuality when it comes to losing weight and successfully keeping it off. What works for one person may not work for you.
If you love pasta, bread, donuts, and cake, then choosing a low-carb diet isn’t in your best interest.
If you love avocado, butter, cream, and cooking with oils, then choosing a low-fat diet isn’t going to work for you.
Find what works for you.
You need to think long term.
Dieting needs to be viewed as a marathon and not a sprint. Can you see yourself adhering to your current diet for a month, six months, or even a year? Sustainable results take time, so you need to choose a diet that you can see yourself sticking to long-term.
Find a diet that allows flexibility.
A diet may seem perfectly achievable on paper, but you need to find a diet that isn’t extremely rigid, has minimal to no exclusions, and a diet that allows wiggle room for when life comes your way.
A rigid diet, such as one that requires you to eat certain foods at certain times, doesn’t allow flexibility for life events such as birthdays, weddings, and family events. Your willpower is not unlimited. Generally, when you are told you cannot have something, you tend to want it more. Life can get pretty stressful sometimes and you’ll find yourself reaching for that food item you’re supposed to be excluding.
My diet of choice is macronutrient tracking. Tracking your macros is flexible, easy to adhere to, and sustainable.
There are three main macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. When you consume food, it is broken down into these constituents.
When tracking your macros, you are counting the gram amount of each of the macronutrients contained within the foods you are eating. The amounts of each of the macronutrients consumed daily is tailored to you and calculated based on your goals.
Protein is calculated based on your age, amount of lean body mass, and whether you are in a caloric deficit or not. The amount of carbohydrates and fats is calculated based on preference.
Here are the reasons I advocate for tracking your macros:
1) There are no exclusions.
No foods are off limits. If it can fit into your macros, you can enjoy it. Being able to consume a wide variety of foods means that your micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) intake will be ample and varied.
2) Tracking is sustainable.
Tracking your macros is a form of dietary self-monitoring that takes only 15 minutes or less per day. Dietary self-monitoring is the best predictor of weight loss success. Tracking your macros is a lifestyle that can be followed long-term. I have now been tracking my macros for 6 years and plan to continue tracking for years to come.
3) There is room for flexibility.
Tracking your macros allows for wiggle room and doesn’t test your willpower. A slice of cake at a birthday or wedding is completely manageable when you track your macros.
4) There are no labels attached to foods.
Tracking your macros teaches you how to have a healthy relationship with foods. There are no “bad” foods or “clean” foods. Attaching the label “bad” to a food attaches negativity. When your willpower breaks down and you consume a “bad” food, you are left feeling guilty about it. Tracking your macros allows you flexibility with your food choices.
The practice of tracking macros can receive a bad rap because people think that those who track just eat junk food and pop-tarts. This is most definitely not the case. Fibre intake is also important to track. If you are only consuming candy, chips, and pop-tarts to hit your carbohydrate goal, you will have trouble reaching your fibre goal and your micronutrient profile will be limited. Consuming plenty of carbohydrates in the form of fruits and vegetables will ensure you hit your fibre goal as well as ensure an ample and varied micronutrient intake.
Whatever nutritional strategy you chose, make sure it works for you so that you can adhere to it and sustain it long-term.
If you have any questions take a look at my website www.emmatilson.com