Have you ever wondered which is the best diet for changing body composition & losing weight? We could all agree that there plenty of diets out there to choose from. So how do you know which one is the best one to help you achieve your goals.
With more information at the click of a button it has become more and more difficult to find out what is the best solution and which is going to work for you. Every single diet has claims to fame and plenty of before after photos to prove that they work. Or at least it seems that way!
The real question isn't if it works, but if it will work for you.
At Impact, we don't like to fit into one nutrition camp. We like to explore what's out there and apply the things that work and are supported by science.
Here are a few principles that we do believe in:
We believe in whole minimally processed foods with the least amount of ingredients.
We believe in the 80/20 rule when it comes to how much you should follow your plan. (80% of the foods you eat should come from our Impact Super Foods List.)
We believe in counting calories and macros but not getting obsessed about them which is very easy to do.
We believe that everyone is different and a good nutrition plan factors in body type, goals and lifestyle.
The key to everything is to make things a lot easier and to make it as simple as possible. So instead of thinking about what diet you should do, think about what are the things that you should avoid.
1. Avoid Eating Processed Foods - Processed food was designed for you to eat more. These foods are calorie dense and usually will not fill you up because the lack of food. Think about a Fast Food Burger vs Chicken, Sweet Potatoes & Green Beans.
The Burger will contain the same if not more calories than the meal with Chicken. However the second meal will leave you feeling full longer and your body will thank you for all the nutrients in the clean food.
2. Avoid Drinking Too Many Calorie Dense Beverages - Majority of American adults suffer from dehydration. Part of this is because we just don't drink enough water or consume enough fruits and vegetables. The other reason is we drink a lot of caffeinated drinks or soft drink which speed up dehydration & blunt our hunger.
Just by focusing more on drinking water and cutting out other beverages, you will see a change on the scale and with your energy levels. Muscle is made up of 70% water which makes it very important to drink at least 80oz per day or half your bodyweight in ounces.
3. Avoid Skipping Meals - A lot of people skip meals throughout the day. Specifically breakfast. This is not a habit you want to get used too. Although we may not feel hungry, your body needs calories each day to function properly.
When people are skipping meals or fasting for larger periods of the day, it makes it harder to get the required amount of calories each day. Sure in the short run the calorie deficit may help you lose weight. In the long run it will slow down your metabolism and make it harder to maintain your weight in the future.
If you want to speed up your metabolism and turn your body into a fat burning machine, avoid going long periods without food. We recommend eating every 3-4 hours if possible.
We don't care if you eat later or earlier but once you start eating it's important to keep the fire burning by adding more logs (food) throughout the day.
4. Avoid The Go With The Flow Mentality - Avoid starting the week without a plan or food ready to go in the fridge. Starting Monday without preparing is an easy way to end up in the drive through on your way home from work. All it takes is something to throw off your day and you're off track with your nutrition plan.
Start with picking a day for shopping and spend some time cutting veggies or cooking some proteins for the week. Things like chicken, turkey and beef can be cooked ahead of time and stored for quick lunches or dinners.
5. Avoid Ordering Out or Ordering Take Out - All though restaurants may have healthie items on their menu, they are not in the business of cooking healthy! Their goal is to make it good and make you come back. They also like to keep cost down which means cheaper ingredients & cooking oils.
All of these things make it that restaurant food has way more calories than a regular meal prepared by you. It's not uncommon to see calories from 650 to 1200 calories in just one meal.
If your goal was to keep your calories in say 1750 calories per day. Your almost at your goal in just one meal. We want you to eat more food, not more calories. Cooking your own meals or ordering a healthy cooking service is the easiest way to cut back on how many calories you may be eating each week.
It's easy to get overwhelmed when it comes to nutrition. Remember, it's not about the perfect diet but more about the one you can stick with. For the best results, keep it simple. Progress over perfection is key when it comes to long term success.
Are you looking for more help with your nutrition planning or have some specific goals you'd like to achieve? We want to help!
Click Here to book a Free Strategy Session with a coach. From there we'll map out a plan specific to your goals and current lifestyle.