There are plenty of diets and formulas out there to create weight loss or weight gain. However which is the Correct diet for you? Here are some examples...
Ketogenic Diet - This is a diet high in fat, adequate protein and low in carbohydrates.
The idea behind the diet is to force the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates.
Slimming World - This is a diet, which discourages calorie counting and focuses on healthy foods and occasional indulgences. Regular meet ups occur to help keep people accountable for their diet and weight loss plan.
Calorie Counting - This is where a person estimates how many calories their particular body needs and then track their daily calorie intake.
Many of my new clients ask for food plans, so I provide them with a plan to follow to help give them more structure. However I always say you need to eat the foods that you want to eat then you will stick to it rather than forcing yourself to eat foods that you don’t really want to eat.
You need to make sure your diet works for you. If your trying to bulk up and the diet plan is saying you need to eat 6 meals a day and usually you struggle to eat 2 meals, you’re probably not going to be able to stick to this diet. Look for a diet that matches the way you like to eat, for example, can the diet accommodate your work and travel patterns? Or does it have a family friendly approach? If your household can follow it as well then this can be really helpful in sustaining a diet.
Does the diet match your activity levels?
You need to fuel your body and your training. There is no point doing a diet where your losing weight however you have no energy when you train or your job suffers due to low energy levels. When you need your energy levels to be at the optimum.
Is the diet sustainable?
The diet needs to be sustainable so you can stick to it in the long run. For example; I like the sound of the ketogenic diet, however I am not going to stick to it as I like to eat carbs. Having a diet, which is made to reduce your carb intake will not work for me and is not sustainable for my particular body and cravings.
Does the diet include foods that you like and can afford?
If the diet consists of high quality steaks and fish, etc, make sure you take into account your bank balance as not everybody can afford this type of diet. Also make sure the diet is foods that you like to eat. Like I said before, if your new diet consists of foods you don’t really like to eat, then you probably won’t stick to this diet.
Weight loss?
One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. So you need to burn a lot of calories to reduce body fat levels. If you’re losing a lot of weight quickly, it will not be all body fat that you are losing. It will probably be a lot of water retention and even muscle mass. Safe and effective weight loss should be 1-2 pounds per week through a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Bad habits?
Everybody has bad habits. Mine is probably portion control, I eat a healthy balanced diet but sometimes I can eat a little too much. The best weight loss plan is the one that when you are on a diet it doesn’t feel like you are actually on a diet. Going on a
“diet” can create and obsession with food, increase cravings and lead to frustration, which isn’t good for your mental health.
Create a diet for yourself and try and follow the above guidelines. Eat the foods that you want to eat but make sure your diet is balanced and sustainable and works for you. Try and keep your food as nutritious as possible and find a “diet” that works best for you not only short term, but also long term.
One of my clients Annie who I have been working with for the last 12 weeks has found a healthy routine, which involves a balanced diet, and exercise routine which works for her lifestyle and this is her excellent body transformation.
Annie said, “Working with Andy helped me realise where I had been failing so far. I hadn’t found a combination of diet and exercise that worked for me, I set unrealistic targets and failed each time.
Andy worked with me on all different types of diet plans and looked at my lifestyle and my day-to-day habits and came up with a calorie controlled nutritious diet. This way I could eat what was convenient but also highlighted certain foods that needed swapping out for a healthier alternative to stay under my calorie allowance and at the same time provide me with the right nutrients to keep my energy levels high for my workouts and daily activities.
This diet combined with regular PT sessions and his online training, checking in with me regularly to keep me focused helped me achieve my goal. I have regained my love for exercise and food without my body shape suffering.”
So guys.... Find a “Diet“ that works for you and more importantly stick to it.
Thanks for reading my article.
Andy