A sustainable diet for someone who wants to lose weight is a great way to keep it off.
We are used to having what we want almost instantly. And losing weight is no different. Want to binge-watch an entire season of your show? You got it. Want to watch a newly released movie now? You got it. Want your groceries delivered today? Yup, you got that too.
Why is that when it comes to losing weight, people want to see the results instantly? The weight didn’t appear overnight and it is not melting off that fast either.
In this article, I write about one simple trick that works for all of our weight loss clients. And that is the sustainable diet.
Ongoing Weight Loss Battles
Many of our clients have had an ongoing battle with their weight. However, when they come to us and put into practice our program, they lose. They lose the excess pounds that is.
The one thing they had in common was not knowing where the extra calories were coming from. Some clients gain weight easily and some took a few years to get there. Most of our clients have been dieting for years. Trying new diets and fad diets.
Setting up Your Sustainable Diet
By the time weight loss clients come to us, they’ve tried it all. We give them a good talk and set them on a realistic path.
Are you exercising?
We establish that they are not exercising enough to make up for the extra calories they were eating. So we set an exercise and workout plan. Even if you are exercising and kicking butt at the gym, you may still be eating too much.
What are you eating?
We look to see exactly what they are eating, why they are eating, and when. Do you know exactly how much food you consume in one day? A lot of people don’t. Being mindful of what and how much you eat is going to help a lot!
Also, we want to know what they want to keep eating. Our meal recommendations include foods you ‘shouldn’t’ be eating. But we try to be realistic and know that those cravings are real. Being realistic is key to a sustainable diet.
Our clients fill out a survey of all the foods they already love to eat. This helps us put together something sustainable for them to follow long term.
What does your day look like?
Then, we also take a look at their lifestyles. What does a typical day look like for them? Do they have support? Are they the ones responsible for shopping, cooking, packing lunch?
These are all factors for you to consider. Also, make back up plans in case you have a day where you can’t follow your meal plan.
Our clients that keep off the weight do so because they plan ahead and prepare as much as they can. Some prep all of their snacks, or their lunches. And some prep even their dinners too.
Eat some snacks
Snacks are included in every meal plan. Why? Because we strongly recommend people to eat at least 5 to 6 meals throughout the day. Now, I’m not talking about 5 to 6 meals that have 500+ calories each.
This is broken up based on your personalized goal. For example, if your goal is to gain muscle, you may have 4 larger meals and 2 smaller meals. The macros are important here too.
But if your goal is to lose weight, you’ll probably have 3 larger meals and 2 smaller meals. This is a general idea, to get a much better idea of what yours would look like, contact us.
Have a deficit
A calorie deficit is important when you are trying to lose weight. Following fad diets is not very sustainable. Yes, you WILL see results following those diets. On the flip side, once you stop following the diet, you’ll gain it back.
A sustainable diet, as it says on the name, is a good way to maintain your new healthier eating habits.
Putting your body through a cycle of weight loss and weight gain is not exactly ideal. This can cause negative side effects like organ failures. We can write an entire article on that if you are interested.
Sustainable Diet is a Lifestyle Change
To lose weight and keep it off, follow a sustainable diet. This is one that is personalized to you and your activity level. Even better it’s one where you don’t really have to think too much of it. One that has no extreme limitations. If we boil weight loss down to one thing, it’s this: eat less, move more, have a calorie deficit.
Once you reach your goal, then the formula becomes this: eat as much as you NEED to function, move, and live. No more, no less.
I hope this article helps clear up a few things. Let me know if you have any questions!
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