Many of us have tried diet after diet and are, frankly, fed up with all the restrictions and tracking. If you want to lose weight but also want to ditch “diets” then this post is for you, because I am giving you a fool proof nutrition approach that will have you looking and feeling great in no time.
Today I am giving you a non-diet diet you can follow to not only lose weight but feel great as well. I call this an intuitive eating approach, because a large part of it is learning to tune into your body’s hunger and satiation cues. However, it is also a whole food approach, often called “clean eating” as well. The beauty of this approach is you are fueling your body with good nutrition, which is going to help you not only lose excess weight but improve your physique as well as boost your energy. So, in this episode I am covering:
- Lean protein
- Carbohydrates
- Healthy Fats
- Fruit and Vegetables
- Hydration
If you’re like me, many of you struggle not just with weight loss or trying to achieve that ideal physique you dream of, but also lack of energy, maybe not feeling the way you want to. I used to think it was just about excess weight; that if I lost weight, I’d have more energy. So, in the beginning of my weight loss efforts, I was hyper focused on weight loss. I didn’t really care about nutrition, whether I was fueling my body. I just wanted to lose as much weight as possible as fast as possible.
This led me to doing all the things. You name it, I’ve tried it. I’ve done all the crazy, over the top work outs, fat burners and diet pills, and every diet you can name. I’ve gone as far as trying to live on 500 calories a day! Crazy right? I learned the hard way that all this craziness did was make my battle with my weight even harder, messing up my hormones and metabolism in the process.
You will hear people say you have to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. I’ve learned this isn’t always true. I managed to gain weight doing some of the craziness out there. While being in a deficit is part of losing weight or transforming your body, it isn’t in itself sufficient. You also need to consider what you’re eating.
For example, you could have two people each on a diet of 1,500 calories a day. Person A eats fresh, healthy food while person B eats lots of ‘junk foods’ like fast food and processed foods. Each person will yield different results. Person A will be able to eat more, following the whole fresh foods approach than Person B. They will also most likely have a stronger, more fit and toned looking physique due to the composition of those 1,500 calories. This is what “empty calories” means and they’re easy to add up. You can easily be drinking 650 calories in your morning coffee, for example, if you’re getting it at a coffee shop with all the extras.
So, yes, a deficit can be important, but you also need to consider the quality and composition of the calories you are consuming. I would venture to say you could even be in caloric surplus eating fruits and vegetables without that resulting in weight gain in the form of body fat. Again, because of the source of the calories. So, let’s get into what an intuitive, whole food eating approach looks like.
You can spend hours in the gym doing the most; but if your diet is 70% fast food or processed food, too much sweets, drinking a lot of calories, your exercise efforts are almost for not. Yes, there’s other ways exercise is good for you, but if you’re not fueling your body properly, it’s gonna show. I love this framing of fueling the body, becauseultimately that is what makes the difference and where you will see your body change. Think about a car – you can’t put any kind of oil in your car and expect it to drive, right? It’s not so different for your body.
The point is, shifting your focus from this concept of “dieting” to get a result to giving your body the nourishment it needs to function well; because when are eating based on that, the physique will follow. There is some truth to the old adage that we are what we eat.
Now, I know many folks are averse to the idea of a “diet” or counting calories, tracking, etc. I know, equally, there are many of you who might be addicted to these very things. This is why I like this intuitive, whole food eating approach. While you don’t need to track and measure everything, there are some parameters.
First, is to stick with the food guidelines I am outlining here. Second is to tune into and follow your body’s cues. This means eating to satiation, which is the point you feel satisfied; you are no longer hungry. Discerning hunger from things like thirst and boredom. This one takes more time and practice. You don’t need to track everything. Instead, you’re simply eating to fuel. So what does this look like?
1. Lean Protein. . Aim for 20-40 grams per meal, or about your goal weight in grams of protein. Get a minimum of 100 grams of protein each day. Lean protein sources include things like lower fat meats, such as chicken, turkey breast, fish, egg whites, protein powders, and Greek yogurt, etc.
2. Complex Carbohydrates. Yes, carbohydrates are an essential part of your diet and your body needs these to function. Focus on complex carbohydrates, which are higher in protein and fiber. A good rule of thumb is to look for sources that have at least 3 grams of fiber with protein as the second highest macronutrient on the label. This doesn’t mean you can’t ever eat white bread, rice, or pasta. The idea is to prioritize the complex carbohydrates most of the time and have these sources comprise most of your carbohydrates. These are things like whole wheat breads and pastas, brown rice, quinoa, steel cut oatmeal.
3. Healthy Fats. This can include dairy, but be mindful of the fat content and aim for lower fat dairy. This also includes nuts, nut butters, olive oil, avocado. Fat is high in calories, so you want to aim for 20 grams maximum, up to 3 meals of the day. If there is one thing to measure, fat would probably be it, because it is easy to eat too much of it without realizing it.
4. Fruits and Vegetables. One habit I have built is to always have some vegetables in every meal and at least 2-3 times a day eating raw fruit and vegetables. Another good habit to build in is if you feel hungry, go for vegetables to snack on first. If that changes your mind, it’s probably not real hunger.
5. Water. Drink primarily water. Look up benefits of drinking water. There are so many, helping with weight loss being one of the biggest. Your body functions better when it is well hydrated, it mitigates hunger, since thirst is often mistaken or “feels” like hunger.
The only, sort of rule, for this is you eat to satiation. The goal is learning to get in tune with your body’s hunger and satiation signals. If you are sticking with the foods outlined here and you are consistent, you will start to see your body change as well as your energy levels and your mood. And most of all, stick with it. If you eat a cookie, let it go and move on. Don’t turn that into eating the whole box or that might as well eat what I want the rest of the day. Just get back on track and keep going. Consistency is the key, not perfection.
You may be familiar with the 80/20 rule, which is that it is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. I mention this, because you can lose weight and change your body simply from changing your diet. That said, I will always recommend including exercise in your daily routine. Find something you can enjoy and get in at least 30 minutes every day.
Alright, friends, that is how you can eat for weight loss without dieting. I want you all to give this a try and I’d love to hear from you about how it is going. Please share in the comments. Also, if you found this helpful and want to continue the pursuit of faith, fitness, and joy with me, make sure you like, subscribe, and follow. Last find me on social media at Rachelle Renee and Faith Fitness Joy on Facebook, Instagram, and You Tube.
Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you in the comments and on the socials!