Flexible dieting is a concept and has taken the health and fitness industry by storm over the last few years. You may have heard of it being referred to as IIFYM or “If it fits your macros”? And although it has been scientifically proven to be a successful form of “dieting” it initially received a bad rap from the old school dieters in health and fitness and it still does.
Breakfast is always a hard one for most people. We are surround by cereals and sugary breakfast options everywhere which load us with carbohydrates. Now I do follow flexible dieting so I have nothing against sugar and cereals, however, unless you are doing a workout in the morning, eating a high carbohydrate meal may leave you hungry and lethargic soon after your meal.
When it comes to results, consistency is key. So below are 3 things you need to know.
Ever try and count your macros/track your food then you go over or under by 10-20g for the day and you feel you failed so you throw it all out the window?? Well, don’t! Tracking doesn’t have to be stressful and if you don’t nail it it’s still ok! Many of us get caught up in the idea of being 100% perfect on any “meal plan” and if you are not the most common reaction is to fall off the wagon completely then just start again on “Monday”.
Are you training hard and eating healthy but still can’t see results??
Trust me I have been there too and I know how frustrating it can be to feel like you are doing everything right, but no matter what you do there is no shift in your weight or body composition. Its ok take a deep breath and refrain from throwing in the towel just yet. If you are not seeing results, then chances are you are missing something somewhere along the line. Fat loss can be a complex thing. It doesn’t always happen as easily as we would like it too. But that is because there are so many factors that play a role in helping your body lose fat. You are not smarter than your body, believe it or not, your body knows exactly what is going on. The last thing it wants to do is lose fat because it wants to stay in its “happy place” in balance with plenty of food and minimal exercise. But there are a few things you can do ensure you keep your progress in check.
So many people want to track their macros but so many of you just don’t know where to start. I don’t blame you, with all of the information our there it can all get a little confusing. But before we get into it something to keep in mind is that there is no perfect caloric intake and no magical macro ratio. Calculating your macros for the first time or for a new goal is merely a starting point. If you calculate your macros and after a week you have not seen the results you are looking for then don’t fret, you may just need consistency and some possible adjustments. The point of tracking macros is to have a calculated intake which then allows you to make adjustments depending on your weekly progress. It’s important not to overthink it, just find an intake that is calculated according to your stats and is suited to your goals, then go from there
Macros… you may have heard this word floating around lately. People are counting their macros, using macro ratios, fitting all sorts of fun food into their macros. But I know some of you are asking, what are macros in the first place? And why do I need to count them?
Well, let me break it down for you simply so you can understand what all the fuss is about.
D.I.E.T. … that four letter word we all can’t stand. Well, if you have been following my principles you know by now that I am a big advocator for flexibility (within a structure) to help ensure you reach your goals while remaining sane and having a balance in life.
So this means I am A-Okay with you eating out every now and then because, well, you all need to live life right? But sometimes when it comes to eating out all of our good intentions seem to go out of the window, we overindulge no matter how well “behaved” we plan to be with our food choices.
Fat loss! It’s pretty much everyone’s goal, right? Even if your goal is to build a little bit of a muscle, at the end of the day we all want to lose that little layer that hides those curves, FAT. Have you ever typed in “best ways to lose fat” in Google? I know have at some point in time. But there are literally a million ways and tips on how to best burn stubborn fat (well maybe I am exaggerating but it’s a lot!). It’s one fad diet after another, the next magic diet pill, the next new workout craze, and it can all get a little overwhelming with a fat loss guru overload.
These days everyone seems to be a fat loss expert, even my mum has tried to give me advice (bless her). So what should you believe? I know many of you have tried what feels like everything under the sun without much result. So let me debunk some common myths for you to make sure you are set up for long-term success.
Nutrient timing, sounds a little complicated right? Well really it is quite simple, it is how you break down your macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fats) throughout the day in order to get optimal results. This is a topic I get asked about quite often and there are endless suggestions on when to eat your food. And to make matters more confusing there are many suggestions on which foods to eat at these certain times. So let me break it down for you.
I think the biggest misconception is that nutrient timing of food is something that only body builders do, or should do. But ladies (and gents reading this) what nutrient timing really refers to is how you fuel your body. Have you ever tried to do a workout on an empty stomach? (I know we have probably all been there). How did you feel? Did you feel that you were bursting with energy or did you feel a little less strong and lacking your usual energy? Well, nutrient timing plays a big role in how well you perform during your workout as well as how well you recover afterwards.
What is Flexible Dieting? Flexible dieting is a fairly new concept and has taken the health and fitness industry by storm over the last few years. You may have heard of it being referred to as IIFYM or “If it fits your macros”? And although it has been scientifically proven to be a successful form […]