Losing weight is one of the most common goals for people I work with. However, it can be difficult to know where to start. There are many different diets and exercise programs out there, and it can be hard to find one that works for you. Rather than a “meal plan” that tells you exactly what to eat and when, I use 5 simple rules. These rules are based on experience and are as behavioral as they are nutritional. This gives us room for variety of genetics, preferences, and history with food.
Here are the rules:
Eat less than 500 calories per meal. This doesn't mean you have to eat 1500 calories per day. You can eat more meals, but space them out throughout the day. For example, if you had three 500-calorie meals and three 250-calorie snacks, you could eat up to 2250 calories. Keeping your meals smaller and more frequent will help prevent a large insulin spike and keep you feeling full and energized without overeating.
Eat less than 100 grams of carbs per day. This will help you stay in or near ketosis, a state in which your body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. When you're in ketosis, you'll also experience reduced hunger and cravings.
Avoid all carbs after 3pm. This means no bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, or sugary snacks after 3pm. If you want something sweet, eat it before 3pm and stick to meat and veggies at night.
No processed foods. Processed foods are typically high in unhealthy fats, sugar, and calories. They're also low in nutrients. Instead, focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats.
No food later than 3 hours before bedtime. This gives your body time to digest your food before you go to sleep. It also helps to prevent weight gain.
You can dial these in to hit very specific numbers and should aim to maintain a slight calorie deficit over the long term until you hit the goal weight or body fat percentage. Slow progress is much easier to maintain than crash dieting. Aim for a 1-2 lb loss per week (about 500-1000 calorie deficit per day). Lift weights 2-3 times per week to signal muscle growth and retention and keep your cardio intensity low to maximize fat burn and minimize impact. Your recovery will be compromised while in a deficit.
If I were to add a 6th rule it would be to SLEEP. 8-9 hours a night is ideal to maximize recovery and maintain a good mood. Do the best you can!