You know the drill, someone says they want to lose weight so they prepare their meals for the week that include chicken, broccoli, and brown rice.
Or some variation of lean meat, vegetables, and unrefined carbohydrates.
I used to do this religiously and what I found was, I would eat these meals for a few days, and then go crazy and fall into all of the junk food cravings I came to know and love.
I had to reprogram my brain to know that my diet doesn't have to be bland in order to lose weight. I just need to eat the "bad" foods in moderation.
And, these foods aren't bad...when I'm talking about carbohydrates or even sugar to an extent.
You see, I work out regularly. I go to the gym 6 days a week for a minimum of 45 minutes.
My workouts are split into lower body and upper body movements, focusing on one general area a day, in order to give my body the adequate rest it needs to recover.
My diet is where my issue lies. It doesn't matter how amazing you are in the gym if your diet is not great...your goals are unachievable unless you have A+ genetics and a super fast metabolism. (Good luck with that last one when you hit 30.)
So, I have since begun flexible dieting. This is simply eating the correct food groups for my desired results, which is lean muscle mass.
I haven't cut out sweets completely but I know that if I eat something like ice cream one day, then I have to be good the next.
I give myself these little "cheat" windows in order to trick my brain.
No, my results won't be as quick as someone who sticks to a strict diet, but it works for me.
So if you fall into the same trap as I do and you find yourself binge eating Sour Patch Kids after a nice salad, then maybe think about "flexible dieting."
Also, I use a food tracking app like My Fitness Pal. Thousands of meals already loaded into the server, you can quickly ensure you're sticking to your calorie goal for the day.
Aka...eat what you want... but in moderation. :)
