last week i wrote about WHY you should sustainably diet... this week i'm gonna give you the HOW.
what exactly is a sustainable diet?
under my definition, it is a diet that you are able to do for a long duration without burning out and without feeling restricted.
and it will look different for everyone. for some people that will be a paleo diet, for some people a lower carb diet, and for others its just general portion control.
so here's how you figure out what a sustainable diet looks like for you:
1. figure out how you're currently eating and what needs to change. the easiest way to do that is to totally track your food for a few days (being sure to track at least one weekend day). maybe (most likely) you need to reduce your intake or maybe you snack more than you realized or drink high calorie juices or coffees and things you wouldn't usually think of. so knowing what you currently eat can help you to see the issues that may be causing the weight gain.
2. figure out what is most important for you to keep in your diet for you to stick with it. is that getting to eat hella pasta or other carbs? or do you need your chocolate fix every night? know what is important to you so you can plan how you eat around those requirements to not feel restricted.
3. which brings me to part 3... plan, plan, plan. at least at first make sure you are planning as much as you can so you don't go off track due to laziness. make yourself a menu, have your snacks portioned out, meal prep if that's something you need to do. make sure you have your plan in place so you can enjoy the foods you want to while also staying within whatever goals you've set for yourself successfully
4. have goals. clear cut, written, achievable goals. that could be staying within a calorie range or no sodas or no eating out during the week or no chips with lunch or eat a veggie at dinner or try a new fruit/veggie every couple of weeks. have set goals for each month that you can achieve and stick with them.
5. and finally...if you slip up (and you will) don't let that run you off the rails. change takes time and you will make mistakes. and that is OKAY! but do not let that mistake turn into a whole day or week or whatever of going off track.
so that's how you do it! make your plan and stick with it. eat your healthy foods and protein and enjoy your treats in moderation.
you can do it!
but if you need help/have questions/want some ideas follow me on facebook and instagram! send me a message or leave a comment with any questions!
