Have you ever noticed that everyone, not just you, watches what you eat when you are on a diet? They may not say it, but when they see you eating a salad, they think - wow - she’s doing great, but when they see you eating a slice of pizza, they think - oh boy, she’s back to her old ways. You just can’t win with dieting. I read a story about a woman who lost over 100 pounds dieting and had no peace when she ate with others. She felt they were always watching her plate, waiting for her to make the wrong move. She thought her thinness brought her no happiness, which is what she thought thinness was all about. That’s what we’re taught by the media, but it’s how you feel about yourself and your life that affects your happiness or lack thereof.
This is just one of the many pitfalls of dieting. I could go on for hours about the other failings of diets - not sustainable, 85% failure rate, trigger intense cravings and depression - the list goes on and on. What I recommend is starting with a basic foundation of eating with my 90/10 formula.
What Is My 90/10 Formula?
My 90/10 formula is a lifelong practice of making 90% of the food you eat high nutrient, simple whole foods and 10% can be the treats and indulgences that you know aren’t high nutrient but you simply like and enjoy them.
How Does It Work?
You get to know your body and what it needs in the 90% category. That 90% category includes high quality fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, meat and poultry, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and water. These are the basics and from them you figure out how much of each, which ones to buy/grow, and how to prepare them. You factor in your age, your energy needs, the climate you live in, and especially what you like to eat from these categories. Then you menu plan and aim to prepare most of your food at home. You aim to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, and figure out if you need snacks. The point is your needs are unique and when you pay attention to what you need, everything gets easy and natural. You eat enough to feel satisfied. You get high mileage nutrients from 90% of your food. Your weight will naturally adjust.
Oh, and don’t let me forget the 10%. These are your pleasure treats. These can be managed well when the other 90% of your food is in good balance and highly nutritious because you won’t be feeling hungry or be experiencing blood sugar fluctuations. . Put systems in place that work for you. The eyes can be the windows to over doing it. If having those 10% pleasures in your cabinet might be tempting enough to overdo, don’t have them in the cabinets. Buy yourself that special treat when you are out of your home.
But a word about treats - go for high quality. If you love brownies, get a small totally decadent one from a bakery instead of a pre-packaged supermarket one. If ice cream is your treat of choice, go for a single serving Ben and Jerry’s cup from the grocery freezer. If it’s a glass of wine, savor it with some grapes and a small slice of hard cheese.
Success Is a Process
The 90/10 formula really works! You don’t feel deprived and you do feel balanced. Think about where you are in terms of your knowledge and understanding of high quality foods and how to prepare them.
Why Health Coaching Works
In my coaching program, I meet you where you are. You may not be cooking your own food very much. You may have grown up at fast food restaurants and not have a clue about what foods should be on your plate, how to make a shopping list or what to choose when you get to the store. Advertisers may be telling you there’s no time to cook or it’s too expensive. The truth is it is too expensive NOT to cook, for your health, your weight and your wallet.
What would it be like for you to get to a healthy weight by giving up dieting? Would you enjoy the feeling of really taking care of yourself with food and not feeling hungry? Maybe it’s time to say good-bye to dieting and get some authentic support for lasting change in your attitude about food, your body and yourself