Choosing a nutrition plan can be intimidating. If you choose the wrong one, you worry that you won’t get the results you desire or even worse, get results you want to avoid. It is important to choose a nutrition plan that helps you reach your goal, while maintaining overall well-being. This post will help you choose a plan that helps you do that by identifying common mistakes people make, discussing types of nutrition plans, and going through the basic steps of choosing your nutrition plan.
Common Mistakes
- Switching nutrition plans too quickly because no results are being seen. Be consistent with a plan for at least 2-4 weeks prior to switching. And be honest on how consistent you are being with the plan.
- Choosing a plan they aren’t consistent with. If you can’t be consistent with a plan, then it probably isn’t the right plan for you or you need someone to help hold you accountable.
- Choosing a plan that isn’t right for their goals. This comes down to knowledge. We will go through some general information in this post to help you choose a plan that is right for you goal.
- Never changing their nutrition plan. If your goals and/or needs have changed, then your nutrition plan should evolve with those goals and needs.
- Not asking for help when needed. It’s tough…I’m guilty of it too, but it’s important to know when you don’t have the knowledge, skills, and/or motivation to do this on your own.
Types of Nutrition Plans
Flexible Dieting is a nutrition plan where you track your calories and nutrients by logging them in a food diary. This can be a written food diary; one you input on an excel; or, one that uses an app, such as MyFitnessPal. Flexible dieting allows you to eat whatever you want within your designated calorie intake and macronutrients guidelines. There are no restrictions to what foods you can and can not eat. This type of nutrition plan offers the most freedom, but it also takes mental work and planning in order to maintain consistency. This method also may take more trial and error. However, this method, is a good option for those in this for the long term plan for healthy eating.
Who this is For: Those who are in this for the long run, who don’t want to have strict rules on what they can and can not eat, and those who enjoy tracking and problem-solving.
Who this isn’t For: Those who want quick, short term results and those who don’g want to track or do the mental work for planning ahead.
Restrictive nutrition plans are ones in which ban or limit entire or partial food groups. Common examples of these nutrition plans that are restrictive are Paleo, Keto, Atkins, ,and low fat diets. By choosing a restrictive diet, you provide yourself with strict rules and remove a lot of the mental work that comes with more choices. The downside is that you also may restrict yourself in key nutrients and/or set yourself up for failure due to restrictions that you aren’t able to be consistent with.
Who this is for: Those looking to lose weight quickly and not track calories and macronutients. Those who can commit and be consistent with the rules of the nutrition plan until they reach their goal. These diets are not necessarily best for overall health and are most encouraged for those looking for short term results.
Who this isn’t for: Those looking for a plan that is for overall health and for long term healthy living.
Plans that offer guidelines, but that don’t tell you exactly what to eat and not eat, fall into this category.
- Intermittent fasting provides guidelines on timeframes to eat and not eat, allows you the flexibility to eat what you want in those timeframes. Popular intermittent fasting diets are the 16:8 (fast in a 16 hour window; eat in an 8 hour window) and the 5:2 (eat normally five days a week, eat under 500-600 calories for 2 non-consecutive days).
- Mediterranean Diet provides guidelines on foods that people that live in the Mediterranean region typically eat. People in this region are known to live longer so this diet prides itself on helping lower the risk of disease and promote healthy living. This diet focuses not only on what you eat, but also encourages physical exercise and social gathering.
- Weight Watchers: This program is point based and allows you to eat what you want within your point budget system. This is most popularly used for weight loss, but the base of the program focuses on health living and promoting behavior change for long term health.
Who this is for: Those who want flexibility in their diet, but want to limit some of their choices. These plans still require tracking, but narrow down choices so that there isn’t so much mental prep work to be done.
Who this is not for: Those who don’t want any guidelines or those who want exact instructions on what to eat or not eat.
Choosing Your Nutrition Plan
Weight Loss
In order to lose weight, you need to eat in a calorie deficit. A calorie deficit is eating less calories than your body expends in energy. This will allow your body to take from stored energy sources, resulting in you losing weight. Note though, you can lose weight without losing fat. It is important that your calorie deficit is done in a way that maximizes fat loss and not just the lowering of the number on the scale. This is done by eating the right foods and engaging in a well-designed resistance program. Any of the nutrition plans listed above can help you lose weight if you are eating in a calorie deficit. Your decision on which nutrition plan is best for you will come down to step 2 on which type of plan you can commit to.
Muscle Gain
In order to gain muscle, you need to eat in a calorie surplus. A calorie surplus is eating more calories than your body expends in energy. Your body will take this excess energy and store it either in the form of fat or muscle, resulting in you weight gain. Note though, if your goal is to gain muscle, then you will want to be on a well-designed workout plan for building mass and size. It is important that your calorie surplus is done in a way that maximizes muscle gain and minimizes fat gain and other health risks. Any of the nutrition plans listed above can help you gain muscle if you are eating in a calorie surplus, though low carb and low fat plans are discouraged as these macronutrients are a main source of energy that your body can use to build, recover, and perform better. Your decision on which nutrition plan is best for you will come down to step 2 on which type of plan you can commit to.
Performance/Healthy Living
If you have no desire to lose weight or gain muscle, but are more focused on performing at your best or simply living a healthy lifestyle, then you will want to eat at your calorie maintenance level. Your calorie maintenance level is consuming the same amount of calories you are expending. This promotes your performance in the gym, at work, while sleeping, in your relationship, in your thinking, and wherever else you can imagine. Any of the nutrition plans listed above can help you in this goal if you are eating at calorie maintenance, though restrictive diets are discouraged as they exclude important nutritients and may limit areas that cause strain on social and mental well-being. Your decision on which nutrition plan is best for you will come down to step 2 on which type of plan you can commit to.
Flexible
The flexible nutrition plan is best for those who either have intermediate to advanced nutrition knowledge and skills or those who have a coach to guide them in building these skills and providing guidance on food choices. This plan allows you to eat whatever you like within your calorie and nutrient intake guidelines. These intake levels are determined by your goals and needs. As we mentioned above, calorie deficits are needed for weight loss, calorie surpluses are needed for weight gain, and calorie maintenance can be used for performance or healthy living. Your nutrient intake will also help determine body composition developments, mental alertness, energy levels, prevention of health issues, and more. With flexible dieting, you or your trainer will help determine your needed intake levels and you will develop and strengthen skills in planning and problem-solving as well as building nutritional knowledge.
COSTS:
Mental work and/or if hiring a trainer, financial costs. If doing this without a trainer or coach, you will need to identify your calorie intake and nutrient intake needs. Once you do that, you will need to determine how you will track your progress and your intake. From there, the daily task would be making meal choices that promote the results you want. With the Samson Fitness Membership, I do lay out how to make this process easy.
Restrictive
The restrictive nutrition plans are best for those who are looking for a short term plan to get aesthetic results and who are willing to cut out certain foods entirely from their diet until they reach their goal. Carbohydrates and fats are typically calorie dense and are easily overconsumed. By restricting these foods, it can be easier to make choices to remain in a calorie deficit. However, these restrictions can be hard to remain consistent with as they often inhibit social gatherings and performance in other areas. Restrictive plans also don’t focus on building problem-solving and behavior changing skill sets that help with overall well-being and long term sustainability. If you can not commit to this plan for at least 4 weeks, it is likely best to choose a plan that is less restrictive. You also can choose this plan for a short duration to see aesthetic results and then transition into a less restrictive plan. Just plan ahead for that transition as many return to old habits and lose the results they achieved.
COSTS:
Limiting or cutting out your things you may love. You will need to identify which restrictive plan you can commit to and then remain consistent with it. You may have to sacrifice certain social outings or not eat some of your favorite foods for the duration of the plan.
Moderately Restrictive and Flexible
These plans are best for those who either have beginner to intermediate nutrition knowledge and skills or those who have a coach to guide them in building these skills and providing guidance on food choices. These plans encourage you to eat within your calorie and nutrient intake guidelines while abiding by a limited set of rules. These less restrictive plans help promote skill-building and overall well-being, while providing boundaries and guidance on meal choices and timing.
COSTS:
Mental work (though less than with complete flexible dieting) and sometimes more expensive with food choices or certain programs
There is a lot of pressure in choosing the right nutrition plan, however, if you choose the “wrong one”, it isn’t the end of the world. When you are doing this on your own, it takes some trial and error. Figuring out which plan works best for you will not only progress you towards the results you want, but will also promote your total well-being. If you need assistance with your nutrition plan, sign up for nutritional coaching through the link below and I’d be happy to assist you in getting the results you want.
-Samson 9/5/2020
Get Results that Last with Nutrition Coaching!
How To Start
1. Select “Individual Session” or “Bundle Session”.
2. Complete the consultation form and schedule your appointment.
3. Attend your video call session., where we will discuss ways to overcome current nutritional obstacles and identifying the best plan for you.
