If you have never heard of a flexible diet before it is a popular and simple weight loss plan that allows foods that fit within your specific daily macronutrient targets.
In more simple terms, this way of eating can provide you with freedom in your food, and can help to keep the weight off over time in a more positive way and keep a healthy relationship with food.
Here are the 10 top reasons you need to have a flexible diet
1. You don't have to cut out everything for your goals
Many people dread having to diet because they know that usually means that they have to cut out the foods that they love in order to lose weight. Which means many people never actually try to lose the weight or they do and it doesn't last very long before they stop and give up due to frustration.
When you have a flexible diet, you get to still have the foods that you love. Everything in moderation.
2. Maintain your social life
This was a big one for me. When I was getting ready to compete and super committed to losing weight without a flexible diet, I felt like I needed to be a hermit crab and not go out and do anything.
The reason being because I would be around food and just be tempted to fall off of my plan, which I had done countless times before.
Having flexible nutrition means that I can still find things when I am out at a restaurant or social event that will not completely ruin my progress and I don't feel guilty when I do.
3. Manage Eating Disorders
Being on super restrictive diets are one of the leading causes of eating disorders.
You feel guilty when you have the foods that are not on your plan, you eventually fall off, and then stray from your goals for weeks to months before ever trying again.
If you are like me I had a binge eating disorder that had developed one from my own feelings of hating how I looked in the mirror and being sad. Which later I had to deal with in trying to lose the weight because I had developed a bad relationship with food.
I started yo-yo dieting and crashing HARD. Constantly in a vicious cycle of losing weight and then gaining it all back plus more.
With being flexible with my nutrition, I learned how to have a better relationship with food.
4. No longer feels like food punishment
When I was dieting, it felt gross. I felt like I was being punished just to reach my weight loss goals because I couldn't just have what everyone else was having.
I had to constantly say "No, I'm not hungry right now," or "I think I'm going to have this instead."
Not everyone will understand why you are wanting to eat healthier and make better choices, but at least with a flexible diet I can still make healthier choices and still enjoy the foods I love in a good balance without feeling like I am being punished.
5. Long-term consistency is key
As mentioned with yo-yo dieting and losing weight only to gain it back plus more, long-term consistency is key in reaching your goals.
If you constantly try diet after diet because you are constantly falling off and unable to stick to it. This is your sign.
Having a flexible diet, you won't be in this cycle and will be able to have a nutrition plan that better fits your goals, needs, and abilities while still reaching your goals all at the same time for long-term success in keeping the weight off.
6. You can tailor your food choices to YOU
Don't you hate when you have a diet and it tells you to eat certain foods that you either don't like or that you struggle with eating consistently?
At least with a flexible diet, you don't have to!
If you don't like a certain food, you can swap it out for something else. If you are someone who can't spend hours making food, you can swap out meals that do fit your lifestyle and are easier to make for on-the-go. It's really just that easy.
7. Forgive yourself for any relapses
Having a plan that works for you, takes work to figure out too. With a flexible diet, there is a learning curve.
However, it is easier to change little by little to make it fit you and something that you can stick to.
You won't have to ever feel guilty about having something off plan because you can incorporate it into it.
8. Easy to follow
Some diets out there are super complicated and just plain hard to stick to unless you have a ton of discipline to give up all of the foods that you love.
The great thing about a flexible nutrition plan is that you can have something that is super simple and easy to follow.
It doesn't need to be super complicated, so let's keep it stupid simple.
9. Finding balance
Being flexible is just another way to find balance in your life.
As you may have heard, it's all about moderation and balance. I like to use the 80/20 rule as this applies to just about anything in your life, but more specifically about your nutrition.
80% of the time you want to eat healthier foods.
20% of the time you can enjoy the not so healthy foods that you love.
Here's what a week of this would look like:
10. No longer having bland and boring foods all of the time
Healthy food doesn't have to be bland or boring either, but there will come a time where the healthy food you have been eating, you get sick of.
You may get into a nutrition rut and tired of having the same meals over and over again without having any other new ideas.
With a flexible nutrition plan, you can explore other meals and foods that you may not have had and can still fit into your plan to reach your goals.
Struggling with your Diet? We can help!
Hey, I'm Sarah. Owner of Top Knot Strong who is a certified personal trainer and certified fitness nutrition specialist.
I am a food loving, adventure seeking, dog mom of 2, and have a huge passion for helping women in reaching their health and fitness goals in a more healthy and balanced way.
I know the struggle that comes with trying to reach your goals as I was overweight and had no idea how to reach my goals at the beginning.
I tried diet after diet with a ton of fails that resulted in my weight constantly fluctuating up and down, it wasn't until I learned flexible diet and the science behind losing weight, that I was able to maintain and keep weight off for good.
Now I am teaching 100's of women to do the same.
You shouldn't have to be a slave to your diet just to lose weight. Diets are short-term, and we helping teach 100's of women how to have long-term results without having to diet ever again.
Schedule a free 15 minute consultation to talk to a coach about a custom plan that will work for your goals, needs, and abilities today!
