Embracing flexible eating for fitness/ mental health

If you are reading this blog post, I bet it is because you’re tired of being bombarded with countless diets that don’t seem to deliver results. Let’s face it, we live in a fast-paced world in which everybody is looking for quick results and that don’t cost too much effort. But is that actually effective? Is that sustainable? Do you enjoy these eating regimens or do they seem like a pain because you have to follow certain rules? Well, if you don’t want to keep going back and forth with your weight loss and fitness journey, keep reading. I’m diving into the reasons why flexible eating works for weight loss, fitness and mental health (based on science), and why I support this approach over traditional dieting. 

The foundations of flexible eating

I absolutely love this approach towards weight loss, fitness and body composition. As you already know, there are many diets out there. Each one has its own pros and cons. Unfortunately, not all of them are science based, and even though you can find statements that support these eating regimens, there are lack of studies that fully indicate why one diet may be more beneficial than the rest. In other words, it all comes down to eating lifestyle choices, and what works for a person in terms of cultural preferences. To me, it’s all about what gives me results in a sustainable way. That’s one of the key reasons why I prefer flexible eating above the rest of the eating regimens. 

So far, there is no proof that you will lose more weight or burn fat if you follow a restrictive diet, over a flexible eating pattern. Whether you go vegetarian, whole 30, paleo, keto, low-fat, you name it, you can lose weight. You can burn fat, or even build muscle with any eating regimen. But, if you look at other aspects of your life like having a healthy relationship with food, cost, convenience, sustainability, I would definitely recommend something that makes you feel comfortable and free of obsessions. Flexible eating allows you to have that and more!

Let’s be honest, friend! It’s not fun to be always counting calories every time you have a meal. It doesn’t feel right to be at a family gathering eating with guilt. I don’t know about you, but keeping track of your macros each time you go out for dinner is not only boring, but also mentally draining. Besides that, you’re pushing your body into a stressful mode that will only cause you to gain more fat and may get you into yo-yo effect. In my previous post about food obsessions, I explain why you need to start embracing an eating regimen that will allow you to achieve results while keeping you sane mentally. 

Top 10 benefits of flexible eating

You get full nutrition

This is by far one of the top reasons why flexible eating works! With careful guidance from a certified nutritionist, you can get a plan that allows you to eat from all the food groups and get those results you’re looking for. With flexible eating, you’re less likely to fall into nutrient deficiencies that can affect your metabolism and weight loss goals. Eating in a flexible way, therefore, will help to nourish your body with all the foods you need without dietary restrictions. However, if you have specific health conditions, like diabetes, heart disease or kidney problems, make sure you check with your registered dietitian for proper assessment. 

Focus is on food quality rather than quantity

With a flexible eating mentality, you learn how to choose foods based on their nutritional value rather than how many calories they add to your day. Don’t get me wrong, calories are important, but more essential is the fact of learning the macros in whole foods. In my balanced eating strategy, I teach people to eat more whole foods rather than processed ones. Whole foods will give you the nutrients your body needs, therefore, improving your metabolism, balancing your hormones, building your muscles, boosting your immune system, and supporting sustainable weight loss. 

Supports your mental health (AKA less food cravings)

One of the main reasons why restrictive diets fail is because eventually, they will force the body into starvation mode. When your body goes into a serious caloric deficit and nutrient deficiency, it starts to hold on to your body fat reserves for energy. When you lack proper nutrition, especially after eliminating food groups, your body can start craving more food, (that’s right, it’s not a willpower problem!). Added to that, you may start feeling sluggish, with mood swings, not performing well during exercise, and being miserable after engaging in a binge eating cycle. You need to avoid these problems, that’s why having proper guidance and avoiding fad diets will set you free from frustrations and food obsessions. 

Flexible eating promotes better hormonal control

It is no secret that one of the downsides of restrictive dieting is that it can have a serious toll on your hormones. For example, when you moderate the types of carbs you eat, rather than eliminating them, your body has better control of hormones like leptin and insulin. These hormones are the ones responsible for hunger and the amount of body fat. Intense dieting can also mess with your thyroid and reproductive hormones, especially in us women. That’s why strategies like intermittent fasting need to be closely monitored. I usually don’t recommend fasting for extended periods of time. Because of this, flexible eating simply makes it so easier to keep your hormones balanced.

More sustainable

Since you are not restricting entire food groups or on a serious calorie deficit, balanced eating is more sustainable. Especially if you’re trying to lose weight, you can make effective food choices that focus on more protein, healthy fats and fiber, rather than just counting calories. Having a flexible eating lifestyle adjusts to your busy schedule and real life. You won’t have to worry when you go out on vacations, travel or go for drinks on a girl’s night out. 

Avoid fat/ weight loss plateaus

Another reason to stay away from restrictive dieting is the dreaded fat/weight loss plateaus. And the thing is that your metabolism adapts to consuming fewer calories. It usually drops, causing you to burn less fat and hit a plateau when trying to lose weight. When you have a flexible eating style, the amount of calories or carbs you eat can vary from time to time. Studies say that this can actually benefit your body’s metabolism and promote you to build muscle and keep fat burning steady. This is an example of carb cycling.  

You get to enjoy the foods you love in moderation

One of the things I love about flexible eating is the ability to enjoy foods without guilt. There is nothing more empowering than eating a little bit of everything and having a normal social life. When you embrace balance, you get rid of that unnecessary fear of gaining weight or shame around food. Because you’ve learned how to eat right, counting calories or thinking about food all the time are no issues for you.

Cost-effective

Say bye to expensive detox teas and fat burners! Sometimes these products have more marketing attributes than anything else. There’s no need to overspend money on supplements, when you can have results by simply learning to eat well and in a flexible way. Remember that results are based on 90% good nutrition and the rest is movement and lifestyle. 

You can gain muscle and lose fat effectively

When you learn how to eat right, you give priority to what types of foods you should be eating more, instead of which ones you should eliminate. This approach works, because your muscles need to have proper fuel from protein, quality carbs and healthy fats. Too many restrictions can take you more time to get leaner and/or lose fat. With flexible eating, you embrace foods that will provide you with these nutrients and help you achieve your goals. 

You nourish your body without compromising exercise performance

One of the main concerns when people go on a diet is exercise performance. You need to listen to your body. If your eating habits are not supporting your goals, then you’ll start having signals like more stress, less energy, more anxiety, frustration and even lack of motivation. Physically, you could have injuries. Emotionally, you could feel drained.This tends to happen a lot when people restrict carbs from their diet. In my article about carbs, I explain why certain diets like these can affect your fitness performance. By embracing all food groups, you ensure to reduce these problems. 

How to start embracing flexible eating

Having a flexible eating lifestyle has more pros than cons. A balanced regimen can be achieved with the right mindset and good education about food choices. Forget about the fitness gurus that tell you that you can’t lose weight without cutting out food groups. You don’t have to break your pocket to eat in a healthy way. There is no need to go on keto if you don’t feel like it will fit your life schedule. The most important thing is that you chose a lifestyle that feels right for you and that you can maintain. 

Start by getting rid of food obsessions or thinking that restrictive dieting is the only way to lose weight. Know that you can be fit and still enjoy a normal life. Remember that more than the numbers on the scale, your mental health and wellbeing matters. Having a healthy relationship with food will definitely boost your fitness results and help to free your mindset. I’m speaking from personal experience. 

Finally,

The best approach towards healthy eating is one that allows you to enjoy a variety of whole foods. Choosing more minimally processed foods is a sure way to help you get the right nutrition to achieve your wellness goals. Flexible eating is more sustainable than most modern diets, because it can easily adapt to any lifestyle and situation in general. Make sure you also focus on getting movement, hydrating your body and getting enough rest. Self-care involves more than just foods, love yourself more and you’ll embrace a flexible eating lifestyle in a healthier way. What are your thoughts on flexible eating? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. Share this with someone who is still struggling with dieting culture.