By now, many people who started a crash diet a week ago are already feeling bored, antsy or frustrated. Any diet that restricts foods that are otherwise nutritious naturally ignite our impatience, because intuitively we know we should be able to eat that them. Maybe you’re on keto craving oats, maybe you’re intermittent fasting just wanting an orange and a couple almonds in your stomach in the morning. And suddenly, you’re feeling that something is “bad” or “off limits”, even though your gut knows better! Crash diets lead to a lack of harmony in the mind and body.

So if you’re starting to teeter, or to feel a bit edgy, consider this my permission to ease out of your crash diet. There’s a better way to drop some excess body fat, and it’ll fill you right up.

I’ve been counselling eating habits for almost 20 years now, and my approach does not fail when followed consistently. It’s flexible, it’s nutritious, holistic and energizing. Because your mood and energy levels MATTER. Sustainability MATTERS. You want to be the best version of yourself, in both the short and longterm, and not turn into a monster for a smaller waistline. Don’t torture yourself and your family with these wild diets!

Here are my tips:

Lemon water in the morning - preferably warm.
Produce during every snack and every meal, opting for more veg than fruit (produce = good carbs!).
Adding a starchier carb (such as grain or potato) at 2-3 snack/meals, perhaps not ALL.
Good quality protein at every snack or meal.
Good quality fats at every snack or meal.
Focus on whole foods vs. convenience foods, and those that naturalyl do not include top allergens: soy, wheat, dairy, corn. This doesn’t mean avoid these foods at all costs, just focus on the OTHER foods more. Put them onto the front burner, so that these inflammatory foods don’t have as much of a space to disrupt you.

Now, part of the process is learning what foods belong in what categories.

Here is a simple breakdown of how I lump foods:

Pulses / Legumes / Beans: part protein part starch
Grains: starchy carbs
Veg & Fruit: non starchy carbs
Meat & Eggs: protein, some are part fat part protein (fattier cuts of meat and fish like salmon)
Nuts & Seeds: Some higher protein than others - mostly fats.

Examples of balanced meals & snacks:

Oats with flax & collagen (for fats & protein, respectively), 1/2 cup of berries for high fibre carbs
Two egg omelette, cooked in 1 tsp avocado oil with grated zucchini, sliced tomato and chopped spinach
Salad made with chopped massaged kale, 1/2 cup of quinoa or rice, roasted peppers, chopped chicken and homemade olive oil based dressing.
Salmon cooked in lemon, salt & pepper, roasted broccoli, 1/2 sweet potato.
Apple, 3 turkey slices wrapped around 3 slices of avocado.
Cucumber, carrots, peppers with 2 T hummus.
Chicken breast, spinach sautéed in avocado oil with sea salt, roasted squash.
Chili made with ground turkey, 2 kinds of beans, 2 colours of peppers and a can of tomatoes.
Peppers stuffed with quinoa, ground beef, spinach and a small handful of chopped nuts (baked).
Halibut or other white fish served with avocado & mango salsa, 1/2 cup of wild rice and sautéed spinach.

If you eat this way the majority of the time, your body will be getting such quality nutrition that it will be able to handle more indulgent items twice a week or so. So, you don’t have to swear off cheeseburgers, or pizza, or anything! Just slip them in from time to time, but opting for these energy-boosting, high nutrient meals on the regular.

The rest will take care of itself - and that goest for whatever your goals may be. Muscle-building, heart health, hormone stabilizing, fat loss, better moods, better energy - happiness. You will be satiated, not hungry - happy.

I hope this helps! I want you well!