When it comes to dieting for weight loss, there are any number of plans that you can turn to for help in reaching your goals. And while many of these diets do work to create a calorie deficit which will invoke weight loss, you run the risk of falling into quick-fix plans that are more based in restriction than healthy long-term change. However, you don’t have to navigate your choice of diets alone, as there is one that dietitians acknowledge to be the best for healthy and sustained weight loss.
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According to Carissa Galloway, RDN and Premier Protein Nutrition Consultant, the flexitarian diet is best for safe and manageable weight loss. Created by dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, this diet focuses on eating whole foods that are packed with nutrients and lean towards a more plant based approach, with the opportunity to be flexible. Instead of a diet based in restriction, the flexitarian diet asks that you consider the foods that you can eat.
A good diet will nourish your body and keep you full and energized throughout the day, instead of depriving you and leaving you weak. Galloway explains that the ultimate goal of a flexitarian diet is to go entirely meat free, but the “flex” is there for a reason. “Similar to a volumetrics eating plan, when you fill your plate with these high-fiber, filling foods, your body will be full and thus less likely to overeat more processed, high calorie and fat-filled foods. Research has shown that vegetarians tend to eat less and have a lower BMI so even a slight shift towards plant-based eating can add up to a change on the scale,” she says.
As you evaluate a diet plan before deciding to go all in, you should consider what you’ll be most likely to stick to in the long run. A fad diet that restricts major food groups may sound tempting for short-term results, but a diet that widens the scope of what you eat is more likely to provide lasting results. The flexitarian diet focuses on making sure you’re hitting the main food groups with non-meat proteins, fruits and veggies, whole grains, dairy, sugars and spices, while remaining flexible to fit your lifestyle. Galloway notes, “The plan’s overall calories are flexible based on your activity level, and the plan itself is flexible if a 24/7 plant-based diet isn’t for you.”
Sustainable and long term weight loss is best achieved when you create an eating plan that fuels your body instead of limiting it. Focusing on integrating whole, nourishing foods into your meal plan and making healthy swaps instead of eliminations will net an overall more successful weight loss journey. Galloway stresses that little changes will be most beneficial for weight loss, like adding Premier Protein 30g High Protein Shakes to your coffee in the morning, or making sure there are greens and proteins in most of your meals. If you prescribe to a lifestyle which simplifies your eating and contributes to the changes you want to see, soon enough, those changes will be reflected on the scale.
