Welcome to Part 4 of my series on flexible dieting– Let’s recap: We now know that all Calories really are just Calories (energy); We also know that all carbohydrates end up as one of the same 3 compounds whether it comes from ice cream or a banana. We’ve also learned that we need to be nonrestrictive in our food choices to avoid an unhealthy relationship with food and disordered eating patterns while increasing our chances for success and enjoyment.
So what is there to talk about now?
This isn’t a topic usually discussed with flexible dieting since most that follow this protocol focus on the idea that you can lose weight (or achieve any goal, really) while eating any food you want as long as you control your energy expenditure. While that is true. . . (Source)
. . . Following flexible dieting while being mindful of the healthfulness of your nutrition plan is important! A topic I touch on with all clients, and that I stress with those who are in the more advanced stages of their nutritional planning, is the idea of variety and food choices.
I eat a variety of foods daily– What variety are you talking about?
When I talk about variety, I’m not purely talking about different foods– You could get plenty of variety of grains, but fail to really reap the benefits of “variety.” An example is eating white bread, white rice, animal crackers, and refined pasta, all in the same day. By variety, I mean selecting as diverse foods as possible in group, type, and color.
What do you mean by “Group”?
By group, I mean food group– This is a fairly obvious, but in practice, most people find it hard. When examining your nutrition for a day, ask yourself: are you getting multiple servings of fruits and vegetables? Are you consuming a lean protein source? Are you getting a dairy product, or dairy substitute? Are you consuming a nut product and / or legumes? Is there some whole grain in there? Are you consuming a mix of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins?
These are the sorts of questions you should be asking when you look at your food for the day, and it’s a good idea to maximize variety– Not only does this help to maximize the amounts of different vitamins and minerals, but it also gives you a wide assortment of phytochemicals, which have been shown to have plenty of positive health benefits. (Source 1, Source 2)
As a subset of group, I also bring up “type,” because there are benefits of consuming different types of foods, as well! Are you getting leafy green vegetables as well as cruciferous vegetables? Are you deriving all of your grains from refined sources, or is there a mix of refined and whole grains? Better yet, are all of your grains whole grain? Are you consuming different types of meats / protein sources?
Group and type, as well as color, are ways to maximize the healthfulness of your nutrition plan.
Color? You mean I have to discriminate against certain foods?
The different colors of different foods help you to determine the nutrient and phytochemical content of the food. (Source) Red fruits and vegetables contain Lycopene (as well as countless other nutrients and chemicals), a powerful compound that might have an effect on reducing the incidence of certain cancers. (Source 1, Source 2) That’s just one example. There are many different compounds derived from all of the different colors; you can read more about it here.
It sounds like you’re only talking about healthy stuff. . .
When it comes to flexible dieting, there is definitely room for foods that aren’t necessarily nutrient dense– That’s the whole point of it. Rather than leave any food off limits, you make room for it. Here’s something else to keep in mind, though: Just because a food is more enjoyable, doesn’t mean you can’t think of the health benefits. Take dark chocolate for example– It’s packed full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals. (Source) Does this mean you should eat 300 Calories worth of chocolate each day? Not necessarily, but it also means that foods you may typically associate with being a “Free Food” (One that may not be that nutritious) isn’t always devoid of health benefits. In fact, while there are foods / beverages that are nearly devoid of nutrition (chips and sodas), most foods have some nutritive value.
Is there a “wrong way” to do Flexible Dieting?
Here’s what I advise people do– When tracking your nutrition, be sure to track your fiber intake from non supplemental sources. If your fiber intake is adequate, the chances are, you’re making smart choices in your food, since you’ll be consuming a variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, etc. So how much fiber do you need in a day? (Source)
- Fiber needs for Men: 38g / Day
- Fiber needs for Women: 25g / Day
It’s also worth noting that, if your goals include fat loss, you’ll likely be eating in a Calorie deficit– By choosing more nutrient dense, high fiber foods, you can help keep yourself full since fiber helps with satiety, and you can typically consume higher amounts of nutrient dense foods. Don’t believe me? Weigh out 100 Calories of Broccoli vs. 100 Calories of Chips, and tell me which food has more volume.
There is another way to do flexible dieting wrong, and that is the obsession with trying to eat a “perfect” diet.
There is no perfect diet; and remember that even an obsession with healthfulness can lead to a disordered eating pattern known as “Orthorexia.” That’s why, as much as I love maximizing the healthfulness of my food, I eat ice cream, animal crackers, pancakes, chocolate truffles, See’s Bordeaux Eggs, and other less than nutritive foods on a daily basis– I want to eat them, so why restrict myself? Remember:
Plus, ice cream is a dairy source, right? =)
What I recommend everyone do: Leave between 10 and 20% of your Calories for the so called “free foods.” At the same time, when selecting the foods for the rest of your diet, select options you enjoy! This will help create a great relationship with your healthful nutrition plan!