WHAT'S THE BEST DIET?
This is probably the number one question I get asked as a Fitness Coach.
And the truth is, it depends! Nutrition is not a one size fits all approach!
You also definitely want to take into consideration; mental health, body image, relationship with food, lifestyle, and time available. BUT if we are strictly talking about wanting to see your body transform, my rec would be macro tracking.
As you see above, for 6 years or so I had been lifting 5 days a week, and eating a clean, healthy diet, and although my strength would increase, my physique looked relatively the same for years. Within 6 months of consistently tracking my macros, I was able to entirely change my physique WITHOUT changing my training routine! Why is that? Well, I was able to learn exactly how my calorie intake impacted my physique, and be positive each day I was eating in a way that aligned with my goals.
In my opinion, the most embodied and connected way for humans to eat is through intuitive eating. However, intuitive eating calls for listening to your body's hunger cues, and choosing to fulfill them with something that allows you to feel satiated and satisfied, and then stop eating when you're full. If your goal is weight gain, or weight loss, you likely will be needing to eat more, or eat less calories than what your body may be cueing you to do, which doesn't entirely align with intuitive eating. It can also be hard to listen to your body after years of not doing so. Your hunger cues also may be highly skewed depending on if you have been a chronic dieter, or consistently over-eat. Lastly, the overwhelm of hyperpalatable foods we have access too can also make intuitive eating a challenge depending on where you're at in your journey.
For lifestyle clients I don't love the idea of macro tracking long term, because I don't ever want my clients to feel so structured, or to view food as a unit. My goal for everyone I work with is to create a relationship with their food and deep reverence for how they choose to view their body. However I love macro tracking as a tool for transformation, to learn portion sizes, to get into an eating schedule and to see big results!
Need help with your macro tracking journey? DM me today!