“No foods cause fat loss, but certain foods are more conducive to losing fat than others.” – Mike Matthews

Let’s stop looking at foods as either “good” or “bad”. Foods are just combinations of the three macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates and protein). When we stop looking at foods as good or evil and rather, look at them on a scale of nutrient dense vs calorie dense, we can start to really understand which foods should make up the majority of our diet.

In order to maintain a lean and healthy body, we need to prioritize eating mostly whole, nutritious foods. These foods keep us full longer and provide the micronutrients the body needs to keep it healthy.

Let’s break these foods down even further. These are the foods that should make up most (the 80%) of your diet, in order to give yourself the best chance at achieving both sustainable fat loss and general health.

These foods make up the majority of my diet. These are my staples. 80% of my diet revolve around these foods. Hundreds of recipes and meals can be made from just this list of foods. If you are looking to lose weight and keep it off, the majority of your diet should come from these foods to meet your macronutrient and calorie needs.

Once you nail down the majority of your diet, this is where the fun begins. You can then start adding foods into your diet that aren’t traditionally known as fat loss foods. You can add anything you like. It is referred to as Flexible Dieting.

Flexible Dieting – You Don’t Have to Be Perfect

Most fad diets work when you are perfect. And let’s face it, none of us are perfect. Our diet plans shouldn’t require us to be perfect. Long term, sustainable weight loss and weight maintenance only happen when you don’t restrict foods. You can be imperfect and still see results.

Your diet should be flexible because life happens. While we can focus on discipline, consistency and habits to achieve our goals, we can afford to be flexible when it comes to our diet. If we focus on it too much and become neurotic about it, it starts to feel too much like a chore or something that takes away from the quality of our lives. I want to lose and maintain my healthy weight, without it negatively affecting my quality of life. I want it to enhance my quality of life. I don’t want to spend too much time thinking about a certain food that I cannot eat because it is forbidden. I want choices. I want flexibility. I want to eat good food and still lose weight. It’s not only possible, it’s very easily achievable.

You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t need to force down kale salad. You don’t need to stop going out to eat at restaurants. You don’t need to cut out your favorite food or drink. You just need to be intentional about what and how much you are eating and how it is affecting your health and fitness goals.

Phew. All of the pressure is now off you. No more cutting out foods for 12 weeks or longer. No more eating perfectly for three weeks and then binging for a week because you slipped up. All the pressure is off. Just eat the foods that you enjoy, track it and hit your calorie and protein numbers. The weight will come off!