The first thing I want to share with you is this: I was once as confused about weight loss and nutrition as you may be.
We are absolutely flooded with information and it changes almost daily! The best plan is the one that works for you AND is sustainable long term.
My approach with every client is to help them discover what works best them. It’s not my job (I don’t feel it should be anyone’s job) to tell you specifically what to eat or judge you for your food choices.
I ate 100% plant-based for 10 years until recently. I’d been feeling “off” for many months. I finally listened to what my body needed. I switched some foods out of my diet and incorporated foods like fish and eggs a few days a week. The change has made a big difference in the way I feel.
So even though I was vegan for so many years, I made the decision to let go of labeling myself anything.
Instead I focus on careful, humane food sourcing and shopping local when purchasing fish or eggs. I continue eating plant-based the rest of the time.
For the last 10 years I’ve helped many of my clients uncover food intolerance issues. If that’s something you are dealing with, let me know during your assessment.
When it comes to bodyweight, how much you eat is FAR more important than what you eat. I had a hard time wrapping my head around this years ago. You can, and will, gain or lose weight whether you’re eating the same calories in healthy foods or junk foods.
you are given macros. Macros are how the calories you eat are broken down into protein, carbohydrate and dietary fat. Each play a different role toward your goal, and it’s important to understand how they relate toward your calories.
In order to reach YOUR goal physique you need a good macronutrient balance.
First we will determine an appropriate macro balance for your goals. Then you will track what you are eating and how that matches to your macro targets. Once you are doing that consistently, we make further adjustments to the target macros to really dial in your optimum food intake.
Whether you want to lose, gain or maintain your weight, the great thing about tracking is that it allows you to have a diet full of variety with no limitation. You’ll also get a much better idea of which macro you should eat.
The process also brings a better sense of awareness to the quality of food you’re eating! Not all calories are created equal. We’re surrounded by temptations and foods that are easy to overeat.
Tracking should be a balance of learning how much you should eat based on your goals, and not getting overly obsessed where it creates anxiety. You should be able to go out for a nice dinner, enjoy it and not worry about deviating from your plan. And you should be able to get to a baseline without feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
As your coach your health is my priority. I’ll guide you week by week in the Strong by Shawn Fitness Program to not only learn but succeed in flexible dieting. You’ll also discover tools to reduce your stress and more valuable weight loss suggestions.
