This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, partially because I’m a nerd. Not trying to find the Perfect diet to maintain the rest of my life, just interested to hear others’ opinions on what is Reasonable or Good Enough.
In my own attempt to describe it, I’ve only gotten to simplify as far as “only eat 1-2 times per day.”
There’s more I could add, but I feel that it gets too complicated and distracts from the point.
For example: I like to discuss habitual versus actual hunger, then say “only eat when you’re hungry, but be honest with what hungry actually means.” Same thing with being full, “eat until full, but be honest with what full means.” However even for myself, these two descriptions may take more self-awareness than is required for Reasonable/Good Enough.
Thoughts?
I personally believe that in order to find "the perfect diet" you have to look at the lifestyle that you live. Everything from the amount of sleep you get, stress levels, hours of work, training schedules, kids, and dietary restrictions.
Someone who is a firefighter or a nurse is probably not someone who can eat more frequently. So to say that is "the way to do it" would be incorrect.
Principles never change though.
Proper balance between all micro and macro nutrients is where people get lost. It's always about the "next big thing, and oh that looks good" If my plate looks like 1/2 veggies, 1/4 protein, and 1/4 fat, i'm probably doing it right. Obviously all those other things I had mentioned at the beginning will effect this as well as the actual size of each of those portions, but that is the general concept.
In my own personal opinion, unless you have a dietary restriction due to religion, allergens etc, you should never avoid any food group.
The problem with only eating when you are hungry, IMO, is that so many people have jacked up metabolism because of years of drastically under eating or excessively unbalanced eating. Their bodies don't know which way is up or down and they need to be "reset", if you will, back to homeostasis.
After that they are able to understand what is really hunger and what is boredom or fill in the blank with whatever emotion is tied to it.
I'd say at least 80% of the people I have worked with over the past 10 years, are under eating. If you were to have someone, or you if you wanted to see where you stand, use a food logging app like my fitness pal, track all your food for 1 week. Don't change anything, just eat what you normally eat and drink and compare that to where you should be. The calculator for MFP is generally pretty close. You'd be surprised. Again, when I say you, I'm really meaning anyone.
For the clients I work with, I find that focusing on becoming more aware of what they are eating, having them slow down when they eat, and stop when they reach I certain point of being full, puts people in a much better position to understand what their bodies are trying to say to them.
I don't know if that answered it, or not, Sorry if I went off into a tangent there. hahaha, a lot of thoughts just popped up as I started typing.
btw, my first post here, so yea.....