Nutrition Plan: The Pros & Cons of Following One

Are you in search of the next nutrition plan or diet plan that’s really going to “work” for you. Maybe you’re even committed to finding a nutrition plan that’s more tailored and personalised to your needs.

But I am going to take a guess that you’ve done this before. 

Am I right?

If you’re constantly “on” or “off” of something, or just generally “worried” about whether you’re eating right, you’ve come to the right place. 

In this article, I am going to explain what a nutrition plan or diet plan is, the pros and cons of following one, and offer up an alternative. 

First of all, what is a diet plan or nutrition plan?

In this context, I am referring to a structured set of guidelines that tells you what, when and how much to eat. It might be rigid, or allow a lot of flexibility. They are usually used for the purpose of pursuing health, for weight loss, or other body goals.

Examples of rules included in a nutrition plan might be:

• Have protein at EVERY meal and snack
• Drink water, X Litres a day minimum
• Every meal must be balanced
• Always include X pieces of fruit a day

There are also examples of more extreme rigid plans. For example, a Keto Diet Plan, 21 day fix meal plan, intermittent fasting plan, dash diet plan.

Why am I qualified to talk about this?

As a Registered Dietitian having worked in the NHS and in private practice, I have a wealth or experience. I’ve also navigated my own way out of a tricky relationship with food. I therefore, have first hand experience. I’ve worked in settings where I have delivered personalised, tailored, and flexible meal plans, gentle nutrition guidance and education. On the flip side, I have helped people cultivate more of a trusting relationship with food and their body, well away from meal plans and rules. So here’s what I have learnt.

The pros of following a nutrition plan or diet plan

• A quick fix: Nutrition plans can initially offer something to follow, a sense of purpose, and can take the “planning” element away. For this reason, a nutrition plan might free up some time initially too.
• Education: A nutrition plan, if balanced, might be able to offer some nutritional knowledge, Also, provide an outline of what a balanced healthy diet might look like.
• Disease or chronic illness: In some circumstances (like for those on dialysis for kidney failure, with PCOS, diabetes) nutrition education can be very helpful. It can even be life saving when delivered in the right way.
• Eating disorder recovery: In eating disorder recovery, some gentle nutrition structure from a trained practitioner can be very helpful. When the body is underfed, depleted, and/or eating is chaotic, some gentle nutrition guidance can be offered to normalise eating. This needs to be delivered by a specialist eating disorder dietitian or healthcare practitioner.

The cons of following a nutrition plan or diet plan

• Short lived: In my experience, many people find themselves on and off of them. They tend to be short lived, and many people find it unenjoyable, unsustainable and inflexible. As humans, we’re generally not well suited to stick to rules! 

• Do not allow for spontaneity: What if you just fancy a bowl or cheesy pasta? Or you go to someone’s house and they cook something that doesn’t fit with the plan. Following a nutrition plan can induce guilt and anxiety, and not allow for spontaneity of life events.

• Offer something to fall off of: Nutrition plans offer something to step onto, and then fall off. This can induce black and white thinking around food, and the sense of being an “all or nothing”. 

• Induce rebellion eating: This is the voice that comes in when you fall off the nutrition plan, or eat outside of the guidelines. The voice that says “you can’t tell me what to eat” or “I can eat because I want to voice“. It’s usually not attuned to hunger and fullness, and is quite intense, rebellious and not satisfying. Because it’s usually about making a statement.

• Result in the sod it mentality: When you have one biscuit and think ‘”sod it, that’s me ruined for the day”. Dieters tend to evaluate their successes or failures of eating in terms of the current day. Even just thinking that you have blown your diet plan or nutrition plan is enough to trigger eating more, regardless of hunger or fullness levels.

• Inflexible and don’t account for varying needs of the body: Just like our emotional needs very day to day, our hunger levels, and what brings us joy, pleasure does too. There is no such a thing as perfect.

• The irony of thought suppression: Don’t think of a pink elephant…. you thought of a pink elephant right? This is exactly what happens when we try to not eat something because we’ve been told not to. A large body of research indicates that thought suppression is ineffective.

• The last supper effect: For many, just the anticipation of starting a new diet is enough to trigger overeating. A study on chocolate lovers found that when chocolate restriction was imposed for 3 weeks, it triggered an increase in the amount of chocolate eaten both before and after the restrictive period.

• The forbidden fruit effect: A large body of research on children has identified that when we tell them not to eat that specific food (red M&Ms for example), the red M&Ms received the most attention and consumption. The same goes when you tell the children not to eat fruit… This means it’s not just an effect that is related to high fat and high sugar foods. It’s the forbidden factor that drives the want to eat the food.

• Overeating: Restrained eaters are more likely to overeat, at just the perceptions of breaking a food rule. Studies have identified that the mere perception of blowing the diet or falling off the plan, was enough to trigger overeating.

• They can offer a false sense of hope: Nutrition plans give off the idea that there is a “perfect” or “right” way to eat. In reality, there is no such a thing as a perfect diet.

If nutrition plans aren’t serving me, what’s an alternative?

It can seem attractive to be told via a nutrition plan, what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat, especially when you’re feeling out of control around food. I totally see the attraction of gaining a quick sense of control.

The thing is, being given more rules, and more things to follow, can actually exacerbate these issues in the long term. Many people that I work with don’t need more nutrition knowledge. In fact, they have a wealth of it. Maybe even too much, so much so, that it’s having a detrimental effect. 

They need a different approach, and that’s what Intuitive Eating or non-diet support can offer. 

Non-diet approaches teach people to become more connected with their body, and become the boss of themself. This means, never need to rely on a meal plan again. Sounds exciting right?

Now this doesn’t mean letting go of all planning per se. Of course, a basic part of self-care is having food available at home to honour your needs as and when. But there is a difference between having a variety of meal options available to honour your needs, versus being strict around what you can eat, and when, without flexibility and spontaneity. 

So what’s the verdict?

In my experience, and from the research, nutrition plans and diet plans can do more long term damage than good. Especially in those that struggle with binge eating, secret eating, food obsession, and disconnected eating. They can result in a lack of body trust, and lack of ability to honour and respond to natural signals like hunger, fullness, satiety and satisfaction. Nutrition plans may be the very thing that exacerbated or even started these difficulties. 

If you’ve been chronically dieting, or trying to pursue thinness or weight loss in some form, even the best, most flexible and gentle nutrition guidelines can still be embraced like a diet. Be mindful of what you read on the internet. It might be time to try something new! There is certainly a place for gentle nutrition planning. It’s a basic form of self-care to have food available to you day to day. However, nutrition and diet plans tend to be more rigid, less flexible, and aim to keep you in a calorie/macro framework, and this is where trouble can occur. 

If you’re wanting to find out more about building more body trust and becoming the boss of yourself, without relying on nutrition plans, my 7-Steps to Food Peace & Food Freedom audio guide and workbook, might be a good place to start.

Are you wondering if you can stop dieting without gaining weight?

Perhaps you’re wanting to stop counting calories, begin reverse dieting so that you can eat naturally and normally?

Whilst we know weight loss is possible for the majority it often can creep back on (and more).

If you’ve experienced stopping dieting and gaining weight back, or have a fear weight regain after dieting, you’re not alone. 

Stopping weight gain after dieting, is not about needing more willpower.

Research tells us that our bodies are not designed to be withheld from food.

In fact, there is level A evidence (the highest level of evidence available) to show that regardless of the degree of initial weight loss people experience, most weight is regained within a 2-year period and by 5 years the majority of people are at their pre-diet body weight.

Our bodies try their hardest to protect our highest adult weight. 

The theory behind this is called the “set-point” weight. That’s the weight that our bodies are genetically programmed to maintain – and this can vary across our life span.

If you and I were to eat the same thing each day, and do the same amount of exercise, our bodies would not be the same size.

Our weight is not designed to stay the same, despite what diet culture has us believe. 

And our set-point weight can be changed, through dieting. But not the way that I think you’re wanting to hear.

When you repeatedly try to force your body below where it naturally wants to be, your body may eventually increase your set-point range in order to protect you from future states of food deprivation (aka dieting). 

That’s why up to two thirds of people that re-gain weight, regain it plus more. The weight can just keep rising with each and every diet.

Your body then tries to defend our highest adult weight.

And I’m not here to shame weight gain or say that this is your “fault”. I am here to say that your body is just doing its thing to keep you alive, and if weight regain happens after dieting, calorie counting, restriction, it could well be because your body is just protecting you! 

The cycle goes something like this… 

So is it possible to stop dieting without gaining weight?

The answer is not straightforward. Because weight is dependent on a number of factors including your genetics, dieting history, medications, body composition, health conditions, your eating behaviours, your relationship with food and the list can go on.

Around 70% of individual differences in body weight are determined by genetics.

And our bodies have their own internal thermostat to keep you at this set-point weight. 

A bit like how our body controls its temperature within a tightly controlled range, the body has its own weight thermostat that sits in a part of your brain called the hypothalamus. It’s constantly working and being sent signals from your body fat stores to keep your body safe and happy.

When your brain notices tiny fluctuations in fat stores, your body responds by telling your body processes (like appetite, carbohydrate cravings) to maintain your set point. It’s a finely tuned and robust process.

Your set point can be anywhere along the spectrum, from thin to fat – and it might not necessarily fit within societies ideas of “healthy” or “ideal”.

So in answer to the question “can you stop dieting without gaining weight?” – It’s pretty out of your control. 

How do you figure out your set point weight?

Your set point weight is the weight your body goes to when you:

• Eat to your appetite
• Respond to signals of hunger and fullness
• Don’t fixate on your weight or food habits
• Stop dieting – the weight it usually returns to (and this can creep up the more you diet)
• Take care of yourself physically and mentally

No measure can determine your set-point weight, but scientists estimate that the average person has a set-point range which varies between 5-10ks. And the only way to identify what your set point weight is, is to learn how to eat normally… It sounds simple, but I know how complex that statement is, in a world that’s telling you that you can’t be trusted around food, and need to control – how are you supposed to know what normal eating is?

When you try to control your weight through dieting (pursuit of weight loss in any form), you disrupt your body’s internal regulatory system. It creates a disconnect between mind and body. The body is saying one thing (e.g. feed me, I am hungry), and the mind is saying another (e.g. you can’t eat again, you’ve already hit your calorie limit today), and boom… this is the perfect storm for binge eating, food anxiety, food guilt, eating past comfortable fullness, secret eating, etc. There is a disconnect between biology (the body) and the mind. Biology always wins. It’s powerful. 

If you’re wondering why weight gain happens easily…

The bottom of the set-point range is closely regulated, however, the top end is not so. That means your body sees weight gain as less of a threat, and it can therefore be easy to override the signals that say “stop eating”, subsequently gain weight, and rise above the natural set point. The set point weight then rises. Also, dieting not only disrupts the signals your body is trying to give you, but it can raise the set-point weight. Hence why body weight can increase with each and every diet.

So what can you do?

Battling with your set-point nearly always ends up with negative consequences, physically and mentally – with a side of body dissatisfaction and food preoccupation. 

But the good news is that there is something else you can do instead, that has more of a positive effect on self-worth, and overall health and wellbeing. And most importantly, it challenges the popular and incorrect idea that weight is entirely in our control, is our personal responsibility, and determines our worth!

Intuitive Eating is a non-diet approach to health, helping you connect with your innate inner body wisdom. It’s a weight-inclusive, evidence-based model with a validated assessment scale and over 120 studies to date. Research shows that intuitive eaters tend to eat more variety, have more body appreciation, more protection against eating disorders, more connection with their body, and:

• Are not preoccupied with food or dieting
• Do not label foods as good or bad
• Place importance on taste/satisfaction of food
• Choose foods that enhance body’s function
• Have awareness & trust of hunger + satiety cues
• Use hunger and satiety cues to determine when & how much to eat

Are you ready to get out of the repeated cycle of losing weight only to regain it?

To stop worrying about stopping dieting without gaining weight, and to try something new?

If this sounds like something you might be interested in exploring further, why not try my free audio guide with an actionable workbook, with 7-steps actionable steps to finding food peace & food freedom.

You’re not alone, you’re not “broken”, and I’m here for you! 

Recommended Resources:

• Book: Body Respect
• Podcast: Weight Set Point Theory
• Podcast: The Anti-Diet with Evelyn Tribole

Gut Health Testing Kits – Expert Opinion

Gut health is an exciting area, and there’s tons of emerging research. You might be wondering how we can best manage our relationship with food, whilst juggling the improving gut health?

Why do we care about gut health?

Our guts do a whole lot of important work. Our small intestines play a role in up-taking nutrients from the food we eat and then shuttling those nutrients around for use in the rest of the body. The large intestine is important to maintaining fluid and electrolyte metabolism (like salt, potassium, and magnesium) while also digesting the more fibrous foods we like to eat. Both the small and large intestine are home to bacteria that help maintain our internal ecosystem. These bacteria are thought to play a role in: The digestion of nutrients, our ability to fight infections (most of our immune system is located in the gut!), and are thought to play a role in our mental health as well.

Principle no.10 of Intuitive Eating (IE) is “honour your health with gentle nutrition”. There’s a reason that this principle is last. So if you’re still working through your relationship with food, keep working through the principles! “Healthy eating” really needs to be put on the back-burner for a short while – I know this might sound a little odd coming from a Dietitian.

In light of ‘honouring health’, Atlas Biomed asked me to try out their microbiome testing kit. They’re on a mission to drive the movement towards preventive healthcare with technology that helps people understand their gut. They’re the only company in the UK to have MHRA approval to sell gut tests directly to consumers – this means they are regulated for safety, quality, and effectiveness and are supported by Gov.uk.

After receiving my home test kit, I posted a very small sample of my poop off to the lab in a pre-paid box. My results came back in 5 weeks. I was fascinated to see that my microbiome diversity level was just above average, that I’m a “veggie muncher”, and that my risk of certain disease is “average” to “low”. It was also interesting to see the long lists of the bacteria in my gut!

So what’s the low down? Are these tests worth your money? I will let you decide.

Pros:

• It’s fascinating to get a glimpse into the diversity of bugs in my gut.
• It could be interesting to compare test results month on month.

Cons:

• No standards of ‘normal and healthy’ exist for the gut microbiota.
• When assessing risk of disease based on gut microbiome, there’s a huge chicken-and-egg question involved.
• There is little understanding for what healthcare professionals can recommend off the back of these results that would be different to current dietary recommendations for health individuals which are to increase our variety of fibre containing foods.
• The recommendation and insight could be triggering for someone with disordered eating/eating disorders.

What will change for me off the back of this? Not much! As per the current recommendations to improve gut bacteria in a healthy individual, I will continue to be a “veggie muncher”, finding tasty and exciting ways to add different fruits, veggies and fibrous foods to my diet amongst munching on other tasty fun foods too!

So now you may be wondering, what can you do specifically to support your gut health outside of taking a test?

Here are 4 dietary strategies to support your gut

1. Enjoy those fruits and veggies! Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber that not only support our gut health but support our whole body. Incorporating a few fruit and vegetable sources throughout the day has been shown to promote the health of your gut. Consuming increased amounts of these foods have been shown to be associated with lower risks of colon cancer too!

2. In addition to increasing dietary fiber through fruits and vegetables, you can increase dietary fibre through the consumption of whole grains! Oats, whole grain breads, brown rice, and quinoa are all examples of whole grains you could give a try.

3. Probiotics are another means of improving gut health. When you think probiotics, think fermentation! These foods include yogurt, kimchi, kefir, miso, and sauerkraut. These are microorganisms that support gut health. Some health-food stores may sell probiotics in a pill form, but they are rather expensive. We also don’t know what combination of these microorganisms and at what dose are necessary to promote health and what microorganisms don’t really help. Therefore, for healthy individuals, it is recommended to take a food-first approach and include probiotics from food sources rather than a pill.

4. We have discussed probiotics and how having those in your diet are good for your gut health, but what supports probiotics? Prebiotics are microorganisms that support the health of the probiotics, which ultimately support us. Not all fiber sources are prebiotics but most prebiotics are a source of fibre.* Sources of prebiotics include many different fruits and vegetables, like; apricots, dates, dried figs and mango, watermelon, asparagus, beetroot, leeks, okra, onions, almonds, pistachios, rye, spelt, cashews, chamomile tea, silken tofu, fennel tea, and legumes.

One thing that is unique about the Atlas Biomed microbiome test is that they remove some of the guess work for you. They were able to provide me with some more insight into my own personal microbiome diversity and made recommendations on which foods I could opt to include in my diet to increase the diversity of my microbiome. It looks like meals with marrow, pumpkin, garlic, and walnut are on the cards for me!

If you want to know more ways to support not only your gut health, but your overall health through gentle nutrition, seek out the help of your local registered dietitian. Because this article cannot replace individualised recommendations. We would love to help!

*Hannah D. Holscher (2017) Dietary fiber and prebiotics and the gastrointestinal microbiota, Gut Microbes, 8:2, 172-184, DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2017.1290756

Note: This article was written as a paid partnership with Atlas Biomed. 

Is the Game Changers credible?

Let’s discuss some of the claims, faults, and truths of the Game Changers Movie.

Are eating plants good for us?

Will transitioning to a plant-based diet give you more athletic endurance?

 

Plant-based sources of protein like beans, pulses and other starches do not contain all the essential amino acids that our bodies need. To achieve a balanced diet, a variety of plant-based protein sources are required. These plant-based protein sources, tend to naturally contain more carbohydrates. So eating a low-carbohydrate vegan diet would be next to impossible.

What about the doctors featured in Game Changers who swear by vegan diets?

Does eating meat hurt how blood flows throughout the body?

Does eating plants help endothelial function?

Can I get enough protein on a vegan or vegetarian diet?

Is a plant-based diet vegan?

Take home message from the Game Changers:

• Veganism and vegetarianism are acceptable ways to eat.
• Veganism and vegetarianism are not for everyone.
• Eating more of the plants we like to eat, regardless of whether we eat meat, is good for our health.
• Documentaries like The Game Changers or What the Health are often sensationalised and use language that can be fear-mongering.
• While studies have found there to be a reduced risk of certain health conditions when following a vegetarian or vegan diet, this is observational data. This means that large groups of people are followed/observed over time and associations are made. This sort of data cannot speculate that the vegan diet caused the person to be more healthy or have reduced risk of certain health conditions. We can only make associations. We also know from population data that those who follow vegan-based diets,  then to be more “health-conscious” in general. So is it all about the diet? Or is it that they engage in other health-promoting behaviours? For example not smoking, moving more, using strategies to reduce stress etc.