A fat loss diet doesn’t need to be that complicated. Here are three ways to make it easier: 

Don’t stress about the little things.

Getting bogged down with meal timings, paying very particular attention to certain food groups, hormones, supplements etc can result in unnecessary stress and agro. Relax about the way you eat and let it fit your lifestyle and time constraints. Aim to consume a higher protein diet based around a broad spectrum of colourful fruits and vegetables. Eat whole grains and high fibre foods with a wide variety of fat sources. Worry about these basic dietary principles before ever considering the former.

Get Flexible, Get Real

A fat loss diet in the mainstream media is seen as all or nothing restriction. Cut out all the ‘bad stuff’ and only eat the ‘healthy stuff’. This is simply not sustainable for the masses. We are surrounded by temptation. There are a multitude of highly processed, high fat, sugary foods with the ability to push our daily intake above and beyond maintenance whilst supplying us with very little in the way of vitamins and minerals. Try to incorporate a diet where 80-90% of your intake is from lean cut meats (chicken, lean mince, turkey), high fibre carbohydrates (potatoes (with the skin), whole grains, various fruits, beans and legumes), a variety of fat sources (olive oil, coconut oil, dairy, nuts) and of course vegetables. You could consider 10-20% of your diet consisting of some of those ‘naughty treats’ you’ve been craving. BEWARE. This is does not give you liberty to simply stuff your face. Be very mindful of your goal and don’t kid yourself.

Track. But not all the time.

Using a food tracker/log to record each and every meal can be a fantastic tool for many. It allows you to see where you’re at with regard to your intake for the day. Some however find this monotonous and tiresome. Weighing everything, logging all the time can seem like a burden. For these types of individuals I would suggest tracking for 7 days. Record everything, weigh everything and really get a feel for what you’re eating on a daily basis. Then simply following those principles in a ‘free living’ situation. You’ll typically consume the same foods through the week so very little adjustment is likely necessary. If you find your weight creeping up or a little too hungry then get back to tracking and figure out where you’re maybe going wrong.