Most people tend to judge their nutrition plan or diet by what’s going on with the scale and/or mirror. But that’s only a small part of the picture. What we eat influences a variety of factors that make up our overall health and sense of wellbeing.
It’s not enough to get the results we’re after – how we feel physically and mentally and how our bodies function matter too. And everyone’s different, and our bodies are complex and ever changing, so it’s important that we approach our eating with experimentation in mind. What works for one person is a disaster for another. (As a note, I use the terms “nutritional plan” and “diet” to mean the way you eat every day, in addition to traditional weight loss diets or plans that address health conditions.)
You can tell your nutrition plan is working for you in the following six ways:
- You feel satisfied after meals.
Satisfaction is important, both in a physical sense and a psychological one. At the end of a meal you should feel as if you’ve had enough food to feel physically satisfied (but not stuffed) and be able to go 3-4 hours between meals without intense hunger pangs or cravings. Of course, we should seek to fit in plenty of nutrient-dense foods, but not at the expense of the pleasure of the eating experience. This is a core tenet of intuitive eating and just a more enjoyable way of living.
- You have consistent energy throughout the day.
The goal of a healthy, balanced diet is to fuel your body properly and provide the energy you need for your everyday life and workouts. If you’re low on energy in general or it fluctuates throughout the day or from day to day, something’s off. You may need more carbs in general or to better balance out the protein, fat, and carbs among your meals. Cutting calories too drastically can also cause your energy levels to flatline.
- You’re sleeping better.
Eating a lot of highly processed foods and sugar can disrupt sleep, as can cutting calories and carbs. A balanced diet stabilizes blood sugar and the hormones needed to fall and stay asleep. Going to bed hungry will also make quality sleep elusive.
- Your mood has improved.
When your body is getting the nutrients and energy it needs to regulate your mood on a consistent basis, you’re in a good place. Experiencing mood swings or frequently feeling “hangry” points to an issue that needs to be addressed.
- It feels sustainable.
It doesn’t matter if you get the physical results you want with your diet if you can’t stick with it long enough to keep them. If you’re white-knuckling it and looking forward to an end date when you can relax your eating, it’s not sustainable.
- You don’t feel deprived & enjoy what you’re eating.
Restriction, whether it’s by dropping calories or carbs or cutting out favorite foods, tends to lead to overindulgence later. You shouldn’t have to use every ounce of willpower you have each day or micromanage every bite or sip. A good sign that you’re on the right track is when you’re not thinking about food all the time, and you can eat out at restaurants or go to social events without stress or feeling like you’re going “off plan.”
It’s not enough to see your diet as a means to an end. Sure, we all want results, whether that’s a leaner body, strength and fitness, better health, or whatever (insert your goal here), but we don’t have to feel like crap to get there. In fact, we should feel pretty damn good most of the time.
Strict nutritional plans and fad diets do more harm than good and can lead to disordered eating patterns and negative health consequences. But by monitoring how our eating affects our body and mind (and not just by the scale or the fit of our clothes), we can get results without losing our minds.