Diets are daunting, and the mere thought of embarking on a new diet program is enough to scare anyone away. Cold-starting a new diet can actually be psychologically and physiologically detrimental, depending on the individual, which is usually due to crash programs.
For those who have difficulty cold-starting new diets and training programs, the "cold-start" approach can lead to a variety of difficulties. First, these tend to be crash-diets, with the immediate goal of rapid weight-loss. People will often fall off these diets within a couple weeks, as they feel poorly due to radical dietary changes. This also can be psychologically harmful, as dieting then becomes synonymous with malaise, failure and, at times, physical harm.
The solution for those who do not like the cold-start approach is to ease into a new diet. Here are some tips on how to ease into a diet to maximize its long-term benefits:
Begin by recording your meals for a week, either in a food log or on apps like MyFitnessPal. This will get you acclimated to logging meals on a daily basis and allow you to conceptualize what you're actually consuming.
Once recorded, analyze your past week's food log. You should focus on the macronutrient profile, i.e. the amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat that you consume on a daily basis. Each individual will have different dietary requirements depending on height, weight, age and level of activity. If you have questions on what the ideal macronutrient ratio is for you, contact the author here.
Figure out where you want your macronutrient goal to be in 4 weeks time. From there, calculate your daily macronutrients for each week until reaching your "goal ratio" by the 4th week. This will allow you ease into a new diet.
You'll find that as the pounds begin to melt off, or your physique begins to improve, you'll become motivated to do more. Remember, the types of foods that you eat are just as important as the calories in them. One's diet should be high in protein and healthy fats but limited in sugary products or processed carbohydrates.
To learn how to best construct your 4-week goal diet or for any dietary tips, contact the author.