Often our Exante family, particularly those of you following Total Solution, ask us how to start reverse dieting. This is the process of starting to eat more 'real' foods and increase your calorie intake once you've reached your goal weight.
Because Exante works on the process of reducing your calories, there is often a fear that you are going to put all the weight back on the moment you start eating more again. There are a number of reasons why, if you follow our plan and advice, this will not happen.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Everybody will tell you how difficult it is to lose weight, how hard emotionally it can be and the challenges that you will face whilst trying to do so. However, nobody ever talks about how tough it can be once you have lost the weight too. People live in fear of weight gain or alternatively end up bingeing once they reach goal as they can't wait to eat all the foods that they have missed out on. You remember the preparation, planning and careful consideration of what you ate while on the plan? Well, that doesn't just stop, there is a process to how to introduce more food back into your diet, and just like with weight loss, it's a slow one.
How to Start Reverse Dieting
Be patient: As we’ve mentioned, it’s a slow process and you have to be patient with it. Increase your calorie intake each week (around 50-100 per week). By slowly increasing your calories, you will eventually reach your daily recommended allowance and will be able to maintain your weight loss.
Don’t indulge: Just because you’re no longer technically ‘dieting’, doesn’t mean you can inhale 3 packets of chocolate biscuits on a Friday Night (although we would all of course love to!). Losing weight is the start of developing a healthy lifestyle and although the plan you are on might be temporary, the lifestyle isn’t.
Enjoy Food: We’re talking about learning to enjoy delicious, healthy, wholesome foods and understanding that these are good for your health! If you have been following Total Solution, the fear of starting to eat whole foods again can be a little overwhelming. However, instead of dreading it, look forward to it and look forward to fuelling your body with nutritious and delicious foods.
Come up with a plan and stick to it: Just like with losing weight, following a plan ensures you have something to refer to when you feel yourself falling off the wagon. Reverse dieting only works if you plan ahead, continue to monitor your calories and plan how you’re going to slowly introduce more food into your diet.
The benefits of reverse dieting
So now you know how, here’s why you should be doing it:
- It prevents you putting on the weight you’ve worked to so hard to lose.
- It allows you to enjoy delicious foods but teaches you moderation in how to do it.
- It keeps you sane! Really, it does prevent you feeling panicked about suddenly eating again and gives you control over adding foods back into your diet.
- You can actually start to enjoy exercise more. This is a great one if you have been following our Total Solution Plan as vigorous exercise is not recommended. Now with more calories and more energy to burn you can enjoy the benefits of getting a sweat on! And even if that’s not your thing, you will notice an increase in energy and how you feel.
Our top tips for reverse dieting if you are on our Total Solution Plan:
- Start by replacing one shake with a meal, usually dinner. After 1 - 2 weeks, replace another shake with a meal, usually lunch.
- Replace shakes with one of our balanced range meals to know that you are still getting a calorie controlled, and nutrient-packed meal that isn't going to damage your success.
- Many of our Total Solution Customers change to our Flexi Solution once they are near or have achieved a goal and find this a healthy, sustainable plan to live by.
- Slowly introduce healthy snacks such as veggies, hummus, fruit or any of our delicious Exante snacks which are calorie controlled, high protein and great to take on the go.
