What’s the difference, and which approach should you choose?
With THE BOD, you have the option to follow one of our set meal plans or track your macronutrients.
When creating our programs, we wanted to ensure that we catered to everyone.
We understand that there is no ‘cookie-cutter, one size fits all’ approach when it comes to nutrition. However, we also understand that a set meal plan allows for peace of mind and ease of use for many. We have developed THE BOD to be adaptable to suit all individual circumstances by giving you the option to select between:
- Following our set meal plans
- Following a flexible dieting approach
SET MEAL PLANS
A set meal plan consists of fixed meals you follow and consume day-to-day. Having the same meals provides ease of use, but has its negatives too. Some people find it mentally challenging to eat the same thing every day, while others love the convenience of it.
One advantage and reason we believe in set meal plans is that it shows an example of how you can set out your food and how much food an individual can consume on a specific amount of calories. It can be hard to envision the total daily amount that can be consumed if you’re not familiar with the breakdown and caloric values of food.
If a set meal plan is the lifestyle choice for you, we recommend varying your vegetable intake and fruit selections. This will help to limit any potential nutrient deficiencies that could arise from limiting variety.
SET MEAL PLAN PROS:
- Peace of mind and trust in the program – you simply eat what’s set out for you
- Helps you understand how a certain meal plan can help you achieve a certain goal
- Convenient and suits busier lifestyles
- Food preparation is easier as you are preparing the same meals
SET MEAL PLAN CONS:
- Loss of certain micronutrients/nutrients if you eat the same foods consistently
- Hard to stick to for those who prefer variety in their meals
- Makes eating out ‘harder’ – unlike flexible dieting, the idea of a set meal plan doesn’t take eating out into consideration
FLEXIBLE DIETING
Flexible dieting is allowing yourself the option to follow a meal plan, change up your diet from day-to-day, or do a combination of both while ensuring your caloric and macronutrient needs are met. Macros are proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
Formulas are used to first determine the amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats you need to consume to reach a certain goal. The goal doesn’t necessarily have to be weight loss either, you could be tracking to maintain your weight or even gain. This approach allows you to select the foods you want to eat and still achieve results, as long as you are hitting your macros as closely as possible.
It allows you the freedom to be able to eat different foods that you may crave throughout the day while adapting to different lifestyle circumstances. However, this does not mean eating junk food all day, every day. It’s about allowing you the flexibility to be able to live your life with balance and enjoy treats in moderation. The secret is doing this without going over your required macros and calories, allowing you to still achieve your goals and get that butt you deserve.
Within flexible dieting, health is your number one priority. You still need to ensure that the majority of your intake is made up of minimally processed and wholefood options, and you adhere to your micronutrient needs (minerals, fibre, and vitamin intake) too.
FLEXIBLE DIETING PROS:
- Allows you to eat out socially and has more flexibility in your day-to-day eating
- Allows you to include a variety of foods and source nutrients from an array of produce
- Convenient, and able to be followed when travelling, socialising or at work functions
FLEXIBLE DIETING CONS:
- Food preparation is harder if you are planning to eat different things day-to-day
- You need to commit to measuring and weighing your food
- It can lead to unhealthy behaviour if you aren’t opting for mainly wholefoods in your diet
Have you been thinking about switching to tracking your macros?
Don’t be put off by the measuring and weighing of it all! When done right, tracking your own macros is a healthy and maintainable way of life that allows you to change your body composition at the same time. After learning how to track and weigh your food correctly, it becomes as natural as riding a bike!
Whether you prefer set meal plans or flexible dieting, we're here for you every step of your nutritional journey. Get your FREE 7-day trial of THE BOD app today!
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