You’re eating healthy. Salads for lunch. Grilled chicken for dinner. Maybe some egg whites for breakfast.
But you’re still not seeing change.
Sound familiar?
Here’s what’s probably happening. You’re doing everything that looks right on paper.
You’re eating like a rabbit for days on end with no results to show for it.
It can be frustrating because you know what healthy eating looks like! You’re already doing it. So what’s the deal?
There Are Two Different Games Being Played
I have this conversation with our weight loss clients all the time. There are two ways to approach dieting, and most people are using one when they need the other.
You’re either…
1. Dieting for a physical change in your body
or
2. You’re dieting for long-term health.
Both have overlap. Both matter.
But they’re practiced very differently. And this is where so many people, even coaches, get lost.
With all the noise out there about eating right, it’s hard to know what actually matters for what you’re trying to accomplish.
But you already have a pretty good idea of what to do. You just need clarity on which approach fits what you want right now.
So let me ask you this…
What do you want more right now?
Do you want to change how you look in the mirror?
Or do you want to build a lifestyle that makes you feel better in the long run?
It’s completely okay to want both! There’s good overlap between them.
But I want you to know which one is most important to you right now.
Because once you’re clear on that, you’ll know exactly what to focus on.
Dieting for Physical Change
When you’re dieting for a physical outcome, you’re prioritizing changing your body over eating as “healthy” as possible.
Now, I’d strongly recommend eating as many whole, quality foods as you can during this process. You’ll build great habits that transition you into a healthier life after. But right now just eating spinach and eggs isn’t the goal.
Changing your body is.
So here’s what actually moves the needle:
Calories, macronutrients, and adherence.
That’s it. Food quality will support these things, but it’s not necessary for the outcome you’re after.
I’ll show you what we track as an example!
This is a screenshot of the things we track for someone who is dieting for physical change.
We track total calories, macronutrient intake, and whether you can actually stick to the plan.
If you hit your numbers eating mostly whole foods?
Love that.
If you hit them in general this is also great!
The goal is changing your body, and these are the variables that matter.
Dieting for Long-Term Health
When you’re dieting for long-term health, you’re prioritizing different things:
Dietary pattern. Food quality and variety. Fiber and produce intake. Getting recommended amounts of macronutrients. And sustainability.
This is typically what you think of when you think of “healthy eating.”
Can you lose weight eating like this?
Absolutely!
Can you improve your body composition?
Yes!
But living a healthy, sustainable life is the priority here, not the scale or the mirror.
We’re looking at things like daily recommended micronutrient intake (meeting healthy minimums: they look a little different than optimizing for fat loss or muscle gain), how much produce you’re getting, whether your diet is something you can maintain for years, and if you’re building habits that support longevity.
So these are some of the things we would track for a diet like this.
So what do you do right now?
Both approaches are valid. Both have their place. The problem is when you mix them up.
If you want to lose 20 pounds for a wedding in three months, you need the first approach.
If you want to feel better and build habits that stick for the next 20 years, you need the second one.
And here’s the thing… you can transition between them. Diets shouldn’t last forever!
Start with physical change if that’s what you need right now, then shift to health-focused eating to maintain it.
Or build the health habits first, then dial in the specifics when you want to see changes in the mirror.
It’s your life. You know your body better than anyone else. Chose what approach works for you!
Just know which game you’re playing so you’re not frustrated doing all the “right” things for the wrong goal.
If you want more clarity on which approach fits you feel free to join our Facebook group where we break down this stuff regularly and answer questions from people in the same spot you’re in.
I’m pretty active in there every day and I love talking about this stuff! Feel free to share your struggles, wins, questions and more! I’ll be right there to support you along your journey!
Click here to join: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CoJavVdxM/