You know that rush you get when you decide you are never going to eat a certain ‘bad food’ again and imagine what your life would be like if you cut it out altogether? How good does it feel when you make it a week or even a month without this food? The trouble is, what happens when you start to eat that food again? It all comes crashing down around you and you feel like a failure yet again.

For most people, it is not realistic or sensible to cut out whole food groups yet this is the most common problem I see. Lets take ‘carbs’ as a classic example. I was talking to someone the other day who has decided that a life without carbs is the only way to lose weight and keep it off. They mentioned how much better they felt without them and how satisfied they feel with a high fat and low carb diet. The only question to really ask at this point is “can you do it forever?” If the answer is “No” then it’s time to manage those expectations.

Carbs are not the devil. Our brain actually needs them for fuel! Obviously which ones we choose to eat are where the difference is made. We are so desperate to put a label on our ‘diets’ that it can really box us in! Imagine if you chose not to label your diet. Imagine the emotional freedom that would create for you!

The trick is to find out which foods make you feel best and eat more of those instead rather than to cut them all out. If grains and breads make you feel bloated and bad then there are parsnips, sweet potatoes and potatoes. It doesn’t mean you can never eat a doughnut again! The important thing is that you know what makes you feel good and bad physically so you can make better decisions. When we restrict and box ourselves into a specific way of eating it causes heartache!

If you are trying to figure out your diet then it’s important to examine what does and doesn’t work for you in a lot more detail than just a blanket ban on a food group. Not only is it more realistic but it will keep you more satisfied if you occasionally let yourself indulge in a food if you really want it. For example we all know brown rice and pastas are more nutritious but sometimes you can eat the other kind without guilt if you allow yourself the space to enjoy the foods you want when you want them.

Finding the diet that works for you means creating awareness around ALL foods and not trying to put a label on them being ‘good’ or ‘bad’. For example, if you are reading this I can guess you’ve been on your fair share of diets. PARTS of some of them probably worked for you. When you are looking to create your own sustainable diet it is important to note what DID work with them as well as what didn’t!

I always say that in order to start creating your own healthy blueprint you have to really take inventory of where you are right now in your journey. That doesn’t mean to make a big negative list of all your flaws but also to take note of what good habits already exist! You can build on the good stuff. For example if your saving grace is that you love vegetables then that’s a great thing to build on! You don’t have to overhaul your entire way of living to lose weight, you just have to start where you are and work with what you’ve got. It doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult.

When it comes to designing your blueprint then never say never! MY diet is the Marnie diet! Try calling yours the “insert your name here” diet and see how that feels? It is YOUR way of eating that makes you feel great. I want to empower you to create your own healthy blueprint so you never have to suffer the cycles of guilt and shame that diets create!

Remember, I would love to hear from YOU! What aspect of creating your own healthy blueprint are you struggling with? Leave me a comment below!

As always, drop me comment below, plus don’t forget to join my private Facebook Group if you haven’t done so already……and remember The Full-Bodied Evolution Members Club has a wealth of materials and a growing community of like-minded people to help you on your weight loss journey! Plus, you can always find me on both Instagram and Pinterest for more lifestyle food and fitness tips!

….and don’t forget to listen to The Full-Bodied Evolution Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!