Freedom in Food Choices EXPLORING THE PROS AND CONS OF FLEXIBLE DIETING If you ever dreamed of a diet that lets you eat ice cream, look no further than flexible dieting. It’s a little like calorie counting, but it’s focused on controlling your macronutrient intake, including protein and carbs. Flexible dieting is also called the If It Fits Your Macros Diet, as you can eat anything — including ice cream — so long as it fits your macros. A nutritionist, doctor, or coach can set your allotted daily macros — or you can calculate it yourself. While flexible dieting is gaining popularity, it isn’t for everyone, and it has pros and cons. Pro: Long-Term Sustainability The freedom of flexible dieting is that it’s more sustainable than its peers. If a diet forbids you from eating your favorite foods, you may resent it. A restrictive regimen can prevent you from fulfilling that dream of eating pizza with friends. Meanwhile, flexible dieting allows you to do whatever you want, so long as you have room for it in your macros. Pro: Tailored to Your Needs Everyone has unique nutritional needs, and flexible dieting caters to that. Athletes and people with medical conditions often require specific macro intake. Flexible dieting, especially with a doctor or nutritionist’s help, is perfect for those individuals.
Con: Time Consuming Many diets are straightforward. With the Mediterranean diet, you know what foods you can and can’t eat, while calorie restriction only requires a quick glance at calories. Flexible dieting is a lot more complicated than that. You must look for carbs, protein, and fats in every meal. That can take time. Con: No Emphasis on Micronutrients There’s more to our diets than carbs: We need vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients to survive. Flexible dieting promotes a hyperfocus on macros, ignoring the importance of other nutrients. Luckily, dieters can alleviate this with supplements and good planning. Flexible dieting may be the answer for those who can’t stick to other diets. It is a weight-loss plan that gives you the freedom to eat whatever you want. If you’re interested in taking up this excellent diet, many online resources and print books are available to get you started.
Take a Break
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
INGREDIENTS
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed • 1 onion, diced
• 2 tsp garam masala • 1 tsp ground coriander • 1 tsp paprika • 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes • 1 14-oz can tomato sauce • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt • Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tbsp minced ginger • 1 tsp ground cumin
DIRECTIONS
1. Place the chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, garam masala, coriander, and paprika in the slow cooker. 2. Pour in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, stirring to combine. 3. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours. 4. When the chicken is done cooking, stir in the Greek yogurt. 5. Serve over rice or with naan and enjoy!
AQUAMARINE BASKETBALL BUTTERFLY CLOVER
DAFFODIL GREEN IDES LEPRECHAUN
MADNESS SPRING TANGERINE WOMEN
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