In my previous article, I outlined the basics of flexible dieting and focused on one approach that I believe to be a stepping stone to more complex ways of flexible dieting: counting calories and macros.
 
In this piece, I want to cover some guidelines on how to design a diet for either fat loss or muscle gain, including a proposed diet duration, macros and calories calculations, and how to transition away from dieting.

​Flexible dieting marries some form of food tracking with a degree of flexibility (duh) that makes it a more sustainable approach than most current popular diets.
 
In this article, I aim to cover:
 

• What’s the problem with diets?
• What is flexible dieting?
• Where do you start?
• How do you calculate your macronutrient and calorie targets for maintenance?

 
The first three sections of this article are excerpts from my Quick Guide to a Balanced Diet. Sign up for my free monthly newsletter at the bottom of this page to read the full guide!

​Following a maintenance phase, in the last month I have resumed high-volume training and a calorie surplus to induce hypertrophy and gain more muscle.
 
I feel like I am in a better mental place to welcome this process than ever before, as I find myself better equipped, from a psychological standpoint, to deal with the inevitable fat gain and the increasing number on the scale.
 
Sharing my thoughts on the topic on Instagram, I received some great comments about the relatability of the fear of weight gain. So, in this article, I aim to provide some strategies that have helped me and might aid others in the mental struggle against the scale and the mirror.

​One of my nutrition clients wanted to improve their diet and came to me assuming I would recommend avocado, nuts, tofu, and other expensive foods you might see on an influencer’s Instagram account.
 
This client was one of many people who have told me they don’t think they can have a healthy diet because they can’t afford “healthy foods.”
 
This article aims to challenge this unfortunate misconception and to give you tips on how to eat healthy without breaking the bank!