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What Can I Eat?

I’m often asked, “What foods do I need to eliminate on this program?” The answer is simple: none! This book is NOT a program, it is a lifestyle. One that does not label foods as good or as bad. Some recipes will include ingredients such as bacon, bread, and cheese; The Complete Plate does not demonize whole nutrients like fat or sugar. Nutrients work best in a food ecosystem. Eliminating certain foods, or single ingredients, prevents whole foods from doing their job. The Complete Plate promotes a balanced diet that does not deprive the user of specific foods.

Why It Works

This approach to eating works because it is not revolutionary—wait, what?! We have been conditioned to believe that a diet must be extreme, radical, and sexy in order for it to work. We do not give our bodies enough credit! Sure, there are situations that warrant a more creative approach, but for the general healthy population, our bodies are more than capable of handling the food we put into it within moderation. This plan is going back to the basics. It is not overcomplicating science, it is rooted in context and solid research, and it is fostering healthy relationships with food.

While other programs are prohibitive or eliminatory, The Complete Plate encourages balanced eating, which leads to optimal nutrition and satiation. And because you are eating a variety of foods, including the occasional treat, you never feel the need to cheat. This way of eating

celebrates delicious and healthy food consumed in moderation.

Best of all, The Complete Plate works because it’s sustainable. Since each meal plan is perfectly balanced for your dri values, you don’t have to follow the meal plans in order. If you are still becoming comfortable in the kitchen, keep it simple by choosing a few of your favorite meal plans and enjoy them over and over again. If variety is your spice of life, feel free to choose a different plan for every day of the week. With this book, I want you to feel empowered to make choices suited to your lifestyle needs.

Say Goodbye to Cravings

A little anecdotal plug. Once I started fulfilling my body’s daily micro- and macronutrient needs, my sugar cravings stopped. Essentially, by following my meal plans, my body is in a continually content state because it receives everything it needs to function at its peak performance on a daily basis. It is important to clarify that I would never label treats as bad, or a form of “cheating,” but when I get my dri values from food, I simply lose my desire for those foods.

Additionally, a balanced meal plan that provides your body with all its recommended intake values tends to reduce mindless snacking—a prime culprit for empty calories that add up quickly. But don’t worry, we don’t demonize snacking in The Complete Plate. Each meal plan provides a list of delicious and healthy snacks to curb hunger.