Methodology is based on the principle that calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients all play key roles in weight management.
Let's tackle calories first. You have to eat the right amount of calories for your body. If you eat too many, you'll gain weight. If you eat too few, you'll slow your metabolism down (and once you do, it's very hard to ever speed it back up again).
Macronutrients are how we categorize calories into protein, fat, or carbohydrates. There's no perfect macronutrient ratio. It's really a personal preference. You should eat the macronutrient ratio that helps you feel satisfied shortly after eating and keeps you feeling full and energetic for hours after your meal. Protein and fat are better at keeping people fuller longer than carbohydrates.
Another thing to keep in mind is that effective macro ratios differ not only by person but also over time. Someone very overweight may benefit more from a low carb macro plan than an elite athlete who trains for hours a day. Your macro needs change over time based on how active, muscular and overweight you are.
Micronutrients are things like Vitamin A, iron and calcium. Your body needs micronutrients to functional optimally, but micronutrients are often neglected by most dieters and diet food companies. Real foods like kale, eggs and grass-fed beef are denser in micronutrients than foods like potato chips, soda and cookies.
The wider the variety and higher the quantity of absorbable micronutrients you eat directly from food, the better. When your body feels like it's not getting enough micronutrients, it will trigger hunger and cravings to try to get you eat something that will help it out. Oddly, however, you'll rarely crave the food your body actually needs and will often crave junk food that has little to no micronutrients. This is why it's important to eat real foods to begin with to prevent you from entering a vicious cycle of overeating foods that lack micronutrients.
If this feels overwhelming, don't worry about it. Your body is actually really good at figuring this stuff out on its own. As long as you eat a wide variety of fresh, real food -- particularly plants -- and stop eating when you're satisfied, you should be getting enough calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients to feel healthy.
And you can think of Methodology as a way to make this process fool-proof or to help you out if you're busy. All our meals include at least 2 servings of fresh vegetables, a lean protein from a pastured animal or wild seafood, and a gluten-free starch. Your weekly menus are designed to maximize micronutrient intake, give you enough protein and fat to prevent hunger and cravings, and provide enough calories to fuel your busy days without causing weight gain. It takes a while to figure out what works for each person, and we'll adjust your food based on your feedback about how your weight, hunger, and cravings change. Subscribe today to get started.