How can the 80bites program deliver weight loss but also add pounds?
After you have read Stacie’s story, you will see how one program works to fix overweight and underweight! You will hear that she has begun the process of UNLEARNING all the nutrition and diet and exercise stuff she was fed. Anyone her age has been inundated with directives that seem to be based in “science” but are really unnatural and impractical and just don’t work!
When I met Stacie I knew immediately that 80bites could help her because I had been there too—I was underweight for the first 35 years of my life. I didn’t have an eating disorder—nor does Stacie—but she, at 5’3” and only 95 pounds, needs to gain. She is way too lean. I never use the “h” word but really at her age this is an “unhealthy” weight. Here are her words:
“Hi, my name is Stacie. I’m a 42-year-old mom of two and trained dancer that has recently been introduced to the 80Bites program. I’ve been using it now for a couple of weeks with two goals: gaining weight and clearing my brain fog. Yes, I am aware that most women want to lose. As for my brain, I need to be clear-headed and just feel more energy overall.
I will say my first takeaway after reading through the plan and all of the new information that frankly contradicts a lot of what I had learned, is I have much to unlearn. We are really forced to hear about “healthy ways” that we should be eating. Most of this is WHAT we should be eating. And you know, drink a ton of water, have a lot of vegetables, and get your vitamins from perfect foods.
As a mom with two young kids, 80Bites made me realize that I’m rushing through eating a lot of the time. So even though I do have an appetite and like to eat, I had not been taking the time to really enjoy the foods. Also, I have been drinking a ton of water, which I’ve also come to understand is probably one reason why I am underweight.
The last couple of weeks since starting 80Bites I have gained three pounds. Meanwhile, I have friends who are dieting to lose and they say they can gain 3 pounds in a weekend on whatever diet they follow.
So I did start with the 80Bites app and found out that I was not eating too few bites. I don’t eat 80 in a day, but this is not what one should do. 80Bites is the maximum. There is no minimum, but you soon recognize how much your own stomach can handle. So how did I gain? I have done this by layering my foods. That means if I want to have an apple, I’m having the apple with peanut butter.
I’m making sure that I’m eating all different types of foods and not just, you know, stuffing myself with kale. And big salads or whatever was deemed healthy. I am thinking about what’s going to complement what I choose and also add calories. So I don’t have some crackers alone. I add butter or cream cheese. Sometimes I add an olive or a smear of avocado. TASTE is my guide. This works because I can’t physically eat huge portions of food. So I don’t stuff myself by eating two slices of pizza rather than one. Instead, I add topping to the pizza. I still eat until I am only 80% full.
I’ve learned that what I’m drinking matters in this weight gain journey that I’m on. So, I am switching up drinking water with meals to having wine with dinner or fresh juice with breakfast. I am adding cream and sugar to my coffee as opposed to just having it black because I was told that black coffee is the healthier option.
Fortunately, it hadn’t really occurred to me, being someone that has been underweight her whole life, to make the mistake of counting calories. So that’s not necessarily where my mind has been. But I’ve realized that I’m not getting the enjoyment with the foods that I have been eating. I was not eating. I was “nourishing” myself consuming NUTRITION.
So what is working is layering of the foods, sitting down, taking my time, and not having major distractions while I’m eating and really having a variety of foods that I love to eat anyway.
So maybe I eat Mexican or Italian food, which I love and don’t think about whether they are “good” food or “bad” foods. Also, it is a matter of having a variety of foods that I already love to enjoy and also this variety will be a comprehensive nutritional advantage.
Funny that now after these first couple of weeks I know that drinking fresh juice with my everything bagel and cream cheese is going to be good for me! Also, having added a few nuts when I do have something that may have more sugar than I’ve been accustomed is good. When drinking juice or alcohol, eating some food with fat will offset the sugar intake. 80Bites calls this buffering. What a new idea for me!
It’s the start of a new adventure in eating which began when we found out that hormones become unbalanced if you overeat regardless of what.
Also, I am doing more strength/resistance training as opposed to getting my heart rate super elevated during a workout. No longer is getting super sweaty the goal. But thanks to 80Bites I am not adding huge quantities of protein either. I now know that eating is about balance, not glorifying certain foods which will change the next year.
I really look forward to continuing to implement the 80Bites principles into my life and am happy that I will also improve my appearance so that I look and feel my best.”