Dieting has been around for as long as humans have been trying to lose weight. Now that we are in the 21st century, there are numerous apps, websites, and books to help us make the right food choices for our bodies. One of the better-known dieting methods is the Miep Gourmet Diet (MiEP), named after the author of the original Dutch Miep Gourmet Diet cookbook series. The original book was first published in 1951 and has been amended and reprinted countless times over the years to keep up with nutritional trends and the ever-evolving demands of a fickle public.
The Miep Gourmet Diet is a four-step process. First, you identify the primary foods that you are prone to overeat. Next, you establish an average daily intake for each food group (grains, dairy, meat, and vegetable), based on your gender and current weight. Third, you determine how many calories you should consume at each meal, using a combination of your body weight and a healthy BMI (calorie intake will vary by gender and weight, but you should aim to stay within the recommended ranges). Finally, you adopt a meal plan, tracking what you eat and how you feel after each meal so that you can enjoy your new lifestyle without fear of returning to unhealthy habits.
Step one: Identify the foods that you should avoid
Overeating is a common issue amongst the obese and overweight. For some people, it can be difficult to resist foods that taste good or seem to offer a better chance of satisfying a craving. If you identify these foods as part of your personal hell, you might be tempted to skip a meal or two (or three or four) to prevent yourself from being exposed to them. If this sounds like you, consider what foods you should avoid and why.
One way to lose weight successfully is to avoid foods that you know will make you gain weight. There are various lists of foods that are known to cause weight gain. Certain grains, for example, have been associated with weight gain. This can be attributed to the fact that they contain a high glycemic index. Your body doesn’t register these foods as fuel, so you don’t feel satisfied after eating them. The result is that you consume more calories than you need and store the extra as fat.
Step two: Establish an average daily intake for each food group
Based on your personal history and the results you want to see, you will establish different daily intakes for each of the four food groups (grains, dairy, meat, and vegetables). This is known as the Miep Gourmet Diet meal plan and can be followed using the popular Dietary Companion app. Once you have decided on the amounts of food that should be consumed, you should try to stick to this guideline. Exceptions can be made for certain meals (such as breakfast), but make sure that your total daily calorie intake aligns with your desired weight. If you believe that this step is difficult because you don’t want to deprive yourself of certain foods, try keeping a food diary. This way, you can ensure that you are eating the right amount of food at each meal and are not falling off track.
Step three: Calculate your daily calorie intake
You have determined how much food you should eat in the first two steps, so it’s time to figure out how many calories you should consume. As mentioned above, the amount of calories you need will vary by gender and weight, so use the tables listed below to determine your appropriate daily calorie intake.
Step four: Develop a meal plan
After you have determined how many calories you should consume daily, you should create a meal plan, detailing all the foods you will eat during the day. Since this is a diet plan, you should avoid eating foods high in carbohydrates. These will be converted into sugar by the body, causing you to gain weight even if you consume fewer calories than you need. Instead, you should focus on eating foods that are low in carbohydrates and high in fibers. These will help you stay full for longer and prevent more of those mindless eating episodes that can cause additional weight gain.
What is important is sticking to the plan and being consistent, rather than trying to tweak and adjust the plan to meet your current needs. If you have been following the plan diligently for a few weeks, you may notice some changes for the better. If you are still experiencing some discomfort, you may want to make some small adjustments to the plan (like adding more vegetables or reducing the amount of meat you are consuming).
Being able to stick to a diet is a feat in itself. If you have been trying to lose weight for a while and have had little to no success, the idea of sticking to a diet might feel daunting. The good news is that there is hope! With a little planning and strategizing, you can find a diet that works for you and stick to it. When you do, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of a slimmer physique without all the discomfort that comes with being overweight or obese.